EME Outlook - Issue 37

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

Issue 37

OMAN BROADBAND The bid to open up broadband to all

BERGMAN & BEVING Ensuring continuity of supply through challenging times

FIRE IN THE HOLE!

Alan ‘Big Al’ Barratt’s explosively successful Grenade brand is a true manifestation of his personality and life experiences Patrik Möller, Co-Founder and CEO of CorPower Ocean, tells of the company’s game-changing wave energy convertors

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WELCOME

Exploding onto the Scene

EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Tom Wadlow tom.wadlow@outlookpublishing.com Editor: Dani Redd dani.redd@outlookpublishing.com PRODUCTION Art Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com

When Alan Barratt launched his Grenade nutrition

Senior Designer: Devon Collins devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com

business around a decade ago, little did he know

Junior Designer: Matt Loudwell matt.loudwell@outlookpublishing.com

that his products would be a number one seller on Amazon in the UK.

BUSINESS Managing Director: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Operations Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com PROJECT DIRECTOR Joshua Mann joshua.mann@outlookpublishing.com HEADS OF PROJECTS Callam Waller callam.waller@outlookpublishing.com Thomas Arnold thomas.arnold@outlookpublishing.com Vivek Valmiki vivek.valmiki@outlookpublishing.com TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com SALES MANAGERS Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com Josh Hyland josh.hyland@outlookpublishing.com Ryan Gray ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com PROJECT MANAGERS David Knott david.knott@outlookpublishing.com Matthew Taylor matthew.taylor@outlookpublishing.com

ADMINISTRATION Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Administrative Assistant: Sophia Curran sophia.curran@outlookpublishing.com Office Manager: Daniel George daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com CONTACT EME Outlook East Wing, Ground Floor, 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 www.emeoutlookmag.com Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/emeoutlook

Consistently outselling chocolate bars, Grenade’s Carb Killa range has truly taken off among both health enthusiasts and those looking for a healthier alternative to what has been a long-held national favourite snack.

Barratt’s story is the focus of our cover this issue. A fascinating conversation about his earlier years and inspirations, the CEO reveals in forensic detail the key moments which shaped his path towards entrepreneurialism and making it to the top.

“That whole experience just set me up in almost every aspect of life,” Barratt says, recalling his work experience spent at a gym in Stirchley, Birmingham.

“For business, it was about seeing how relationships were built, the interest in health and fitness, and learning the value of getting on with people.

“I learned a huge amount, and 25 years later I am still good friends with a lot of the people who I met there. From that point onwards, at 15 or 16, I knew I wanted to do something in this field.”

The rest, as they say, is history.

Elsewhere is this issue you will find a host of manufacturing firms who, like in many industries, are having to deal with the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic and associated distancing and lockdown measures.

From Bergman & Beving in Sweden to Plastika Skaza in Slovenia, factorybased operations are not what they were even a handful of months ago before the virus took hold across the world. We speak to key industrial leaders to see how their organisations have responded.

The sporting world has also been disrupted, both in terms of playing and a lack of crowds to watch live action.

Tennis grand slam event Wimbledon was no different. Having been on site last year to speak with IBM and the AELTC about their tech-driven collaborations, this year’s conversation was somewhat different. With no event taking place at all, how did the two companies still put on a show?

Enjoy the issue!

Follow us on Twitter: @eme_outlook

Tom Wadlow Editorial Director, Outlook Publishing EME Outlook issue 37 | 3

CONTENTS

10

86 REGULARS

22

6 NEWS

TOPICAL FOCUS

Around Europe and the Middle East in seven stories

22 The COVID response

8 EXPERT EYE

A look into consumer research and cybersecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 and the Tempting Threat Landscape

BUSINESS INSIGHT

10 Food & Drink

Fire in the Hole!

Alan ‘Big Al’ Barratt and the rise of Grenade

18 Sport and COVID-19

The Greatest Championships Talking digital Wimbledon with IBM and the AELTC

18

4 | EME Outlook issue 37

Adapting to a ‘New Normal’

EVENTS

86 Arab African Mining Uncovering investment opportunities in the Arab and African regions

88 EPOCH 2020 Exploring diversity and inclusion in oil and gas online

90 Foodex Saudi Saudi Arabia’s premier F&B showcase

92 The International Business Excellence Awards Celebrating hard work, dedication and excellence in business

94 THE FINAL WORD What impact has the coronavirus pandemic had on your industry, and how are you responding?

EME OUTLOOK MAGAZINE

66

F E AT U R E S

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

MANUFACTURING

28 Bergman and Beving Power to the Tools

TECHNOLOGY

60 Oman Broadband Company

Oman’s Critical Connector The bid to open up broadband to all

ENERGY & UTILITIES

Ensuring continuity of supply through challenging times

66 CorPower Ocean

36 Express Pack Print

Harnessing the power of ocean waves

Packing a Punch

Inside the UAE’s pioneering packaging enterprise

42 Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch Switched On

The expert in power-generating components for renewable energy

48 Copper Mill Sevojno Copper Standard

Showing Serbian strength in all things copper

Sea Change MINING

72 Coal Mine Pljevlja Mining for Montenegro

A story of financial transformation and powering progress

CONSTRUCTION

78 UNStudio

Breaking Ground in the Middle East Elevating architecture to new heights

56

56 Plastika Skaza Plastic Goes Green

Inside Slovenia’s sustainable plastics revolution

42

72

78

EME Outlook issue 37 | 5

NEWS Around Europe & the Middle East in seven stories…

ENVIRONMENT

EU climate initiative to fund numerous startups

C O R O N AV I R U S

ASTRAZENECA FINALISES AGREEMENT TO SUPPLY EU COMMISSION WITH COVID-19 VACCINES AST RAZENECA HAS finalised an agreement with the European Commission to supply up to 400 million doses of its AZD1222 COVID-19 vaccine.

This will allow EU member states to access the vaccine in an equitable manner at no profit during the pandemic. EU member states can also redirect doses to other European countries.

“With production in our European

supply chain soon to be started, we hope to make the vaccine available widely and rapidly, with the first doses to be delivered by the end of 2020,” said Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca.

The company has also has expanded its agreement with Oxford Biomedica to scale up production of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, as the race continues to find an effective treatment for the virus.

N I N E E U R O P E A N startups will receive a total of €4 million ($4.76 million) from EIT Climate-KIC Accelerator, the EU’s only acceleration programme focused on climate impact through commercialisation of cleantech.

German firm Dabbel will receive €320,000 to develop AI-based technology that improves a building’s efficiency by taking control of HVAC systems (Heat, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) and shading. The company states its technology can enable a building to reduce CO2 emissions by 40 percent.

French company Everimpact will also receive €320,000 for its climate monitoring platform, which harnesses data from traffic, satellites, buildings and IoT devices to provide emissions information to customers.

TECHNOLOGY

DEWA partners with Huawei to open InfraX Network Operations Centre T HE D U BA I Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has inaugurated its InfraX Network Operations Centre, developed with digital transformation partner Huawei. The ambition behind the centre is to enhance its large, super-fast fibre optic network by providing new avenues for local enterprises 6 | EME Outlook issue 37

to accelerate transformation plans in education, healthcare, finance, energy and more.

The centre will offer enterprises a flexible and intelligent technology platform based on cloud computing, AI and VR. “The centre will be a valuable addition to the digital infrastructure of the UAE, by using DEWA’s fibre-optic network as a secure, reliable, and super-fast means of increasing efficiency and performance,” said DEWA’s HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

ENERGY

T E L E C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

TELEFONICA LAUNCHES 5G NETWORK IN SPAIN

Siemens prepares energy business spin-off S IE MEN S HAS revealed plans to turn Siemens Energy into a spin-off business, which CEO Joe Kaeser said will span “the entire scope of the energy market like no other company”.

The spin-off will see Siemens retaining a 35.1 percent stake and Siemens Pension Trust a 9.9 percent share, while Siemens shareholders will own 55 percent of the company.

Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruch explained that the company felt the spin-off was required.

CONSTRUCTION

Kuwait to establish its first techno-complex AB DUL KARIM Taqi, DirectorGeneral for the General Authority for Industry in Kuwait, has announced that the Middle Eastern nation will build its first techno-complex, allowing it to develop its industrial capacity.

Taqi revealed that consultancy

“It’s about really focusing on driving an energy technology company forward. When I talk about focus I first of all mean really helping our customers in the transition to a more sustainable energy world,” he said.

It is also believed that the move will improve operational efficiencies.

studies would be completed by the end of 2020 on the components, section and management of the complex.

The complex will be built over an area of 200,000 square metres, and will contribute to industrial and technical research, especially in the petrochemical and renewable energy sectors. It will also provide training centres for the industrial sector, and will have areas allocated to SMEs.

S PA N I S H TE L E CO M S operator Telefonica has launched its national 5G network. The telco has also vowed to bring this nextgeneration mobile internet service to 75 percent of the population by the end of 2020.

The 5G network will offer fast download speeds, and will support smart devices, buildings and factories.

Telefonica is accelerating “the digitalisation of small and medium companies, public administrations and citizens”, according to its President, Jose Maria AlvarezPallete.

FINTECH

UK FINTECH MODE LAUNCHES PEER-TO-PEER CAPABILITIES FEATURE M O D E H AS announced its free instant Bitcoin transfers feature, allowing users to seamlessly sync contacts and send instant Bitcoin transfers to other Mode users, without needing the network to validate the transaction.

Users will be able to use a referral link to invite friends – both will receive £10 worth of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin network fees rose by up to 547 percent in August, and transfers can take between 10 minutes and 24 hours. Mode established its peerto-peer transfer service to remove these obstacles.

“It marks our first step towards seamless transfers worldwide, which we hope will project us forward into becoming the nextgeneration truly digital banking app as the world prepares for an increasingly cashless society,” said Janis Legler, Chief Product Officer.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 7

EXPERT EYE

T

he rise in network activity caused by the advent of COVID-19 may be the most tempting and enduring period of vulnerability that DDoS attackers around the world have ever seen. Notwithstanding that their own activities have been curtailed by the crisis, they have not hesitated to exploit it.

Unfortunately, contrasting reports about post-outbreak DDoS activity from the major industry players could mean that it will be some time before we can put the attacks of 2020 into an informative context that fits consistently with the statistical trends of recent years.

From a network operator perspective at Voxility, we have observed a near-doubling in the total number of network centered DDoS attacks during a typical day at 43,940 daily incidents globally — a staggering increase, even considering the yearon-year rise in incidents.

Reports vary across other, more consumer-facing providers. Web security companies contend that a small raft of ambitious, high-volume attacks in Q1 and Q2 are set against a background of more frequent, but lower-intensity attacks, compared to previous years1.

ABOUT THE EXPERT Maria Sirbu is the VP of Business Development at Voxility. In her role, Sirbu is responsible for establishing and developing strategic partnerships to improve the company’s overall profitability. She also handles all matters related to the company’s corporate communications, media relations and press inquiries, serving as Voxility’s spokesperson.

8 | EME Outlook issue 37

COVID-19 and the Tempting Threat Landscape Maria Sirbu, VP of Business Development at Voxility, provides insight into cyberattack activity during the coronavirus pandemic to date Written by: Maria Sirbu, VP of Business Development, Voxility

Some of the largest attacks registered during the first six months of 2020 were a 550 Gbps (gigabits per second) assault reported by Cloudflare2, and a sustained 734.9 Gbps incursion mitigated by Voxility in May, almost equalling our 2019 record incident – a 20-day siege that peaked at 770 Gbps.

Kaspersky, meanwhile, similarly observes that DDoS attacks doubled in the first three months of 2020 compared to the previous quarter, and were 80 percent higher than the same period in the preceding year2.

Attack duration on the rise?

Voxility activity shows that the average attack duration has dropped slightly under COVID-19, to about 16 minutes.

CloudFlare also maintains that this year’s average duration is 30-60 minutes, down notably from the three to four hours of 20193. Alternately, Kaspersky maintains that the duration of a typical DDoS attack has risen by 25 percent4 in 2020, compared to the previous year.

Other industry intelligence, while fragmented, can help us build up a more comprehensive picture. Between February and early April 2020, Nokia observed a 40 percent rise in largerscale DDoS traffic5, while Link11 mitigated 2,860 hours of attack, a 30 percent increase on the same period in 2019.

The what and where of cyberattacks in 2020 At Voxility we have noticed a notable shift in the types of institutions and systems coming under DDoS attack during the pandemic. In 2019 the focus of attention was on telcos and ISPs, whereas current attention has moved to cloud applications and online services.

Though fewer in number than in 2019, several sustained attacks seem to have occurred against the backdrop of COVID-19. Gaming services Eve Online endured a nine-day attack6, while the Wargaming server was bombarded for over a week, an assault that some think related to the political ambitions of company founder Vyacheslav Makarov7.

However, the gaming industry was also the sector most affected

by DDoS incursions in 20198, and the motivations behind these attacks are generally more juvenile9 than political.

This is not the case for many of the notable attacks in 2020 so far, which are characterised by assaults against government departments10; online educational facilities; hospitals already overwhelmed under COVID-1911; food delivery services12; informational health services13; and general aggression14 against network infrastructures whose importance has been elevated in the context of the health crisis.

Regarding the provenance and destination of DDoS activity in 2020,

most attacked country in the world as the pandemic emerged, with 175,000 DDoS attacks, leaving South Korea a distant second at 74,000 attacks, and Brazil third at 51,000.

Time will tell

Voxility observes that the US is the greatest source of attacks, followed respectively by China and the UK. The US was also in first place in 2019, but with Hong Kong and Canada trailing.

In terms of damage inflicted, we observe that the countries most affected

by DDoS attacks have shifted in 2020.

The UK now occupies the top spot in that category – moving from second place in 2019 – while the Netherlands drops from first to third position, and France enters in second place.

According to Kaspersky, Brazil achieved the highest bot-driven DDoS origin footprint in the first quarter of 2020, with 12.25 percent of unique IP addresses, while 39.93 percent of Command and Control servers remained registered in the US, in line with previous years. China is reportedly close behind as an aggressor at 11.51 percent, with Egypt a relatively distant third, at 7.87 percent.

These figures indicate that this is a radical shift from the preceding quarter, where China held an overwhelming 53.07 percent lead in DDoS instigation, followed by the US (22.01 percent) and Japan (6.14 percent)15.

In terms of attack destinations, Voxility observes that the United States has surpassed China in 2020 as the primary target for DDoS attacks. China has moved to second place, trailed respectively by the UK, Germany and Russia.

Again, claims on this vary among providers. However, March seems to have been a defining time for DDoS activity in 2020, a report on that month16 from Network Box Corporation may give some other useful indications for the year. The United States was the

Besides a general increase in the net volume of attacks since COVID-19 struck, Voxility has also observed that volumetric DDoS incursions have increased from 15 percent to 41 percent of all attacks in Q1 of 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Consequently, HTTP Flood has fallen from 40 percent of all attack types to 28 percent under COVID-19, while UDP Flood incidents have doubled from 15 percent to 30 percent of attacks over the same period.

The incidence of DNS Amplification attacks, meanwhile, has increased very little for our customers.

COVID-19 has elevated our dependence on network infrastructure to a critical level, with DDoS mitigation now an essential national and global line of defence for our most important services and institutions.

Unfortunately, contrasting intelligence about post-outbreak DDoS activity from the major industry players could mean that it will be some time before we can put the attacks of 2020 into an informative context that fits consistently with the statistical trends of recent years.

REFERENCES https://blog.cloudflare.com/network-layer-ddos-attack-trends-for-q1-2020/ https://securelist.com/ddos-attacks-in-q1-2020/96837/ 3 https://securelist.com/ddos-report-q4-2019/96154/ 4 https://portswigger.net/daily-swig/ddos-surge-driven-by-attacks-on-education-government-and-coronavirus-information-sites 5 https://telecoms.com/503660/nokia-traffic-surges-are-flattening-but-ddos-is-on-the-up/ 6 https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/a-ddos-attack-has-kept-many-eve-online-players-offline-for-9-days-with-no-end-in-sight/ 7 https://www.mmowg.net/wargaming-ddos-attack-is-dangerous-and-related-to-politics/ 8 https://securityboulevard.com/2020/02/gaming-became-industry-most-affected-by-ddos-attacks-in-2019/ 9 https://www.imperva.com/blog/ddos-attacks-on-online-gaming-servers/ 10 https://www.teiss.co.uk/ddos-attacks-italy-inps-website/ 11 https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252480022/Coronavirus-linked-hacks-likely-as-Czech-hospital-comes-under-attack 12 https://gdpr.report/news/2020/03/19/privacy-german-food-delivery-service-suffers-cyber-attack/ 13 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-16/u-s-health-agency-suffers-cyber-attack-during-covid-19-response 14 https://www.totaltele.com/505216/Link11-Warns-of-30-Increase-in-Length-of-DDoS-Attacks-and-Disruption-Risks-as-OrganizationsAccelerate-COVID-19-Remote-Working-Plans 15 https://securelist.com/ddos-report-q4-2019/96154/ 16 https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3080291/us-servers-hit-175000-ddos-attacks-march-four-times-many 1

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EME Outlook issue 37 | 9

GRENADE

FIRE IN THE HOLE! Alan ‘Big Al’ Barratt’s explosively successful Grenade brand is a true manifestation of his personality and life experiences, the journey beginning at the age of 15 when he first set foot in a gym Writer: Tom Wadlow I’ve always wanted to do things differently to everyone else, and the first thing I want to say is that I’m completely unemployable.”

Thankfully, Alan Barratt is not on the hunt for employment at the moment.

Desperate to leave formal education at the earliest possible opportunity, he carries no academic qualifications beyond secondary school and has almost no experience of what it is like to be interviewed for a job.

Fortunately for him, he sits on the other side of the desk.

As Founder and CEO of Grenade, one of the fastest-growing weight management, energy and lifestyle brands in the world, Barratt is the definition of an entrepreneurial livewire, as enthusiastic about all things health and fitness now as he was as a wide-eyed teenager setting foot in a gym for the very first time.

10 | EME Outlook issue 37

FOOD & DRINK

EME Outlook issue 37 | 11

GRENADE It’s reflected in everything Grenade. really know what he was doing with a From its award-winning Carb set of weights at home, so when the Killa protein bars and supplement time came to submit work experience packages to energy drinks and fitness applications, there was only one place apparel, the brand is bold, brash and he had in mind – a gym. explosive. The bars even look like a Once again this went against landmine. the grain in regard to his friendship Barratt explains how it ties into group, who went down the more his long-held interest in the military, conventional office and automotive which not only represents a key line route. Barratt’s decision, however, was of business for Grenade, but also the probably the most momentous he inspiration for many marketing stunts, has made in his life, for he has never the most striking of which involved looked back. driving a tank through the streets of “Most gyms rejected me without London. a thought, but the last one I tried got Now 43 years young, the back to me, and I arrived with my entrepreneur’s love affair with the parents at about 9pm one night when health industry began around 30 years they were closing,” he recalls. ago, an affinity which, true to “I was blown away by all the form, was unique within equipment to the extent his non-sporting that I was trying to “I DID THREE family. replicate bench WEEKS OF WORK “I don’t come presses on my EXPERIENCE THERE from a sporty parents’ bed. I did AND THEY COULDN’T background,” three weeks of Barratt says. work experience GET RID OF ME – I WAS “My Dad there and they THERE EVERY DAY, EVEN was a heavy couldn’t get rid AT WEEKENDS, AND THEY of me – I was goods vehicle GAVE ME A YEAR OF FREE there every day, mechanic and was never into even at weekends, MEMBERSHIP. BIG AL football, rugby or and they gave ACTUALLY BECAME me a year of free any particular sport BIG AL!” from a participation membership. Big Al or viewing perspective. actually became Big Al!” “I grew up in the 1980s when There is also a dose of irony to the likes of Schwarzenegger, Van add to the story as Barratt, CEO of a Damme and Dolph Lundgren were global nutrition brand, was honing on the big screen – back then these his love of fitness and wellness at a guys were a big deal. I was quite tall gym that was a stone’s throw away and skinny and pretty bright at school, from Cadbury World. It was here, in even though I didn’t like it, and got the Stirchley, Birmingham, that he also nickname Big Al as a bit of a joke. began to appreciate the importance “My friends were all into the of nutrition, this awareness proving traditional sports but it just didn’t invaluable in his first steps into interest me, and I wanted to put on entrepreneurship. some weight, so I took inspiration “That whole experience just set from the Schwarzeneggers and Van me up in almost every aspect of life,” Dammes and talked my parents into Barratt continues. “For business, it was getting me a small weights set at about seeing how relationships were home, I think from Argos. It took about built, the interest in health and fitness, a year to convince them.” and learning the value of getting on Barratt, by his own admission, didn’t with people.

FOOD & DRINK “I learned a huge amount, and 25 years later I am still good friends with a lot of the people who I met there.

From that point onwards, at 15 or 16, I knew I wanted to do something in this field.”

Although nutrition wasn’t on the radar back then, Barratt dropped out of college to work full time at a gym in Coventry before setting up his own sports nutrition distribution business called Fusion in 1999.

Importing products from the US, the experience convinced him that there was money to be made in creating his own brand, the breakthrough moment coming in 2010 with the launch of Grenade alongside his wife Juliet, this having sold Fusion to a lifelong friend and working a year for free to ensure a smooth handover.

GETTING MORE OUT OF LIFE

BUNKING OFF TO SEE BRANSON As well as CEO of Grenade, Barratt also serves as a mentor for Virgin Start Up, this having been inspired by Richard Branson during his school years.

“In 1988, when I was 12, I remember seeing him cross the Atlantic to get the speed record,” Barratt recalls.

“I bunked off school for the day to watch the boat come in.

“I didn’t know what an entrepreneur was back then, but I thought that I’d like to have fun and make money at the same time, and some of those experiences has definitely stuck with me ever since.

I promised myself I would meet the man one day, and I’ve been on holiday with him three times since.”

The ultimate end goal for Barratt?

This can perhaps be summarised by a strapline that applies both personally and to his business – getting more out of life.

Barratt begins explaining the ethos by looking back on the lessons learned from his father.

“My interpretation, going back to my family, was that I had seen them work extremely hard through multiple generations, but they had little to show for it,” he says.

“We were not blessed with money when I was a kid. My friends were going abroad on holiday and we couldn’t afford it. My Dad had a car, but we only went out in it every couple of weeks – I was walking five miles to and from school a day.

“I think what has helped me was the fact I absorbed everything around me, something which I don’t think people do enough generally. Where people learn or don’t learn from their own mistakes, I was determined to learn from others’.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 13

GRENADE

“This includes my Dad who, no offence to him, probably taught me how not to run a business. He worked extremely hard but didn’t monetise it enough. He was very shy and couldn’t bring himself to invoice people for the amount of work he had done.

“What I learned is that if you let somebody have something for nothing, they will continue to exploit it. Dad very often did that, because that was how he was, but he always did a great job, and that work ethic I have picked up from him has been priceless. I think it’s something that has been eroded over the past couple of generations – family values and work ethic doesn’t feel like what it used to be.”

From a personal perspective, the Fusion and Grenade ventures have allowed Barratt to get more out of life than he ever imagined.

He has been able to repay his parents, a highlight being a holiday to a newly bought house in Florida when 14 | EME Outlook issue 37

“IF I COULD GET AWAY WITH EATING CADBURY’S CHOCOLATE EVERY DAY, I WOULD... BUT I CAN’T EAT THAT MANY CALORIES AND CONSUME THAT MUCH SUGAR – IT JUST ISN’T GOOD FOR YOU”

he was just 23, Florida a place that Barratt’s father had always wanted to take him when he was growing up.

“That is my version of getting more out of life, from a personal point of view,” he says, “but it has translated into the health side of things and Grenade as well.

“From a fitness and especially sports nutrition perspective, people take it so seriously. If you’ve got friends that train, then you’re bound to know someone who lives off chicken

and broccoli – if you go out, they’ve got chicken with them and are munching it every two hours.

“They look great, but a lot of the time they are just miserable.

I am not knocking it because I was there myself, but when I looked my best and was doing calendar shoots, I probably felt my worst.”

Another observation Barratt made, having founded Grenade, was that virtually all sports nutrition brands focused on people who looked good, or at least were on a mission to. While he admits there is nothing wrong with that, he realised very quickly that there were more people out there.

It was something of a eureka moment, for a major factor behind the success of Grenade products has been their ability to appeal to an enormous catchment of consumers.

Yes, the company supplies serious customers such as the military and high-performance athletes with

FOOD & DRINK serious products, but Barratt believes that up to half of Grenade buyers are people who do not even train. Most, he says, are simply looking for a healthier alternative to chocolate, the Carb Killa bars proving to be a UK best seller.

And for the CEO, it is all about creating a brand that people want to be a part of.

“If I could get away with eating Cadbury’s chocolate every day, I would,” Barratt asserts. “But I can’t eat that many calories and consume that much sugar – it just isn’t good for you.

The idea was to create something that tastes just as good, but is better for you, and we want to capture all those people who have fallen away from chocolate in search of a product that is healthier.”

Barratt goes on to cite statistics from Tesco, figures which reveal that consumers who purchase Grenade bars actually consume more chocolate

than those who don’t.

“Mars did us a massive favour by creating the Snickers protein bar, and they’ve just done the same with M&M’s,” he adds.

“They’re more expensive, have less protein, contain more sugar and don’t taste like their parent brands, so people try it and are naturally pulled towards our segment of the market.

We’ve spoken to big confectionery brands and they are adamant that sugar is still the future. To me, sugar is the enemy of public health.”

Barratt is not trying to say that he invented health or protein bars with Grenade. Rather, they are promoting what the CEO terms achievable health through good quality, nutritional products which serve as a more realistic swap than simply trading confectionery for fruit and veg.

Once more this thinking stems from Barratt’s own experiences, this time

with dieting, a routine he never got along with.

“I love eating chocolate and I love eating curry, so if I want to eat a chocolate bar or a curry then I won’t stop myself,” he adds. “I spent a lot of time trying to stick to diets, and I just couldn’t do it.”

The key point being made is that you can still live a healthy life without the need to stick religiously to a diet, the concept of healthy living brought into the spotlight in a big way throughout the course of 2020 in no small part due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

In the UK, months of lockdown measures have led to millions of workers either being placed on a government-backed furlough scheme or working from home.

Such a prolonged period of isolation from colleagues, friends and family, although carried out in the interest of public health, has other consequences.

“The issue of mental and physical health is not going away, and this year has certainly shown that,” says Barratt.

“But what the lockdown period has actually shown is that being healthy can be cheap and accessible. You can go out for a walk for free, cycling is at record levels, and people are being more ambitious with cooking at home.”

Grenade has played its part in the national effort as well, donating stacks of care packages to frontline health service workers.

And like almost every business, Grenade too has had to adapt to ensure employees are kept safe during what would have been a year of prolonged 10th birthday celebrations. Barratt, determined to mark the occasion properly, says the company will party when the time is right in 2021.

“It’s been a strange year but a really good one at the same time,” he reflects. “The lockdown months March to June saw our best ever sales, and some places we have struggled to keep in stock.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 15

GRENADE

FOOD & DRINK

“THERE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE OF WORKING HARD AND REAPING THE REWARD, SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF TRAVELLING AROUND THE WORLD, MEETING ENTREPRENEURS, TELLING THE GRENADE STORY...”

“For instance, our Ration Pack vitamin supplements have done incredibly well in the Middle East, and we’re working extremely hard to keep up with demand. We’ve probably sold more of those this year than in the previous six combined, such is the emphasis on health in that market at the moment.

Alan Barratt first went into business importing nutrition products from the United States, selling the company to his friend before starting up Grenade, what he says will be his last ever job

“While I wouldn’t say I have enjoyed this year, I have enjoyed negotiating the challenges it has presented. It has felt like being in a startup again where agility and sharp reactions are critical.

You have to see opportunity in times of adversity – it’s the only way we’ll all emerge from this.”

And opportunity is exactly what Barratt and his private equity partner

Lion Capital see in the years ahead.

They are both firm believers that a billion-dollar company is on the horizon, with markets such as the US ripe for targeting with the same enthusiasm and verve that has brought so much traction in the UK. But what of the CEO himself? As the conversation comes to an end, Barratt’s answer is emphatic.

“This is the last job I will ever have,” he says. “My passions and work ethic will not change. Do I want to spend the next 20 years sat behind a desk, though? No. “There needs to be a balance of working hard and reaping the reward, so I like the idea of travelling around the world, meeting entrepreneurs, telling the Grenade story and growing our brand awareness.

“I’m 43 and have a lot of energy left. We’ll catch up again in another 10 years and who knows by then – maybe we’ll be up in a space station having a meeting.”

It wouldn’t be a surprise, not least because Barratt has just acquired a grenade-shaped hot air balloon.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 17

IBM/AELTC

THE GREATEST CHAMPIONSHIPS O

n March 23rd, the UK’s Prime Minister announced lockdown measures for an initial period of three weeks.

Across the country people had to adjust to the ‘new normal’ – homeschooling their children and working remotely – while hoping that the lockdown would soon be lifted.

It came as a huge blow for sports lovers when the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) announced its decision to cancel the Wimbledon Championships on April 1st – unfortunately, it was no April fool.

“With the likelihood that the Government’s measures will continue for many months, it is our view that we must act responsibly to protect the large numbers of people required to prepare The Championships from being at risk,” its official statement read.

18 | EME Outlook issue 37

IBM and the All England Lawn Tennis Club once again joined forces for the Wimbledon Championships this year, albeit in much changed circumstances Writer: Dani Redd

For many people, the cancellation of Wimbledon and other sporting events bought home the enormity of the pandemic. But for AELTC, it was important that tennis lovers were still able to get their fix.

“We wanted to say thank you to our fans by providing some semblance of Wimbledon, and of normality,” explains Alexandra Willis, Head of Communications, Content & Digital.

“And we wanted to encourage them to engage with us rather than just be passive consumers of content.”

PLANNING AHEAD BY LOOKING BACK There were eight weeks between the cancellation statement and the planned date of The Championships.

With no live matches scheduled, how was AELTC and its partner IBM going to provide an engaging Wimbledon experience for viewers?

For Willis, the announcement didn’t come as of much as a surprise as it did to the viewing public. One of AELTC’s partners was based in China, and working with them in lockdown from January onwards sparked discussions about what would happen if the virus spread. This led to scenario planning about how the tournament might be affected, and how Wimbledon could be celebrated regardless.

“On the second of April we were already putting together the

SPORT AND COVID-19 framework for what that would look like, how we could engage the BBC, how we could engage all of our partners, including IBM, and come together to do something one off but very special,” Willis explains.

AELTC started off with lots of ideas.

Ultimately, however, it realised that what it was looking for was a common narrative that everyone could get behind, including broadcasters and the media.

Then came the idea of The Greatest Championships – replaying some of the greatest matches across the event’s history over the original twoweek schedule.

“We wanted it to be more than random old matches,” Willis adds.

“We wanted to recreate that feeling of anticipation and not knowing quite what’s going to come the next day. That included scheduling early round matches, not just the finals and

semi-finals, all the while showcasing a breadth of history.”

The idea was to recreate the experience of watching The Championships as closely as possible, by showing matches in line with rounds as they would ordinarily have progressed. An element of surprise would be preserved by releasing the match schedule at 11am each day, with a choice of different iconic matches to watch.

To implement and enhance its vision, AELTC enlisted the help of its partner IBM. The computing organisation quickly put together a 10-strong team of digital and technical specialists. Central to IBM’s offering this year was the necessity to digitally remaster the video footage of yesteryear. But the first step was to select the matches, a task that IBM and AELTC undertook jointly.

“We selected matches that date as

far back as 1977 (the Virginia Wade vs Chris Evert and Bjorn Borg vs Vitas Gerulaitis semi-finals) based on a combination of factors: what was available in the archive; the quality of source content and the quality of the tennis stories both on the court and off,” explains Sam Seddon, IBM Wimbledon Client Executive.

The footage, he continues, was widely divergent in quality. To appeal to a modern audience, it had to be remastered. It was also necessary to apply modern statistics to the match and embed them in the video. Break points, aces and more were added as filters into the video replay system.

Each video needed to be enhanced frame by frame – considering each match was several hours long, equating to more than three terabytes of total video data, a lot of computing power was needed. An AI solution running on the IBM cloud (Watson) was used.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 19

IBM/AELTC As well as being completely remastered, many of the matches were lacking in both graphics and stats. AELTC’s data collection had to re-stat all of the matches so each had a complete dataset. This meant that viewers were able to search through to the most exciting points of the match, rather than always watching them in their entirety.

ENGAGED AND ENERGISED The social media campaign for marketing The Greatest Championships

REMASTERING THE CLASSICS IBM remastered archival video footage in two major ways: Sound analysis to enhance the fan experience: IBM adapted an AI solution initially developed for its Player Development project, used to create data indexes within the video file in response to tennis sounds such as ball strike and crowd noise. It applied the same AI sound analysis to these archival videos, identifying the most exciting moments of the matches from the crowd cheering – a much quicker process than re-watching and manually tagging the videos.

1

Visually enhancing/ deblurring footage: Modern audiences need the ‘noise’ removed from footage, and IBM wanted to enhance each video to the best of its advantage. After applying various enhancements, it evaluated areas of further improvement, applying AI techniques such as ‘super resolution’ and ‘deblurring’. The latter necessitated a custom solution which was built by comparing 11,000 modern Wimbledon images with a corresponding version that had been modified to appear old. This allowed the AI system to learn the differences between ‘old’ and ‘new’ and adjusting it accordingly.

2

20 | EME Outlook issue 37

was simple but hugely effective.

Participants were invited to use the deliberately open-ended hashtag #Wimbledonrecreated to share their individual, socially distanced Wimbledon celebrations.

“Sometimes we’re tempted to overcomplicate things but joining in the spirit of Wimbledon was such a simple message, and tapped into the breadth of the fanbase,” Willis comments.

Despite the lack of real-time matches, viewers rallied for the occasion and entered into the spirit of things.

“Everyone was so creative,” Willis continues. “We had people dressed up as umpires at the breakfast table, marking out the court with loo roll and fantastic culinary recreations. I saw one video of people hitting a ball over Highland cows on a Scottish moor.

“It was really heart-warming, the kind of thing advertisers dream of because it’s very true and very human.”

The Head of Communications, Content & Digital admits to being surprised at the extent of the appetite for tennis-related content. She was also surprised by the matches that proved to be most popular, in particular 1993’s Andre Agassi vs. Pete Sampras match – although Agassi might be out of the public eye, the two players’ rivalry is legendary.

Ultimately, Willis now aims to expand the interactive offering that AELTC provides.

“The way that we put The Greatest Championships together as an enriched video experience is a really great lesson for us in expanding our video content on Wimbledon.com, and thinking about a direct consumer offering,” she explains.

LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE Seddon also learned a lot from the eight weeks that his team at IBM spent creating The Greatest Championships.

“Personally, I’m pleased with the speed, agility and ‘one team’ collaboration we demonstrated to get things done,” he says.

“We had just two months to conceive, design and execute a solution for a global audience and that has been well received in the absence of any balls being struck or points won by real-life tennis players on the circuit.”

The ‘one team’ that the IBM Wimbledon Client Executive refers to is comprised of experts from across AELTC and IBM, who can work together year-round on producing a constant stream of innovations.

The innovation team works closely with the core delivery team to ensure these products slot seamlessly into pre-existing offerings and channels – and that’s what happened with The Greatest Championships.

Following on from this year’s success, Seddon is already planning for 2021, and has some exciting new innovations in the pipeline.

Sam Seddon, IBM Wimbledon Client Executive

Alex Willis, Head of Communications, Content & Digital, AELTC

SPORT AND COVID-19

“WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP NEW SOLUTIONS, NEW WAYS OF WORKING AND NEW PARTNERSHIPS THAT WILL BENEFIT COMPANIES AND THEIR CUSTOMERS, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT FOR YEARS TO COME” “We can’t reveal now what they are but there will be a focus on how to use IBM Watson and Cloud solutions to provide unique insights into the players and the sport of tennis, and how to deliver via experiences that can be tailored to each fan’s interests,” he explains.

But of course, neither Seddon nor Willis are able to predict what 2021 will bring. According to Willis, the team needs to be prepared for multiple scenarios.

“Plan for the worst but hope for the best,” she says philosophically. “Flexibility is really important. Making sure we’re aligned with changes in advice

and sport in general will be critical.”

For Seddon, the pandemic has bought home the important role technology has to play in sporting events.

“Those sports organisations that were well advanced in their adoption of digital technologies were the ones able to react quickest and deliver the most meaningful experiences to fans during lockdown. We also believe they will be the ones best positioned to develop new opportunities as sport returns,” he explains.

This is because stadiums and other sporting venues will be heavily reliant on technology to reopen, including temperature checks and organising

safe distancing through redistributing ticketing.

Undeniably, the pandemic has disrupted people’s lives, at least for the near future. But Seddon believes that despite the unprecedented tragedy, there is a positive from a technology perspective: that this ‘new normal’ was a period when the digital transformation of business and society suddenly accelerated. This is a trend that he hopes will continue.

“What we have now is an opportunity to develop new solutions, new ways of working and new partnerships that will benefit companies and their customers, not just today, but for years to come,” he says.

It is certainly true that IBM’s partnership with AELTC has led to new and unexpected ways of engaging with Wimbledon, even without live matches. We, for one, are looking forward to seeing what they will think up next.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 21

TOPICAL FOCUS

ADAPTING TO A ‘NEW NORMAL’

With seismic shifts in working life and consumer behaviour, businesses need to be more agile, well-informed and cyber-secure than ever Writer: Dani Redd

T

he coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the daily lives of millions of people, altering working patterns, lifestyle choices and consumer habits.

A study jointly undertaken by Harvard Business School and New York University surveyed the digital communications habits of more than three million users, discovering how the workday has changed during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

Contrary to the worries expressed by employers that productivity would dip, the working day increased by an average of 8.2 percent (48.5 minutes), alongside a short term increase in 22 | EME Outlook issue 37

email activity and a 12.9 percent increase in the number of meetings per week. Furthermore, people were logging into work at unusual hours, undoubtedly due to the necessity of balancing work with unprecedented childcare responsibilities.

Leisure time has also changed, in turn making lasting changes to people’s behaviour.

“Due to an increase in time spent at home, consumers are more focused on home-based activities and are directing their interests and their finances towards their home environment,” explains Frederic Charles Petit, CEO of market research

organisation Toluna.

“There has been a climb in spending across multiple areas, including fitness and personal health, home entertainment services and online shopping.”

Businesses are therefore facing challenges on all fronts. Not only do they have to ensure the wellbeing and productivity of their workforce, they must also ensure that their virtual systems are safe and secure.

Furthermore, they also need to maintain close contact with their consumers and suppliers, monitoring their requirements and limitations during the pandemic.

In short, there is one question that every business is asking – how do we navigate this ‘new normal’?

EME Outlook spoke to two protagonists in their respective fields – Petit, Toluna’s CEO, and Anjos Nijk,

THE COVID RESPONSE Managing Director at the European Network for Cyber Security – in search of answers.

LESSONS IN CYBERSECURITY Anjos Nijk is the Managing Director at the European Network for Cyber Security (ENCS), a non-profit member organisation founded in 2012 as part of a visionary plan to improve cybersecurity within the energy sector. With a background in global telecoms and biometrics security technology, he was offered a position within the core team. While many businesses have only recently begun to consider cybersecurity in a truly serious regard, it’s been part of his job description for years. But that doesn’t mean that the pandemic hasn’t been free of challenges.

“A direct impact has been that the vast majority of grid operator workforces throughout Europe were mandated to work from home.

With more grid operator functions performed remotely, clearly the risks of cyber incidents increase,” the MD explains.

“However, the trend of remote working already existed and security solutions exist, only the need to implement those measures faster has increased.”

Nijk is aware that his organisation has a vital role to play in the pandemic.

“The most important message coming from COVID-19 is the hard reality that we could have never coped if we would have lost our energy supply. This underscores our consistent message that we must speed up our efforts in capacity building and getting prepared as a society,” he says.

ENCS is doing all that it can to safeguard the energy sector during the COVID-19 crisis. One of the most important tasks is to implement measures to secure home-working environments and remote access policies. Incident response scenarios, operational security roles and

managing information security are vital parts of this process.

“Realistic cross-border exercises, making use of state-of-the-art attack scenarios and real office and OT environments is urgently needed. Most importantly, the issue of nation states’ classified information prohibiting the sharing of crucial intelligence required to mitigate the attack needs to be

HOW IS ENCS HELPING THE EUROPEAN ENERGY SECTOR FACILITATE SECURE HOME WORKING? ANJOS NIJK: “Clearly the implementation of Information Security Management Systems based on ISO 27000 can help.

ENCS is helping its members to scope their ISMS and implement the required controls for the OT domain. Obviously, there is an urgent need to bring the OT systems to the required security level, which ENCS addresses with its security requirements and testing programme. ENCS also delivers role-based training for security architecture and operations, such as designing and implementing secure architectures, and implementing secure remote access and secure configurations.”

resolved,” he explains.

Nijk believes such preparedness needs to extend beyond the energy sector. All organisations need to ensure their online security.

“Now we have increased exposure to cyber threats, the most important thing is to maintain a strong security hygiene. This means use of strong passwords, access control for devices and components (like a camera on your laptop), secure communication (protection of Wi-Fi networks, VPN), encryption of data (computer storage and communication), executing software updates and making backups,” he advises.

He also cautions businesses to be aware of phishing emails, and only to open links and attachments from trustworthy sources.

Ultimately, to Nijk, the pandemic has brought drastic changes to an already rapidly transforming security landscape, highlighting the necessity for novel and innovative approaches.

“Standardisation, certification and compliance will not be effective to deal with the speed and impact of changes and developments. Only with collaboration and information sharing, we will be able to organise the level of expertise and agility required to deal with this challenge,” Nijk explains.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION Frederic Charles Petit, the CEO of market research organisation Toluna, reiterates the importance of connection and collaboration in such uncertain times.

“COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of fostering trust, empathy and compassion throughout the business itself (by taking care of employees), and throughout customer communication and client service,” he tells us.

While ENCS has been working with clients to create secure online environments for clients, Toluna has EME Outlook issue 37 | 23

TOPICAL FOCUS

HOW HAS TOLUNA BEEN WORKING WITH CLIENTS DURING COVID-19?

FREDERIK CHARLES PETIT: “For more than 20 years, Toluna has responded to the call for fast and accurate research and has delivered high-quality insights to clients around the world, enabling some of the world’s largest global brands, corporations and agencies to make better, more informed business decisions. Throughout the crisis Toluna continued to work with clients to deliver real-time data and analysis on consumer behaviour that can help them navigate challenges and capitalise on opportunities as they arise.”

24 | EME Outlook issue 37

been working with organisations to deliver insights on rapidly changing consumer behaviours. During these uncertain times, accessing accurate, comprehensive data in real-time has never been more important.

“COVID-19 accelerated already changing consumer sentiment. Brand and message perceptions shift on an almost daily basis. Buying behaviours have completely been altered by availability and perceived health risk. Transparency into this evolving consumer perception and behaviour is imperative,” Petit says.

It’s important to realise that even the smallest changes in behaviour can have major ramifications on businesses. Take the hard-hit travel industry, for example. Consumers will now be asking completely different questions of their tour operators than they were a few months ago, such as ‘does this holiday include a comprehensive refund policy should travel regulations suddenly change?’

and ‘can you guarantee social distancing on the beach or in the hotel?’. Operators will need to anticipate and answer these questions to maintain their customer base.

Across all industries, realtime data insights can be used to help instil trust, acquire and keep customers. Another way to maintain trust, according to Petit, is for organisations to reach out and stay connected with its client base, guiding and reassuring them through this time of uncertainty.

According to the CEO, businesses must ask themselves several important questions: “How can we communicate our key message without looking opportunistic, at a time when customers are living through fearful times? Should we retract from the market and not communicate at all, or intelligently communicate value and a clear message?”

It is, he says, important to pursue the latter. Organisations that choose to stay connected with audiences and clients are the ones who will emerge stronger on the other side.

ACCLIMATISING TO THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ Both Petit and Nijk say that COVID-19 has caused them to learn some important lessons.

“For me, the main lesson is that security is a moving target – the playing field can change drastically in a split second,” Nijk says. “This means that concepts like certification

“WE NEED THE RIGHT EXPERTISE TO CREATE PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS THAT FOCUS ON APPROACHES AND INDICATORS BASED ON CONTINUOUS ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT CYCLES WITH A HOLISTIC SCOPE”

THE COVID RESPONSE

and compliancy can be considered to be way too rigid to cope with contemporary developments.”

Meanwhile, Petit echoes his sentiments.

“The crisis has redefined normal business operations permanently, from how employees work to how brands serve customers. This new model is underscored by the need to be nimble – not just with employees but when consumer sentiment has shifted, businesses need to react immediately,” Toluna’s CEO comments.

For both these executives, there is a necessity for businesses to become flexible and responsive; to trial new approaches, rather than relying on traditional

methods. Retailers, for example, will have to reimagine their stores to fit social distancing regulations, while improving and enhancing their online experience. Both cybersecurity and market research are integral to this; the former enabling the safety of online environments, while the latter can help understand shifts in

consumer behaviour. In fact, many industries have their part to play in facilitating a collective adaptation to the ‘new normal’.

It is apparent that this process of adaptation is not linear, but continual; not fixed, but ever-changing. The businesses that will emerge the other side are those able to anticipate and react to such changes.

“We need the right expertise to create practical solutions that focus on approaches and indicators based on continuous analysis and improvement cycles with a holistic scope,” Nijk concludes.

Being prepared for any eventuality has never been more important.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 25

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.

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

GRENADE

Issue 37

OMAN BROADBAND The bid to open up broadband to all

BERGMAN & BEVING Ensuring continuity of supply through challenging times

FIRE IN THE HOLE!

Alan ‘Big Al’ Barratt’s explosively successful Grenade brand is a true manifestation of his personality and life experiences

Marketi ng Oppo rtunity

FOOD & DRINK

FIRE IN THE HOLE! Alan ‘Big Al’ Barratt’s explosively successful Grenade brand is a true manifestation of his personality and life experiences, the journey beginning at the age of 15 when he first set foot in a gym Writer: Tom Wadlow I’ve always wanted to do things differently to everyone else, and the first thing I want to say is that I’m completely unemployable.”

Thankfully, Alan Barratt is not on the hunt for employment at the moment.

Desperate to leave formal education at the earliest possible opportunity, he carries no academic qualifications beyond secondary school and has almost no experience of what it is like to be interviewed for a job.

Fortunately for him, he sits on the other side of the desk.

As Founder and CEO of Grenade, one of the fastest-growing weight management, energy and lifestyle brands in the world, Barratt is the definition of an entrepreneurial livewire, as enthusiastic about all things health and fitness now as he was as a wide-eyed teenager setting foot in a gym for the very first time.

10 | EME Outlook issue 37

BIG AL AND THE RISE OF GRENADE

EME Outlook issue 37 | 11

Patrik Möller, Co-Founder and CEO of CorPower Ocean, tells of the company’s game-changing wave energy convertors

www.emeoutlookmag.com/get-involved

BERGMAN & BEVING

28 | EME Outlook issue 37

MANUFACTURING

POWER TO THE TOOLS Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Bergman & Beving’s Tools & Consumables division continues to pursue an ambitious strategy of growth Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Matthew Taylor

My father and grandfather are characterised by being ‘practical men with sharp minds’. They both ran their own small size businesses as entrepreneurs.

Therefore, it came quite naturally to me to become an engineer, where I could utilise the practical skillset and sharp mind I hope I inherited.”

These words are spoken by Oscar Fredell, who is Managing Director of the Tools & Consumables Division at Bergman & Beving.

The Swedish company is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of products and services to the construction and manufacturing sectors, and Fredell has long nurtured aspirations of working for it.

“In around 2000, I travelled across the country with fellow engineering students in order to study the operations of the strongest distributor in Sweden – Luna Group,” he continues. “Joining Bergman & Beving gave me the opportunity to lead that company, along with the

other strong brands within the Tools & Consumables division. It is a dream come true.”

When asked why, Fredell cites the company’s strong entrepreneurial culture and its decentralised decision-making mindset.

“Bergman & Beving is full of extremely skilled people helping it to achieve its goal to build world-class brands for professional users within the manufacturing and construction activities,” he adds.

A STRONG GROWTH MINDSET

Oscar Fredell, Managing Director, Tools & Consumables Division at Bergman & Beving.

The firm was founded in 1906 and continues to stand as one of the most reputable industrial firms in Sweden

Bergman & Beving was founded in 1906 to import technologically advanced industrial capital goods to distribute among Swedish industrial companies.

Fast forward over a century and the company now also designs and develops products for the manufacturing and construction sectors as well as imports them; its reach now extends well into northern Europe.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 29

“From workshops to production lines“

INDUCTION HEATERS

Our experience of developing and implementing leading-edge technology into traditional workshops and industrial environments has taught us not only to listen to our customers, but also strive to surprise.

For more than two decades now, Alesco has been the market leader and go-to for mobile and hand-operated induction heating.

By implementing innovating leading-edge technology in combination with straightforward user interfaces we have adapted our products to suite a car mechanic or fit into fully automatic production lines. Today our products are used daily in car garages, workshops, production plants and for on-site maintenance such as in wind and gas turbines, grid transformers and railways around the globe.

The use of conventional heating procedures such as the open flame, is vastly used within metal production and maintenance, with all the drawbacks it brings such as the open flame itself, handling gas, work environment, low efficiency and long process cycles just to mention some.

As of today, we are closing in on more than 20 000 units in operation. Besides the quality and technology one of our main keys to success has been presence, we truly believe in being there for our customers, preferably in person both on the workshop floor and in conference rooms. But, due to the changed circumstances in the world we as well as many other companies has to adapt and translate that personal presence into a digital one. It is a work in progress, but we are getting there. www.alesco.se

BERGMAN & BEVING Central to its growth strategy is a focus on strong brands and sustainable proprietary products. It uses acquisitions to accelerate development – over the years it has acquired many successful companies within the sectors it represents. Through help with financial resources and brand development, it has enabled its companies to differentiate themselves on the market.

The company has three divisions: Building Materials; Workplace Safety; and Tools & Consumables. As previously mentioned, Fredell heads up the Tools & Consumables division, which owns five product brands.

TOOLS & CONSUMABLES KEY BRANDS Bergman & Beving’s Tool & Consumable division owns five brands: TENG TOOLS: The largest brand in the portfolio. Selling in over 30 countries, it provides hand tools for the mechanic adhering to the unique “Get Organised” concept LIMIT: Industrial measurement tools for the operator with the “Precision made Easy” concept LUNA TOOLS: Power tool accessories, tool tethering and hand tools prepared for tool tethering for construction work MARELD PRO LIGHTING: Workplace lighting for craftsmen MILLERS: Fittings and handles

32 | EME Outlook issue 37

“Tools & Consumables represents over 500 more brands on the Nordic market, and 40 percent of our sales comes from brands we own. We focus solely on professionals, and the products and services that professional industry and construction workers’ needs,” he explains.

One of its landmark brands is Teng Tools, which offers premium hand tools for stationary, and mobile storage solutions for workshop and industrial workers. With customers in more than 30 countries, it is poised for further growth.

Collectively, Tools & Consumables generates a revenue of $179.23 million.

It occupies a strong position on the Nordic market, with a 25 percent market share, but Fredell believes that there is still room for growth.

When asked what differentiates the division from other tool suppliers, Fredell cites this strong growth mindset.

“50 percent of our staff consist of sales and marketing experts,” he says.

“That gives us a unique ability to support our resellers in driving growth and to support our users in how to choose the right product for the job, and then how to use our products.

“Globalisation and the internet have made it easy to find any product you need. The problem today is no longer on how to find a product, it is rather to find the right product for the job. We build most of our concepts and our skills around that trend.”

Fredell also cites the division’s ethos of simplicity as key to its ongoing success story. It strives to avoid complex bureaucracy and set clear goals that can be achieved with simple methods, while progress is monitored using simplified performance metrics. All of this enables the division to concentrate on what is important: building brands, marketing products, and accelerating growth.

Another factor which helps the brands in the division to stand out from the pack is its strong supply

VARTA Whether in energy storage devices, tools, medical equipment, hearing aids or headphones, the battery is increasingly becoming a strategic component in many applications.

In the end, it determines the performance and often the design of the device.

Like the premium headsets, for example, due to the shape and the high energy density, our lithium-ion cells were immediately in demand by all manufacturers. Here we are only at the beginning of an enormous boom with constantly growing demand. To meet this demand, we are currently massively expanding our production capacities.

We are also active in other growth markets. As battery experts for micro batteries, household batteries, energy storage systems and customerspecific battery solutions, we are actively shaping the future of battery technology by setting industry standards in key areas. To this end we invest heavily in research and development and maintain a holistic innovation culture, which is effectively implemented throughout the entire value chain.

This enables us to live up to our claim of technological leadership today and in future. VARTA products have stood for the highest quality and reliability for more than 130 years. We have adapted corporate structures, alliances and products to the ever faster changing needs and we have constantly redefined them.

This has brought us to market-leading positions in the important areas of our core business. Today, lithium-ion technology offers enormous potential for further development and growth.

And we are excellently positioned to take advantage of them.

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Through continuous investments in research and development, we set the benchmark in battery technology and customization to strive market leadership in our segments.

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BERGMAN & BEVING

HOW IMPORTANT ARE PARTNER AND SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR BUSINESS? OSCAR FREDELL: “Our supplier partners are obviously an important part of a wellfunctioning supply chain operation. We have high expectations of our suppliers, and feel we have very good partners today. Our supplier relationships are characterised by usually being very longlasting, where we optimise joint operations over a long period.

“Apart from enabling us to run efficient operations, it is also a source of pride for us to be able to achieve high service degrees regarding products on stock.

We take four years of historic performance into account when planning our inbound material flow, and continuously work with our suppliers to improve. I feel very proud of our supply chain team and its operations.”

chains, which flow mainly through Ireland, the UK and the Nordic countries.

Its main hubs are located in Katowice (Poland), Bedford (UK), Gothenburg (Sweden), Ningbo (China) and Taichung (Taiwan). These hubs are located close to harbours, which optimises container flows as it necessitates minimal handling. An inbound flow of 400 40-feet containers comes annually from Ningbo and Taichung.

“We are renowned for our supply chain and logistics operations. We win new contracts and keep long-lasting partnerships as a consequence of that strength,” Fredell says.

STAYING RESILIENT AND AGILE According to Fredell, it was the company’s supply chain that enabled it to weather coronavirus effectively.

“We made an early mistake in April by forecasting a 20 percent volume drop on sales,” he continues. “We did, however, see a 20 percent volume increase in sales towards the construction sector, which is why we ran short on stock in the Nordics in June. We were lucky to have such strong suppliers and producers and are therefore now back on track.”

The division’s main market, Sweden, remained more stable than other

markets in which it operates, due to the less stringent lockdown measures enacted by its government. Luckily, as the company’s main hub is based here, it was able to continue delivering products to customers.

Like most companies across the world, however, Bergman & Beving has faced challenges.

It had to implement many measures to protect its personnel in both its office and production environments, while maintaining efficiency.

Such measures included increasing cleaning of spaces, splitting worktime to reduce the amount of people on shift, virtual meetings and measuring temperatures of staff when arriving at or leaving work.

“We ran an antibody test on all employees in August, with the result of zero personnel with antibodies. It seems we have kept our personnel and our partners safe so far,” Fredell says.

Overall, he is not just impressed with the division’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, but with the industry overall.

“The Swedish industry has shown a strong ability in being agile and flexible. To me, that is good news regarding the state of Swedish industry and shows a general strength for the future,” Fredell adds.

This leads him to an extremely optimistic outlook when it comes to the nation’s industrial sector. Not only does Fredell feel the sector is beginning to emerge from the shock of COVID-19, but he also professes pride in the companies that operate within it – they are technologically advanced, relying heavily on automation and robots, which leads to globally renowned products. The sector has also shown its ability to successfully manage change.

CONTINUING TO GROW With its trust in the resilience of the sector solidified, the Tools & Consumables division is poised to continue with its ambitious target: to grow 15 percent, year on year.

34 | EME Outlook issue 37

MANUFACTURING

PROJECT CASE STUDY

TAIWAN A demonstration of the Tools & Consumables Division’s partnerships in action comes from Taiwan, where the company has been busy working on a renewable energy project.

Fredell explains: “As we have our own organisation in Taiwan and have a close cooperation with our suppliers there, we are able to customise tool kit solutions exactly the way our customers want them.

“Last year the energy giant Vattenfall approached our partners about tool kits to their offshore wind farms. They liked our roller cabinets, but for their windfarms they needed a service tool box that could be bolted to the floor. As the space is limited in the windfarm machine room, they even needed a workbench on top of the tool box. Our end user development manager then drew a tool box with a little wider work bench and specially designed legs.

“Together with the windfarm engineers, he also designed a customised EVA tool set that contained all the tools needed to do the service in the windfarms, and these tool kits are now placed in the machine room on top of all Vattenfall’s offshore windfarms outside Scotland.”

According to Fredell, there are two main ways the target can be achieved – through working with the right customers and investing in innovation.

“We choose to sell to the most successful and most productive resellers on each market,” he says. “They usually match well with us and our strong sales concepts. We have been able to sign a number of major contracts with

those kinds of customers during the last 12 months, which is why we are confident in reaching and exceeding our targets once the market stabilises after COVID-19.”

In the upcoming months, the company intends to focus on the customers it already has, helping them to increase their sales and become more profitable. However, Fredell also

Limit Micrometer outlines ambitious plans to expand his division’s largest brand, Teng Tools, to penetrate more markets beyond Nordic countries.

In regard to innovations, he alludes to some interesting products and solutions that will be emerging from the sourcing and R&D teams in the upcoming years.

“We have chosen to look even more long-term and invest even harder in innovation to secure long-term growth and customer loyalty for us and for our resellers,” he explains.

A large part of this strategy has been the recruitment of senior research and development personnel.

This commitment to innovation and growth suggests that in the months following the coronavirus, Bergman & Beving will not just survive, but thrive as an organisation, not least in Fredell’s Tools & Consumables Division.

Tel: +46 (0)10-4547700 info@bb.se www.bergmanbeving.com

EME Outlook issue 37 | 35

EXPRESS PACK PRINT

PACKING A PUNCH Express Pack Print is one of UAE’s top packaging companies, pioneering technologies and sustainability initiatives to maintain its competitive advantage Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Matthew Taylor 36 | EME Outlook issue 37

MANUFACTURING

I

n 2019, UAE’s packaging market was valued at $2.675 billion. With a compound annual growth rate of 4.6 percent over the next five years, it is set to surpass $3.5 billion in value by 2025.

According to Abdulla Zubair, CEO of Express Pack Print, this rapidlygrowing sector is an exciting one to be working in.

“The UAE has a very dynamic, entrepreneurial, and competitive economy,” he says. “It has enabled us to thrive

immensely, and kept us on our toes simultaneously. Packaging is indeed a very exciting and challenging space to be working in, with the rise of ecommerce, the push towards sustainability, the shift from plastics to paper and innovative packaging design being just a few of the factors driving it at the moment.”

Retail is one of the largest contributors to the UAE’s non-oil economy; ecommerce in particular is enjoying a boom, thanks to the rise of

companies such as Noon and Souq [now Amazon], high levels of internet penetration and purchasing power.

All of this this increases the demand for packaging – as does an increase in online ordering and delivery within the F&B sector.

But Express Pack Print isn’t just taking advantage of a passing phase.

It has been in business since 1991.

The CEO, Abdulla Zubair, and his partner Abdul Qader Mohamed had invested in the company in the early EME Outlook issue 37 | 37

EXPRESS PACK PRINT 90s. Later, investment firm Alkhabeer Capital became a majority shareholder in the company, providing financial support that has allowed the company to grow. Together, they developed it into one of the major packaging companies in the UAE. “I have pushed its growth from being a small operation to one of the largest packaging companies in the region,” Mr Zubair explains.

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Among the packaging products that Express Pack Print produces are: PRINTED AND UNPRINTED CARTONS: Sheets and trays in B, C, E and F flute, in two, three, four and five ply configurations – RSC, crash lock, wraparound, telescoped, inserts, pads, dividers, and trays DUPLEX PACKAGING: From food to pharmaceuticals, tissue paper to ceramics, beverages, household products, personal care products, electronics, and accessories SPECIAL DISPLAY CARTONS AND TRAYS: Offset printed duplex board, laminated onto corrugated carton board for maximum display impact – this is the company’s speciality

38 | EME Outlook issue 37

A BUSINESS ON THE RISE Express Pack Print operates from a 400,000 square foot facility in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone.

It currently provides customers with both printed and unprinted cardboard cartons, duplex packaging and special delivery cartons – through these services, it produces between 5,000 and 6,000 tonnes of packaging per month, with key clients including Unilever, MARS, Johnson and Johnson, DHL, Coca-Cola and many more.

So, what explains the company’s success? For a start, its technological facilities. It recently set up an Advanced Packaging Division – a company within a company – which Fawaz Abdulla (Deputy CEO) expresses great pride in.

“The whole operation was very tightly planned and executed – the building construction, and installation of all the machines, hiring and training of staff. The entire project was completed below cost and below budget. We hit the ground running,” he explains.

The Advanced Packaging Division boasts a new KBA 145 Very Large

Format Offsetting Printing Press, which is the only one of its kind in the country. It can print six different colours with a dual coater, and boasts an interdeck UV, end of press UV/IR/ Hot Air and an online spectrodensitometer. The press can print directly onto E-flute corrugated board, or onto a sheet up to 1.7 millimetre thickness; it can also print almost any inner box requirement, from snack packs to perfume boxes.

“The larger paper size that can be printed on this machine has allowed us to reduce cost of the packaging, increase manufacturing speed and improve quality. Our extensive finishing lines allow us to offer customers a lot of customisation – PVC and metallised film lamination, embossing, die cutting, window patching, hot foil stamping, box-forming, and more,” Abdulla says.

Other technological advances within the Advanced Packaging Division include Mac and PC workstations operating the latest pre-flight, trapping and imposition applications, as well as advanced interactive imaging software. The company runs a

O V E R S E A S

www.gak.com.cy

For more than a decade, GA-K Overseas Co Ltd has helped producers supply paper, paperboard and pulp products to customers throughout the world.

Since our founding in 2003, GA-K Overseas Co Ltd has continued to grow from strength to strength, becoming a truly global pulp, paper and containerboard trading company.

We have accomplished this by developing strategic long-term relationships with producers and mills throughout the world, and by using the latest technology to source products and improve efficiency for the benefit of our clients.

Services International Marketing Shipping & Logistics Trade Finance

EXPRESS PACK PRINT

state-of-the art workflow system from Esko that is fully integrated with its presses – this ensures that its proof to print production is extremely accurate.

The company’s success is also down to its comprehensive solutions package; it is the only company in the UAE which produces corrugated packaging and duplex packaging in the same facility. Furthermore, it pioneered the use of duplex laminated corrugated packaging in the UAE, resulting in a high-quality product.

To Abdulla, however, it is the high levels of customer care that make the company stand out.

“Although our working hours are from eight until five, effectively we are always at the customer’s service,” he says. “Our customers know that they can call us and rely on us 24-seven.

This includes every department and the whole management team, including myself and the General Manager.

We will always answer the call and find a way to do what the customer needs.”

Another key way of ensuring consistent high-quality delivery and maintaining high levels of customer 40 | EME Outlook issue 37

care is through a formidable network of suppliers and partners.

“Our suppliers are vital to our operations, and we have long-standing relations with most of them,” Abdulla continues. “Paper is our key raw material, and the cost and availability of paper vary cyclically.

“Because of our long and healthy relations with our suppliers, our purchase operations have evolved from the strictly transactional to a true supply chain partnership, where equal importance is given to other indicators such as quality, dependability, and consistency.”

PRESENT CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIFFICULTIES In recent years, one of Express Pack Print’s greatest challenges has been in improving the sustainability of its operations.

This year alone, approximately 281 million tonnes of paper have been produced – a lot of which will end up as waste. Even if paper is recycled, the production of it results in deforestation; 42 percent of all the wood

“WE RESEARCH, REVIEW, UPDATE AND MAINTAIN A LIST OF INTERESTING PROJECTS AT ALL TIMES, AND WE WATCH THE TRENDS AND MOVEMENTS IN CORRUGATED PACKAGING CLOSELY...” harvested is used to make paper.

However, paper and cardboard products are a more environmentally friendly solution than plastics – which use up fossil fuels, are largely non-biodegradable and pollute oceans and waterways – providing they are ethically sourced and used efficiently. This is a goal that Express Pack Print has long been working towards.

“We have FSC and PFSC certifications to ensure that our paper is responsibly sourced. We treat our process water and re-use it for suitable

MANUFACTURING

applications, and have also been certified by SEDEX to ensure that our raw materials are sourced in an ethical and sustainable manner. We have consistently reduced paper wastage in our operations over the past few years,” the CEO explains.

A more short-term and pressing challenge has been the coronavirus pandemic.

The packaging industry was struck a blow when there was a reduction in demand for automotive parts, glassware, ceramics and petroleum products as it resulted in a loss of demand for packaging. But despite this, Abdulla believes packaging to be a “comparatively resilient sector” – he explains that it is vital to the supply of foods, medicines and other essential supplies.

“The swift and competent response of the UAE authorities significantly reduced the impact of the pandemic here, and many factories have returned to full operations now,” he states proudly.

“We followed the government guidelines very strictly, with a zero-tolerance approach for any violations, and so were able to avoid any infections in our staff. In fact, we did not shut down the factory at all, other than when instructed to do so by the authorities. Since packaging is classified as an essential industry, we followed all precautions, and kept the factory humming throughout.”

Abdulla realises that the company has not yet come out on the other side of the pandemic yet.

Express Pack Print is continuing to follow strict precautions, while trying to return to a pre-pandemic level of output. It is doing so by developing new products, forging new partnerships, and seeking out new opportunities within the sector.

“We research, review, update and maintain a list of interesting projects at all times, and we watch the trends and movements in corrugated packaging closely – both in the UAE and worldwide. If we judge the case for a given project to be compelling at any given time, we approach our board

of directors to present the case for its implementation,” Abdulla says.

With its renewed and industryleading technology, strong supply chain and systematic plans for recovery, it won’t be long before Express Pack Print returns to – and then exceeds – previous levels of production and growth.

EXPRESS PACK PRINT Tel: 009714 8819990 exppack@eim.ae www.exppack.ae

EME Outlook issue 37 | 41

YASKAWA ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY / THE SWITCH

MANUFACTURING | ENERGY

Switched ON Finnish company Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch has been pioneering electricity train drive solutions, enabling renewable power companies to become even more energy efficient Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Matthew Taylor

G

lobal energy demand continues to rise, driven by industrialisation and population growth.

But fossil fuels are finite – an article written by researchers affiliated to Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere (MAHB) estimates that our reserves of oil will be used up by 2052, gas by 2060 and coal by 2090.

In order to power our rapidly-growing world, we must turn to renewable energy, which is derived from natural resources – sunlight, wind, rain, waves and biomass – which can be replenished without depleting the planet’s resources. As well as being readily available, renewables emit low or no air pollutants.

Unsurprisingly, the fast-growing renewables sector is attracting an increasing number of professionals eager to make a difference, including Miika Reinikka.

“Back in 2009, I was living in Vaasa but working for a telecoms company

in Espoo (outside Helsinki). I got a little fed up with travelling, so I decided to take a break and left that company.

After a couple of months, I started to look around in Vaasa and found The Switch. This looked like an interesting startup company in the renewable industry. So, I applied for a sales position – and the rest is history,” he says.

Reinikka is now President of Yaskawa Environmental Energy Division and Chairman of the Board of The Switch companies after spending a decade working his way up the ranks from Account Manager to Head of Sales in Europe, and later as Wind Business Unit Director.

Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch was founded in 2006, the result of a merger between three small companies in Vaasa, Lappeenranta and Hudson respectively. It uses electric drive train technology to create power-generating components for renewable and industrial uses.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 43

YASKAWA ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY / THE SWITCH

Miika Reinikka, President of Yaskawa Environmental Energy Division and Chairman of the Board of The Switch

SOLUTIONS IN ACTION Among the major electric drive train technologies Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch offers are: PERMANENT MAGNET GENERATORS: A device converting mechanical energy to electrical energy; powered by magnets rather than a rotor coil FULL-POWER CONVERTORS (FPC+): These convert and process the power from wind turbines. The FPC+ range allows for a 100 percent reactive power feed even in the absence of wind, and offers control flexibility to adapt to rapidly changing conditions HIGH-SPEED ROTOR INDUCTION MOTOR: An induction motor with a nonlaminated rotor construction; exceptionally reliable and durable

44 | EME Outlook issue 37

“Initially, the focus was on permanent magnet generators and full-power converters for the wind industry,” Reinikka explains. “We had several success stories early on in China. This fast-growing wind market became the first driver for the company’s rapid growth, thanks to converter sales to Chinese OEMs. “A few years later, when the wind markets in China had some hiccups, we started to look at new application areas like marine and industry. We also signed on some new wind customers in Europe and acquired a marine drives business from Wärtsilä in 2016.”

These days, Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch employs around 200 people, with offices in Finland, Norway and China, and among its main customers are MHI Vestas Offshore, WETech, Gardner Denver and MAN.

ENERGY PIONEERS The company has played an important role in shaping the renewable energy sector, using electric drive train technology to help industry protagonists become more energy efficient.

“Our drive trains are indeed used to produce energy sustainably, contain energy effectively and consume energy responsibly,” Reinikka says.

“This we have achieved by selecting the best and most efficient technologies for different application areas.

“We have been the pioneer for bringing permanent magnet generator (PMG) technology and full-power converters to wind turbines. When we started, there was hardly anyone else promoting this technology. Now, 100 percent of new offshore and many large-power onshore wind turbines have drive trains based on these technologies.”

Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch has made similar strides in the marine applications sector, where PMGs have gone from being little-used to standing tall as the standard for

large power shaft generator systems.

Meanwhile, its high-speed solid rotor induction machine technology has gone a long way to optimising performance in industrial and turbo applications.

The firm is committed to helping its clients commit to becoming more energy efficient, not only installing equipment but also through providing preventative maintenance, a spare parts service and a comprehensive on-site training programme.

Furthermore, each energy solution is bespoke, tailored to each client’s needs. This level of specificity – coupled with advanced materials technologies – means that the firm is able to reach machine efficiency levels exceeding 98 percent.

COLLABORATION IS KEY Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch is a dynamic and agile business that is constantly seeking new challenges, striving to innovate and grow.

Lancor

MAKING THE MOST EFFICIENCY OUT OF SMALL WIND TURBINES Lancor 2000 has wide expertise in development and production of electrical motors and generators for different market sectors. Climate change has made us change our mind and the empowerment of small wind turbines is crucial for the globalisation of the wind energy production.

By putting its spotlight on the distributed wind energy, Lancor has developed permanent magnet generators up to 100kW. The paramount efficiency of our alternators contributes to obtain a plus to the turbines in which they are integrated.

www.lancor.es

MANUFACTURING | ENERGY

Your partner for the metal and engineering industries - comprehensive networking - specialisation - up-to-date production and machining resources - manufacturing individual pieces - carrying out large projects

.fi Lehtosen Konepaja Oy FI-32810 Peipohja, Finland Tel. +358 50 385 7620

Experts in development and production of electrical motors and machines for any market sector.

Lancor 2000 has wide expertise in development and production of electrical motors and generators for different market sectors, such as elevation, automotive, renewable generation, … They also involve themselves in any other development in which they can collaborate with their knowledge, production facilities and flexibility. In addition to that, their Renewable Energy line of business is finding its place among other Lancor activities.

LANCOR OFFERS • Lancor provides several electrical machines: generators and turbines, synchronous machines, asynchronous machines and electric traction motors.

• We also offer custom development, that is to say, any development in which we could provide expertise in designing, testing and prototype assembling.

Polígono Industrial El Campillo II, P3 48500 GALLARTA Bizkaia Tel. +34 690 694 418 Email leire_bardisa@lancor.es www.lancor.es

EME Outlook issue 37 | 45

YASKAWA ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY / THE SWITCH

Full-power Convertors (FPC+): The Switch’s FPC+ range allows for a 100 percent reactive power feed even in the absence of wind, and offers control flexibility to adapt to rapidly changing conditions In 2014 the company was acquired

by Yaskawa Electric Corporation – a pioneer in motion control and robotics – a move which Reinikka explains has had many strategic benefits.

“Yaskawa has ensured a solid financial base for us to develop our businesses,” he says. “They have invested in acquisitions like the Marine Drives business acquisition and supported investment for a large drive test centre in Lappeenranta, where we can test high-power electrical machines and converters up to 15 MW and beyond.

“Yaskawa has also opened doors to the Japanese markets and helped us with process and product quality improvements.”

Collaborations with those companies who have similar values and ethos is integral to the company’s future growth. It likes to conduct product development, final assembly 46 | EME Outlook issue 37

and testing in-house, and most of the component manufacturing – such as welding and sheet metal cutting – is sourced from its supply network.

“It is really critical for this kind of network manufacturing model to have a range of strategic suppliers that you can trust,” Reinikka explains.

“Our global sourcing team works hard to maintain these relationships and to find new partners. We also have a local sourcing team in China and use selected suppliers from there as well to keep ourselves competitive.”

ENERGETIC GROWTH Indeed, Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch continues to innovate and experiment in order to improve its services. It is currently in the process of launching a series of standard solid rotor machines and converters, which reduce the amount of components needed during energy transmission.

Reinikka adds: “Previously, we

developed solid rotor machines that have been pretty tightly integrated to our customers’ equipment.

“This is sometimes the most optimal solution but typically takes a lot of engineering effort and time. Now we are making this technology widely and quickly available for new customers and applications. It will be interesting to see how the market will react.”

Another interesting project in the pipeline is being delivered for Caterpillar/Berg Propulsion, and includes an innovative Twin Fin propulsion package coupled with a high power PM propulsion motor and drive.

“This is not only a great new innovation but also a new major customer for us,” Reinikka comments.

Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch is also making inroads into the energy storage arena. Having participated in some experimental projects in the past, it is now working with a new client on creating a batterybased grid support system.

MANUFACTURING | ENERGY “I feel that energy storage systems are the key for extending renewable energy sources,” Reinikka continues.

“Everybody understands that the wind is not always blowing, and the sun is not shining at night. So, there has to be a way to produce energy in other ways when these sources are not available.

“The most sustainable way in the future seems to be to generate energy with renewables, storing the energy when you can and using it as needed.”

The company is actively investigating this market, and is looking to partner with energy storage solutions providers who want to connect their electricity storage systems to the grid. It has experience in grid connection both in the fields of wind energy and the marine sector.

In the near future, Reinikka desires to push growth in the marine and industry markets in order to achieve more balanced revenue streams.

This is because the wind market – the firm’s earliest specialisation – has experienced a major consolidation of wind turbine manufacturers.

The company is currently in the process of launching a series of standard high-speed solid rotor induction machines and matching converters, reducing the number of components needed during energy transmission

Yaskawa has ensured a solid financial base to develop the business, investing in acquisitions like the Marine Drives business from Norway.

The Switch DC-Hub offers a ring network for multi-megawatt DC power systems

“The opportunities for independent component suppliers like us are limited,” he says. “Indeed, we want to take good care of our existing customers and serve them well. But at the same time, we have to look for growth outside renewables as there are simply more opportunities.”

Not only will looking for customers outside renewables help to drive Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch’s energetic growth, it will also create changes in the industry, improving the way that energy is stored and consumed.

With its bespoke engineering solutions, agile mindset and sustainable values, it’s clear that Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch is a company with a conscience; one that is very much here to stay.

YASKAWA ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY / THE SWITCH Tel: +358 20 783 8200 info@theswitch.com www.theswitch.com

EME Outlook issue 37 | 47

COPPER MILL SEVOJNO

48 | EME Outlook issue 37

MANUFACTURING

COPPER STANDARD Since the privatisation of Serbia’s copper industry, manufacturing companies such as Copper Mill Sevojno have gone from strength to strength Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

C

opper is an element with a long and fascinating history.

One of the first metals to be extracted and used by humans, it has been found in coins and ornaments dating back to 8000 BC. It was copper tools, forged in around 5500 BC, that enabled human beings to emerge from the Stone Age. Thanks to its malleable, anticorrosive and heat and electricity conducting properties, copper is as important in the present day as it was to early humans.

It is currently used in construction, power generation and products such as smartphones, televisions, computers and electric motors.

Furthermore, putting copper surfaces on high-touch surfaces in hospitals can reduce infection transmission, thanks to its anti-microbial properties.

Recent research has shown that the coronavirus – which survives for

Nebojsa Ciric has served the Serbian government as State Secretary for Economy from 2007 to 2012

days on glass, plastic and steel surfaces – lasts mere hours on a copper surface.

In Serbia, the copper industry is going from strength to strength.

Mines, smelters and processing plants have been undergoing a process of privatisation since 2000, which involves restructuring and significant investment cycles.

“We have witnessed the entry of the big players into the market through acquisition of local companies, as well as great performance of the local companies, which have managed to focus on export-oriented production, thus becoming dominant regional players.

“Our copper industry is tightly related to the European copper industry. Since Europe is the second largest consumer of the copper, there is significant market potential for Serbian export of copper and copper products and specifically for Copper Mill Sevojno.”

EME Outlook issue 37 | 49

COPPER MILL SEVOJNO These words are spoken by Nebojsa Ciric, CEO of Copper Mill Sevojno (also known as Valjaonica bakra Sevojno, or VBS), a Serbian company which produces copper and brass products.

Ciric has enjoyed an interesting and dynamic career which led to his current position. Upon completing a degree in Management and Economics at the London School of Economics, he returned to Serbia and spent a decade working as Director of Financial Services for Deloitte Central Europe. This was followed by a stint serving the Serbian government as State Secretary for Economy from 2007 to 2012.

“My main objectives and activities were focused on creating economic policies directed towards macroeconomic stability, investment policies and programmes, austerity measures during crisis period, including improvement of Serbian business and investment environment,” Ciric explains.

Copper Mill Sevojno is an important local employer with more than 1,000 staff on its books

50 | EME Outlook issue 37

“After my wholesome and enriching career in the government, I decided to shift my career to the real economy, to a sector such as manufacturing. An opportunity presented itself in 2014, when I was asked to join the East Point Holding Group as the Chief Executive Officer.”

At the time, the organisation consisted of a group of companies with diversified business lines: copper production (Copper Mill Sevojno); silos and milling (Zitomlin); and an industrial bakery (Klas/BPI). Ciric’s task was to restructure the group, which was then in what he refers to as a “financially distressed situation”.

70 YEARS AND STILL GOING STRONG These days, VBS is a prosperous business employing almost 1,100 people.

It produces copper and brass products which it exports across European countries – including Germany, Italy, Austria and Belgium – as well as to North America, Middle East and Russia.

It has three major production segments – foundry, rolling and extrusion mills – enabling it to offer its customers a large variety of highquality products. Sheets, foils, plates, discs, bars, rods, wires, tubes and much more can be purchased in a single order. Its industrial consumers (those in the automotive, electrical, medical and general industries) account for 80 percent of products sold, with the remaining 20 percent made up of construction industry consumers.

“VBS is the leading domestic player in the Serbian copper processing sector, holding 65 percent of the market share, and a competitive player in the European market. The company has no similar competitors in terms of product assortment and production capacities, domestically or regionally,” the CEO says.

One reason for the company’s

Destilacija Chemical Industry Destilacija jsc Teslić Destilacija was founded in the year 1896 and was considered a pioneer in its field. It was the first factory in the region to process wood by dry distillation.

Destilacija annually produces approximately 14,000 tonnes of charcoal and 4,000 tonnes of charcoal dust, which is used for the production of briquettes.

“We are proud of our long and rich tradition as well as the fact that our products are internationally recognised. Our charcoal is used by well-known European producers in the industry of ferro-alloys and silicon metals.”

www.destilacija.net

current success comes from its 70-year legacy.

VBS started production in 1952, initially producing 25,000 tonnes of copper per year. Capacity was soon raised to 60,000 tones per annum, and it wasn’t long before the factory became the largest processor of copper and copper alloys in former Yugoslavia. In 2004 it was transferred to private ownership, and a comprehensive investment cycle was implemented, which improved the factory’s technological capabilities and subsequently enhanced product quality.

Being in operation for so long has enabled VBS to create an established client base across both domestic and regional markets, as well as develop long term relationships with its customers.

“Throughout its history of 70 years, the company has established and demonstrated its strong and proud legacy, confirming the high

MANUFACTURING

Traditional approach for quality products We incorporate the appealing blend of refined taste and tradition into the main products, charcoal, briquettes, acetic acid and vinegar. The fact that our charcoal is used in the production process of copper, copper alloys and silicone metal speaks volumes about its quality.

For more than 120 years of our existence we strive to remain highly ranked in the regional and European market by complying with a responsible production process and international standards as well as returning the favor to nature in the best possible way- by constant care and its preservation.

Svetog Save 23 74270 Teslić Bosnia and Herzegovina T +387 53 431 300 F +387 53-431-796 E office@destilacija.net www.destilacija.net

EME Outlook issue 37 | 51

COPPER MILL SEVOJNO

HEALTH AND SAFETY Copper Mill Sejovno has implemented the following preventative health and safety measures to preserve a safe working for its employees, both during and beyond the COVID-19 outbreak: • An annual medical examination for all employees • An infirmary in the factory • Training and workshops for all employees with the aim of raising awareness of importance of safety at work • Investment in protective equipment and continuous control of its use • Provision of face masks and disinfection chemicals during the COVID-19 pandemic • Option to work at home when possible

52 | EME Outlook issue 37

quality of our products, excellent and dedicated employees, an appropriate management model and continuous improvement in operations, even during challenging times,” Ciric says.

“We are more than proud to be part of this ongoing story of success and strongly believe that years ahead of us will be even more successful and fruitful for all our employees, but also for our customers and clients.”

A CARING COMPANY Alongside maintaining strong relationships with customers, the company also benefits from long-term relationships with suppliers.

Its primary copper cathode supplier is Zijin Bor (formerly RTB Bor), a domestic company with whom it has a decades-long cooperation. It also has long term contracts with its other suppliers of zinc, copper and brass, thereby ensuring stable dynamics and metal inflow, as well as diversification of risk. Copper products do not generate high profit

margins (the standard EBITDA margin for the industry is between five and 5.5 percent), meaning that a seamless supply chain is necessary.

“The supply chain can have a significant, if not crucial, influence on the financial performance of VBS,” the CEO explains. “We have recognised the importance of continuous work on establishing and expanding our stable base of suppliers of both primary and secondary raw materials, which has brought positive effects on margins, savings in production and overall better EBITDA figures.”

The company also looks beyond customers and suppliers to establish strong relationships with both its employees and the local community.

“Since being founded, our company has played an important role in the development and wellbeing of local community,” Ciric says. “We have taken part in numerous infrastructure projects, locally and regionally. We are the sponsors of the local football club and several local artistic societies.

MANUFACTURING “Moreover, we financially support local health and education institutions and local religious communities. We are proud to point out our support for the Paralympic Association of Serbia and their excellent results at the world competitions in 2019 and 2020.”

The company rushed to help its community during the COVID-19 outbreak, donating funds towards an ambulance for the local hospital. It has also set up a medical fund for current and former employees. Even before the pandemic, it took great pains to look after its employees’ health, safety and wellbeing.

PRESENT CHALLENGES AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES The copper industry has, of course, been impacted by coronavirus, as has VBS itself.

Some of its buyers have ceased operations, there have been

temporary stoppages of truck transport across the EU, health and safety measures to implement and a reduction in sales, to name but a few.

“Generally, conducting business has become more difficult and we have experienced uncertainty in the country, in the region and of course globally. I think that we have to recognise the fact that we will need to accommodate to the new circumstances living and working in the world with coronavirus for some time in the future,” Ciric says.

In the short term, VBS is devoting all its efforts to overcoming the strictures caused by the pandemic, trying to ensure the least possible damage to its operations and to prevent a drop in results and performance. However, as the conversation draws to a close, Ciric outlines an ambitious five-year investment plan that the company is soon to roll out.

“After more than a decade since the last major investment took place, we have prepared and are ready to execute the investment plan of around €15 million in total, which primarily relates to the upgrading of the existing machinery, modernisation and automation, new equipment and machinery, improvements in final product quality, expansion of capacities and improved environmental protection,” he explains.

The rolling mill will see an investment amounting to around €9 million, while the remaining €6 million will be divided between the extrusion mill, foundry and quality control.

“Based on our forecasts, upon the execution of the full investment program, the positive cash impact will be on average one to two million euros annually,” Ciric adds.

“More importantly, aside from the financial impact, the investments will secure the stability of the machinery and equipment and the entire production process in the long run, improve the quality of our final products, reduce claims, and further increase customer satisfaction.”

Furthermore, the new technology will be more energy-efficient, reducing VBS’s total emissions and enabling it to contribute to environmental protection.

With its 70-year legacy, commitment to long-standing partnerships and high-quality products, VBS looks set to be spending many more decades in fruitful operation.

COPPER MILL SEVOJNO Tel: +381 31 531 757 office@vbs.co.rs www.vbs.co.rs

EME Outlook issue 37 | 53

Outlook Creative Services Complementing the production of EME Outlook, APAC Outlook, Africa Outlook and North America Outlook magazines, Outlook Publishing’s awardwinning 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.

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PLASTIKA SKAZA

Slovenia’s Plastika Skaza continues to pioneer new products, the company determined to drive a sustainable revolution in the plastics industry both at home and further afield Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Matthew Taylor

W

hen Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland created the first real synthetic, mass-produced plastic, Bakelite, in 1907, little did he know how dependent we would become on such products more than a century later.

Versatile, economical and lightweight, plastic has undeniably transformed the way we live both at home and in the workplace, its usage stretching from automobile parts to disposable takeaway containers. Such is its impact, today the global plastics market is worth more than $568 billion, growing steadily at around 3.2 percent a year.

But it has also caused problems.

Overreliance and overconsumption of plastic products has created serious environmental harm, not least in the world’s oceans and rivers, where some items will take hundreds of years to decompose.

56 | EME Outlook issue 37

However, the tide appears to be turning. In Slovenia, Plastika Skaza is working tirelessly to innovate and educate on new, more sustainable plastic products, its Joint CEO Robert Agnic determined to change the narrative and perception of the industry.

“The long-term goal is to raise and change the perception of sustainability, both locally and globally, and to become the first face of plastic and sustainable development,” he tells us.

“The area we work in is changing the perception of ‘virgin plastic’ and finding ways to reuse it, using a variety of technologies, knowledge and experience.

Robert Agnic, Joint CEO says he wants Skaza to be seen as a ‘smart company’ and for clients to recognise its expertise in multicomponent injection moulding

MANUFACTURING

“It is an exciting space to be working in. The industry is changing, and we are constantly involved in these changes and developing projects.

This year we were chosen as one of the 19 ambassadors of the national campaign for the promotion of the Slovenian economy, run by the public agency SPIRIT Slovenia under the slogan ‘I FEEL SLOVENIA. Green.

Creative. Smart.’”

Agnic himself is something of green industry ambassador. He heads up the plastics platform within the Chemical

Association of Slovenia, a body which is not only driving sustainable change at home, but also in cooperation with neighbouring Croatia and the Circular Plastic Alliance, a European Union circular economy initiative.

It has been a long-held passion and mission for the Joint CEO. “As a child, I enjoyed doing my own homemade experiments and research,” he recalls. “I further deepened my interest in chemistry and technology in high school, so one of the logical consequences was to extend my studies in this field.

“Before joining Skaza, I was already working in a sustainable-oriented company, so I wanted to continue this story in the future as well. In Skaza, I saw an opportunity to share and assert my ideas and vision and put them into a larger story.”

SUSTAINABLE AT HEART And the story is one which started more than four decades ago in the north-eastern city of Velenje, sat in the rolling green hills of Slovenia’s Šalek Valley.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 57

PLASTIKA SKAZA In 1977 the company began producing products in a what was effectively a garage. Fast-forward to today, and Skaza now designs and manufactures modern, innovative solutions made largely from biodegradable or recycled materials across electro, home and medical categories.

Its factory spans 15,400 square metres and is occupied by 280 staff who operate two core components of the business – contract manufacturing for external clients and production of its own branded plastic products.

The decision to make its own products was a relatively recent one, Skaza launching its in-house ranges five years ago. To date, it has sold more than 1.3 million items through its network of 600-plus stores in 17 countries around the world.

Central to its success? For Agnic, recent times have been all about the drive to serve an ever more environmentally conscious customer.

“Two years ago, we exited the

automotive industry and focused on the electro, home and medical sectors,” he explains. “Since then, all our efforts have been focused on sustainable development. Our role as a partner is strategic and developmental – together we are constantly introducing new materials that are either recyclable, bio-based or biodegradable.

“A clear advantage we possess is the fact we have sales, development and quality departments within the company, which means that we are agile and quickly recognise the needs of the customer. The company is run by two CEOs, both experts in our own field, so we complement each other perfectly.

“We believe that our range of knowledge is wide enough to be able to react quickly to just about any change. In this way, we introduce new, modern management approaches, which is also important for the culture of the company and our employees.

“We know how to reach our

“WE OPERATE WITH A CLEAR FOCUS. WE ARE COURAGEOUS. WE DARE TO BE DIFFERENT. WE HAVE KNOWLEDGE AND WE LOVE TO SHARE IT!”

objectives. We operate with a clear focus. We are courageous. We dare to be different. We have knowledge and love to share it!”

The company is also clearly motivated to take on new challenges, especially in the way it seeks to make use of new and complex materials. For example, it has developed a plastic from hand-picked and recycled fishing nets, items which may otherwise have been discarded and caused harm to land and marine life.

This will be used to make a brandnew range of kitchen composters under the Bokashi Organko 2 Ocean brand. Set for launch in October, Skaza is already taking pre-orders for what is a world first on the market.

Further, not only is there a relentless drive to introduce more sustainable materials into its products, the energy that powers the Skaza operation is derived entirely from renewable sources. This contributes towards the company’s bid to power a circular economy, with Agnic explaining that

MANUFACTURING the firm’s goal is to catalyse positive change across three major strands – environment, community and employment.

“Our mission is to change the habits of people and with that preserve the planet,” the Joint CEO says.

“We operate in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

“We steer innovation towards solutions that are friendly to people, communities and nature, and contribute to the development of green technologies. Our success is connected with socially responsible projects and the principles of our operation are a source of added value and competitive market recognition.”

CHANGING THE NARRATIVE Success through 2020 has, by Agnic’s own admission, been difficult to sustain.

The onset of the global coronavirus pandemic has disrupted operations at Plastika Skaza, with many sales and orders being pushed back. However, the Joint CEO is proud of the fact that the company has been able to partially plug the gap with new customers, a sign of the firm’s agility which will serve it well in the future.

Agnic also pays tribute to Skaza’s robust and highly valued supply chain network, its partners helping it to hold firm through what have been challenging times.

“The goal of our customers is our goal as well,” he adds. “What our customer wants, is our focus.

We understand our customers and maintaining good partnerships is one of our most important priorities.

“This was especially noticeable during the COVID-19 crisis, when suppliers stood behind us with smooth procedures, communication, and together we managed to overcome the problems. When the crisis hit, we made a commitment to our customers to work with all the safety measures necessary and coordinated it with them.”

FACTS The Skaza company’s story began in 1977 in a garage.

Skaza started with 350m2 of floor space and today operates at more than 15,400m2 The areas in which the Skaza’s first production was launched have increased 44-fold within a few decades

min. 30% licence RPP190049

SUSTAINABLE IDEAS NEED SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS

Skaza is on the prestigious list of 1,000 companies to inspire Europe. The list was published by the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and includes companies from all 28 EU members

And looking ahead, Plastika Skaza’s message is clear. Agnic emphasises that the company is ready to support any prospective client that is looking to transform sustainably, and partner with those firms of a similarly sustainable mindset and with goals to transform society for the better.

Indeed, the number of what Agnic calls major partners has grown by 20 percent this year, a trend which will be reflected in Skaza’s financial performance in 2021. The Joint CEO also highlights plans to acquire an in-house tool shop by the end of 2020, another move which will lead to greater efficiencies and an all-round more sustainable operation.

Such developments leave Agnic optimistic about what lies ahead as he concludes the conversation. Outlining his vision, he says: “In 2021, our goal is to expand our work in the medical industry and win new sustainable partners.

BOKASHI ORGANKO Kitchen composter for 100% natural fertilizer

ECO MEPLEN Recycled polypropylene compound www.mepol.com

“The aim is also to raise the added value of the final item sold, which means we will do a lot of things internally that will result in less movement and reduced carbon footprint.

“When preparing offers, we want to increase the percentage of biobased and recycled materials. In this way, we will constantly challenge ourselves to develop new materials with our partners – of course, with those partners who want this change too.”

PLASTIKA SKAZA Tel: +386 (0)3 896 36 00 info@skaza.com www.skaza.com

EME Outlook issue 37 | 59

OMAN BROADBAND COMPANY

OMAN’S

CRITICAL CONNECTOR Having successfully connected more than 50 percent of Oman’s housing units to modern, fit-for-purpose internet, Oman Broadband Company is planning for Phase 2 of the nationwide rollout Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Vivek Valmiki

60 | EME Outlook issue 37

TECHNOLOGY

I

n the modern age of industry 4.0, ecommerce and ultra-connectivity, where there are more connected devices than people on earth, the importance of a reliable, affordable internet connection has never been more important.

In Oman, this was recognised in legislation in 2014 with the formation of the National Broadband Strategy.

Mandated to overcome the low levels of fixed broadband penetration within the Sultanate and challenges associated with connecting rural areas in geographically awkward landscapes, the ultimate objective is to provide access for every resident to high speed internet at a fair price.

Further still, the strategy aims to provide all enterprises with worldclass broadband services, a crucial step to the country’s transformation into a truly digitised society and economy.

“The National Broadband Strategy of Oman recognised the importance of broadband infrastructure in supporting and promoting economic development and diversification,” comments Bader Saud Al Zeidi, Acting CEO of Oman Broadband Company.

“Indeed, it has been recognised that a 10 percent increase in broadband penetration may enhance national GDP by up to 1.3 percent.

Unfortunately, the majority of broadband connections in the country to date have been based either on an aging copper network through the use of ADSL, or using wireless broadband based on LTE. “Although both these technologies have been important, the resultant average download speed in Oman has been in the range of 10 Mbps, well below the average of other industrialised nations. The introduction of fibre to the home (FTTH) by Oman Broadband has already seen download speeds increase by more than double, as FTTH has taken up an increasing share of all broadband connections.”

In order to execute these priorities, sweeping infrastructure like those described by Al Zeidi are needed, and this is where Oman Broadband Company comes to the fore.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 61

OMAN BROADBAND COMPANY

Bader Saud Al Zeidi, Acting CEO

ABOUT OMAN BROADBAND COMPANY Oman Broadband Company is part of the Oman ICT group that was founded in 2014 as a joint-stock company wholly owned by Oman Investment Authority.

Today it is a privately funded enterprise, responsible for the deployment of broadband infrastructure across the country, providing equal and open access to telecommunication service providers on a wholesale basis.

A single infrastructure company provides significant economies of scale, which can be passed on to competing service providers, passing the benefits on in turn to consumers and businesses across the Sultanate.

The company also has a mandate to cooperate with utilities, for example through coordinated civil works, enabling further cost benefits. One further key point is that other government owned utilities have a mandate to share optical networks that they may have built for their own use with Oman Broadband.

This has allowed the company to also develop a national backbone network, running ultra-high speed DWDM systems, used to interconnect all local FTTH networks across Oman. Oman Broadband’s main clients are three major internet service providers – Omantel, Ooredoo and Awasr. The firm has also helped facilitated the formation of Vodafone Oman, to which it rents infrastructure.

62 | EME Outlook issue 37

Formed as a direct consequence of the National Broadband Strategy, the organisation is now privately financed and responsible for provisioning connectivity on an open access basis to service providers who retail high speed services to their customers.

Al Zeidi took the opportunity to join Oman Broadband in 2016, this having worked with Omantel on its broadband network since 2002.

“My preference was always to promote high speed broadband networks, and the newly created Oman Broadband Company provided an opportunity to focus on FTTH networks and to promote the rollout of FTTH nationally across Oman,” he explains.

“I joined initially as GM of Projects and later became GM of Network Planning & Technology. Following this, I was appointed VP of Technology and Commercial Affairs, and at the beginning of 2020 I accepted the role of Acting CEO. In addition, I maintain an external profile, sitting on the BoD of the MENA FTTH council and supporting the Oman IT Society.”

POWERING PROGRESS The end of this year will see Phase 1 of the company’s mandate come to a close.

It was established with a provisional target to roll out FTTH broadband to more than 80 percent of the greater Muscat area and more than 30 percent of other urban areas outside of the Omani capital.

This amounts to 50 percent of housing units, a target which Al Zeidi is proud to reveal the firm has met with time to spare.

“It should be noted that because of the demographics in Oman, urban areas constitute nearly 80 percent of properties in the Sultanate,” he says. “As of mid-2020, the rollout has reached more than 400,000 homes and businesses, including 90 percent of homes in Muscat as well as close to 30 percent outside, now taking Phase 1

Mustafa Sultan Telecommunication Committed to its vision since its inception in 1972, Mustafa Sultan Enterprises (MSE) has emerged as a premier group in the Sultanate of Oman. It has a glorious entrepreneurial history spurred by the dreams and ambitions of Late Mr. Mustafa A. Sultan. Mustafa Sultan Enterprises today has diversified interests and is organised into various subsidiaries, each an achiever, each an example of commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards.

Mustafa Sultan Telecommunication (MST), a jewel in the crown of MSE, was incepted in 1994.

It has today grown to the position of being one of the largest enterprises in the field of Communications in the Sultanate of Oman. Focused on a vision of being a brand name, and having a track record of 26 years, MST has established an enviable reputation for quality, service and cost-effective technological capability and is recognised for swift, smooth and integrated execution of turnkey projects.

There are three main divisions of MSTEL which are Telecom Networks and infrastructure Solutions (TNIS), Carrier & Enterprise Networks (CENS) and Value Added Services (VAS).

These divisions have expertise in multiple domains of telecoms and are capable of delivering any complex solution. We are providing solutions for VSAT, coverage enhancement solutions, FTTX, power solutions, land mobile radio, in building solutions, IoT, telecom towers, value added services, and more.

MSTEL has been fortunate enough to have long years of experience and association with all major players including Omantel, OBB, Ooredoo, oil and gas companies and other government and private organisations.

www.mustafasultan.com

Delivering Performance RETAIL - PROJECTS - HOSPITALITY CONSUMER ELECTRONICS & HOME APPLIANCES | LIGHTING | PAYTV CHANNELS REFRIGERATION & AIR-CONDITIONING SERVICES | SECURITY & COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS | OFFICE TECHNOLOGY | TELECOMMUNICATIONS | SPECIAL PROJECTS | SCIENCE & INDUSTRY | REAL ESTATE SERVICES | EXCHANGE | RESTAURANTS | HOSPITALITY | LOGISTICS

www.mustafasultan.com

OMAN BROADBAND COMPANY

“OMAN BROADBAND IS VERY PROUD OF ITS ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE, ALREADY PROVIDING FTTH TO SOME 50 PERCENT OF HOUSING UNITS”

of broadband to over 50 percent of housing units.

“A further success has been the cooperation of the three main service providers in the country, Omantel, Ooredoo and Awasr, all of whom compete to sell retail broadband internet and promote the take-up of services. In turn, this has meant that the company has seen rapid financial growth, meeting all of its financial targets so far.”

Another important part of Oman Broadband’s remit is to work with

other utilities providers providing services to the home.

Here, the company works with all utilities, including Haya Water, which is currently embarking on a project to build upgraded water and sewage services across the country. Oman Broadband also utilises existing trenches laid by power and water companies in order to reuse and modify existing fibre cables, a feature which will help it towards 5,000 kilometres of high capacity cable routes by the end of 2020.

Such bustling activity has created economic opportunities up and down the supply chain, especially among local SMEs which the company is eager to support through direct and indirect tenders for things such as FOC equipment and ancillaries, and construction work.

The firm estimates that to date around 400 new Omani jobs have been created in the supplier base, with local contract awards totalling some OMR32 million ($83 million).

CONNECTING THE UNCONNECTED And Oman Broadband’s suppliers will continue to play a pivotal role as planning for Phase 2 of the broadband rollout gets underway.

The year 2020 has highlighted even further the critical nature of reliable connectivity around the world, not least because of the coronavirus pandemic which has forced many industries and enterprises to adopt home working in response to lockdown measures.

It has provided Oman Broadband with renewed focus and motivation to

64 | EME Outlook issue 37

TECHNOLOGY open up broadband access to all, and this is exactly what the second phase is all about.

“Around 22 percent of homes are found in rural and remote areas, frequently in the mountainous parts of the country in the north where most of the villages are found,” Al Zeidi says.

This means that Phase 2 will involve the introduction of new technologies to overcome such challenges, with four initiatives identified: backbone fibre networks; optimised FTTH in the less dense urban areas; fixed wireless access in rural areas; and satellite to remote locations.

The Acting CEO explains: “Optimised FTTH construction includes small design changes that better match the distribution of fibre in less dense areas, hence reducing rollout costs.

“Fixed wireless access is now being considered for less dense rural areas, where the costs for FTTH deployment remain high. We have a wireless trial running in rural mountainous locations near Rustaq, where customers are able to enjoy, through their service providers, the same high-speed services that are offered in Muscat, using DOCSIS over radio technology. We are also exploring the possibility of other fixed wireless technologies, including 5G standard, as a means of complementing our FTTH rollout.

“Costs of satellite broadband remain high, but the technology is still well suited to remote mountainous villages where currently there is no broadband or indeed mobile service. Hence, Oman Broadband will be offering a satellite-based six Mbps service to these areas, through the service providers, using the latest Ka band technology.

Although the number of satellite homes will be relatively small, this is an important initiative that fits alongside other technologies being used.”

By using the mixture of solutions identified above, Oman Broadband is hopeful of providing service to more than 90 percent of urban areas

FACTS Oman Broadband’s vision is to provide high speed broadband infrastructure reaching 50 percent of urban premises by 2020 and 95 percent of urban premises by 2030.

Oman Broadband uses creative ways of leveraging synergies and collaboration to minimise costs and provide affordable infrastructure that equally serves all service providers.

by 2030, with overall penetration reaching 75 percent.

It is a bold target, but if 2020 is anything to go by, it is a goal that is well within reach. By the end of this year it will have built a further six central offices, added another 60,000 newly connected customers and expanded its national backbone to include not only Salalah, but also Sohar, Ibri, Ibra and Sur. In terms of kickstarting Phase 2, the new satellite service to remote areas will be launched imminently, with fixed wireless access set for launch in 2021.

These developments leave Al Zeidi optimistic about the next chapter in the Oman Broadband story, one which will only serve to elevate the nation’s standing on the global digital stage.

The Acting CEO concludes: “Oman Broadband is very proud of its achievements to date, already providing FTTH to some 50 percent of housing units, and with plans to expand to some 75 percent of

homes by 2030. The impacts of these changes are already being seen, and the initiative is fundamentally supporting the growth and diversification of the economy.

“Oman is rising significantly in the leagues of broadband download speeds, with average speed increasing by 69 percent in the last year alone, to 37 Mbps. The initiative to expand coverage to remote areas is also having profound impacts, closing the digital divide significantly, and with trial customers expressing great satisfaction with the service.”

P.O. BOX 3, P.C. 135, KOM 5, Knowledge Oasis Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Tel: +968 2231 0500 Fax: +968 2200 9940 www.omanbroadband.om info@omanbroadband.om

EME Outlook issue 37 | 65

CORPOWER OCEAN

66 | EME Outlook issue 37

ENERGY & UTILITIES How CorPower Ocean is developing game-changing wave energy convertors that will enable the efficient harvesting of electricity from our oceans

SEA CHANGE C

Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: David Knott

lean energy is more important than ever.

Not only does it help conserve non-renewable energy sources, but also improves energy security and enhances economic development through job creation.

Many European governments have set ambitious renewable energy targets – Sweden aims to source 100 percent of its energy from renewables by 2040, with Portugal aiming for an 80 percent target by 2030 and a carbon neutral economy by 2050.

Two of the most popular sources of renewable energy are wind – harnessed by turbines – and solar, captured by photovoltaic panels. But there is one less known energy source with vast potential: waves.

“Wave energy represents one of the largest untapped sources of clean energy. It is a huge opportunity of around 500 GW (500 billion watts) – around 10 percent of global energy,” explains Patrik Möller, Co-Founder and CEO of CorPower Ocean.

He continues to outline its benefits.

“Wave energy has a consistent and highly predictable production profile.

It offers local electricity generation along the coasts where most people live. With little or no visual impact, wave farms can be built close to the main consumption centres, reducing required transmission capacity.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 67

CORPOWER OCEAN

Patrik Möller, Co-Founder and CEO of CorPower Ocean “As waves are built up from weather systems during several days over large oceans, the energy content is concentrated and smoothened, delivering a consistent power profile to our coasts that can offset the intermittency of wind and solar. Tapping into one of the largest energy storage units of our world – the oceans – wave energy offers a solution to fill the gaps when it is not windy or sunny.”

While wind and solar energy play an integral role in decarbonising our electricity systems, their volatility can cause problems.

On days when there is no wind or sun energy prices spike because demand outweighs supply, and viceversa when there has been excess wind or sun. As wave energy is more consistent it can be sold at fairer average prices. It also works well for clean hydrogen production – a key fuel solution for decarbonising industry and transport.

For Möller, the lowest cost zero-carbon energy system is a diversified mix of complimentary sources including wave, wind and solar.

“Producing electricity when it is needed (natural balancing) should always be more efficient than the alternative of having unbalanced 68 | EME Outlook issue 37

generation mitigated by storage,” he explains. “Adding wave energy into the mix offers a reliable and lowest-cost alternative for stabilising low-carbon electricity systems in many parts of the world. For this reason, wave energy is a key technology for the transition to a 100 percent renewable world over the next decades.”

But so far, wave energy isn’t in widespread use. Technological developments lag behind wind and solar, with wave energy farms currently remaining prohibitively expense to install and maintain.

This is where CorPower comes in. It is a company which was set up with the intention of introducing a new class of high-efficiency wave energy converters (WECs) to the market, in order to harvest electricity from ocean waves in a robust and cost-effective manner.

GAME-CHANGERS IN WAVE ENERGY Möller co-founded CorPower in 2012 with inventor Stig Lundbäck.

“I have always been intrigued by the science and engineering aspects related to energy. As a student I was thinking and reading a lot about various ways one could provide an endless supply of clean energy to the world,” he says.

However, while finishing his master’s degree at the University of California, he came up with an idea to make semiconductor manufacturing more efficient and spent the next decade establishing an equipment startup.

But his passion for clean energy remained undiminished, and in 2012 he found the incubator EIT InnoEnergy.

It was here he met the cardiologist and inventor Stig Lundbäck who, inspired by the pumping principles of the human heart, had come up with a solution he thought would be able to make wave energy more efficient.

“At first I was sceptical; many bright people have tried to make wave energy work in the past without success,” Möller explains.

Beckhoff Beckhoff New Automation Technology Since the foundation of the company in 1980, continuous development of innovative products and solutions using PC-based control technology has been the basis for the continued success of Beckhoff.

Many automation technology standards that are taken for granted today were conceptualised by Beckhoff at an early stage. One example is EtherCAT, one of the fastest available fieldbuses.

Our partners choose Beckhoff for the comprehensive system solutions in different performance classes for all areas of automation. The product range covers IPCs, I/O and fieldbus components, drive technology and advance automation software.

www.beckhoff.se/EtherCAT-Box

DNV GL DNV GL – Renewables Certification DNV GL has a long tradition of certifying and mitigating the risks of new technology across the renewable energy industry. CorPower has been applying DNV GL’s certification processes for marine renewables over many years, focusing on the key risk areas identified throughout the process, refining the requirements for success, developing methodologies in line with the certification plan and adapting standards. This risk-based approach has been an effective and robust way to support the development of the wave sector.

Contact: Claudio Bittencourt cbf@dnvgl.com

www.dnvgl.com

ENERGY & UTILITIES

High performance for harsh environments The EtherCAT Box in IP 67 protection

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UNVEILING THE TRUE POWER OF OCEAN ENERGY DNV GL’s wave and tidal certification experts work with developers, designers, manufacturers, investors and insurers to safeguard the engineering integrity, safety and performance of ocean energy systems. Drawing on our long-standing experience in the renewable energy and offshore marine sector, we provide a global certification service to the wave and tidal energy industry. We have been safeguarding life, property and the environment for 156 years, pioneering renewable energy for forty years and have twenty years of knowledge and experience in marine renewables.

Learn more at www.dnvgl.com/wave-and-tidal-certification

SAFER, SMARTER, GREENER

EME Outlook issue 37 | 69

CORPOWER OCEAN “WAVE ENERGY CAN PLAY A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE IN PORTUGAL’S TRANSITION TO 100 PERCENT RENEWABLE ENERGY, WHILE PROVIDING A PLATFORM TO DRIVE PORTUGUESE EXPORTS AND LONG-TERM INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL SUPPLY CHAINS”

“However, the deeper we went into the physics of this concept the more we got convinced there was a real chance to make wave energy work by solving the main challenges – surviving the toughest storms and producing large amounts of electricity from a relatively small and low-cost device.”

Fast forward to 2020 and CorPower Ocean is a global leader in ocean technology, with a 50-strong team, headquartered in Sweden and offices in Portugal, Scotland and Norway. To date it has secured €32 million in funding from investors such as InnoEnergy, the European Commission, Wave Energy Scotland, the Swedish Energy Agency and many more who are interested in its high energy WECs. “The CorPower wave energy converter can produce five times more electricity per tonne than any other known wave technology, by combining storm survivability with strongly amplified power capture in regular sea conditions,” the CEO says.

CorPower WECs have dimensions 70 | EME Outlook issue 37

CorPower Ocean was set up to harness the power of the ocean’s waves, a 24-seven, always-on source of energy yet to be meaningfully exploited of nine by 19 metres and weigh 60 tonnes – many wave devices may be thousands of metres in dimension and weigh several thousand tonnes, yet have the same capacity.

“Getting large amounts of electricity from a small device significantly reduces capital expenditure. The compact lightweight devices are also less costly to transport, install and service, bringing down operational expenditure,” Möller comments.

These improvements are game-changing in the wave energy field, dramatically reducing costs of installing and operating wave energy systems.

Since inception in 2012, CorPower has used a step-by-step process to test and verify its technology. It is aiming to introduce its certified WEC products onto the market by 2024 and to facilitate this is following a five-stage commercialisation and product verification strategy: concept validation; critical systems testing; dry and ocean testing; dry and ocean demo and pilot array. In 2018 it achieved stage three, successfully testing the first complete WEC system off the coast of Scotland. The system showed it had verified storm survival properties and its power performance met expected levels in all conditions.

Alongside its product verification programme, CorPower is building a pipeline of projects developed by customers to ensure a clear and well-structured commercial roll-out.

“We are working with major players who are involved in the programme to verify the performance and economics of the technology as a basis for their commercial project development activities,” Möller says.

ENERGY & UTILITIES One such player is Simply Blue Energy, which is developing a combined floating wind and wave project in Ireland using CorPower’s WEC technology.

“We have worked with the team at CorPower over the last three years and they have, during this time, convinced

WECS IN FOCUS CorPower’s WECs have four significant patented features: 1. PNEUMATIC PRETENSION SYSTEM: Makes the device transparent to storm waves, and brings down the required materials by 40 percent compared to a conventional gravity-balanced WEC, thereby reducing capital expenditure 2. WAVESPRING PHASE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY: Provides a 300 percent increase in annual energy production (AEP) for a given buoy size, strongly increasing revenue to cost 3. CASCADE GEARBOX TECHNOLOGY: Enables robust conversion of the amplified linear motion into rotation with low losses 4. COMPOSITE HULL TECHNOLOGY: Eliminates corrosion issues from saltwater and improves product longevityarmaments

Dry testing C3 in Stockhom

us that they have the ability to bring their technology to the required levels of technical readiness within the timeframes we have agreed. We are excited to explore the possibility of combining wind and wave energy to bring balance to the grid,” comments Sam Roch-Perks, the CEO of Simply Blue Energy.

CorPower also recently launched its flagship demonstration project, HiWave-5 – which also doubles up as an R&D, manufacturing and service centre for WECs – in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. There were several reasons for choosing this location, one being Portugal’s environmentallyconscious attitude toward energy.

CorPower’s work complements the Portuguese Industrial Strategy for Ocean Renewable Energies, designed to create a competitive and innovative industrial export cluster for ocean renewable energy.

“Wave energy can play a fundamental role in Portugal’s transition to 100 percent renewable energy, while providing a platform to drive Portuguese exports and longterm investment opportunities for local supply chains,” Möller says.

A reason for choosing Viana do Castelo specifically is that it offers a strong competence pool of engineers in various relevant sectors – offshore wind, manufacturing and shipyards – and boasts an infrastructure of industry, ports and top-level universities that will enable the project to be easily upscaled.

For the CEO, these relationships with partners and suppliers are crucial to the business.

“Close collaboration with our supply chain partners is key for bringing a bankable wave energy product to market. We benefit immensely from their competence, and strive to involve the suppliers already from the early stages of specifying and design of our system to the manufacturing and service and support stage when machines are deployed,” he explains.

GREEN FUTURES CorPower is currently in stage four of its five-part plan – demonstrating the first C4 300 kilowatt WEC. Möller outlines ambitious plans for the next year, including successfully finishing the dry-testing of the C4 drive train in the new on-land test rig in Västberga, and successfully deploying the first full scale C4 machine at its Agucadoura site in northern Portugal.

CorPower also wants to demonstrate its mobile factory production of full-scale composite buoys and to continue to secure customers who will develop commercial projects using its ground-breaking technology. Between 2022 and 2024 it will demonstrate three of its C5 devices – the last step before the planned commercial rollout in 2024.

As was the case with many industries, some of these ambitious plans were interrupted by the pandemic.

“We have been impacted by the financial markets becoming more risk averse in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our supply chain was interrupted when several regions in Europe shut down forcing us to change some suppliers to keep of project on plan,” the CEO says.

However, the company has been experiencing strong signs of recovery, as evidenced by renewed interest from both customers and investors.

The term “new normal” is being used with increasing frequency – although it signifies social distancing is still in force, perhaps it can also be used to describe a more resilient and socially-conscious economy. An economy in which wave energy, and CorPower Ocean, have a very large part to play.

info@corpowerocean.com www.corpowerocean.com

EME Outlook issue 37 | 71

COAL MINE PLJEVLJA

Mining for Montenegro As the Balkan nation develops its economy and bids for membership of the European Union by 2025, the transformed mining operation based near Pljevlja continues to power progress Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold

72 | EME Outlook issue 37

MINING

M

ontenegro has cause for optimism.

A scenic gem of a nation sat in the Balkans, its economy had been steadily growing before the onset of coronavirus, and its application for European Union membership has progressed to the final chapter.

Once part of socialist Yugoslavia, Montenegro is opening itself up to the world – trade is on the up, construction activity is increasing and more and more tourists are adding the country to their bucket list of must-see places in Europe.

All of this requires power, and nestled in the north is Coal Mine Pljevlja, an operation which has been a constant presence throughout the past seven decades of the Montenegrin story.

Today, it supplies the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant which produces some 40 percent of the nation’s electricity, doing so in a profitable manner thanks to a somewhat remarkable reversal in fortunes witnessed over recent years.

In 2014, Slavoljub Popadic was not intent on angling his career away from more than 20 years in Montenegro’s public and private telecoms industry.

Working for regional and state-level governmental organisations, in 2001 he became the Executive Director of Internet Crna Gora, the country’s first ISP, before joining Deutsche Telekom.

“My involvement in the mining industry was somewhat unplanned,” says Popadic, who is also the long-standing President of the CEO Forum of Montenegro. “It was at the request of Coal Mine Pljevlja’s owners, who believed that my engagement could help overcome the difficult business situation of the company.

“I came to the company as CEO at the end of 2014, when it was in the danger of going bankrupt. The accumulated losses amounted to more than €20 million, while the tax debt was at the level of more than €17 million. Nowadays, six years later, Coal EME Outlook issue 37 | 73

COAL MINE PLJEVLJA

ABOUT COAL MINE PLJEVLJA Coal Mine Pljevlja is based just outside of the northern town of Pljevlja, and has been producing lignite for 68 years, 12 years of which were spent producing high-quality cement.

Once a 100 percent state-owned enterprise, it switched into private hands and is now part of the Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (the electric power utility of Montenegro) that became 100 percent owner of the coal mine in July 2018.

It produces high-quality lignite with the calorific value at the level of approximately 14,000 Kj/kg with an extremely low percentage of sulphur. The operation employs around 850 people with around 90 percent of production delivered to the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant.

The remaining 10 percent is supplied to other customers from Montenegro and the region.

74 | EME Outlook issue 37

Mine Pljevlja is a profitable company operating without losses or debts, with the accumulated profit of more than €13 million at the end of 2019.”

It has been a remarkable turnaround.

Facing financial extinction, Popadic pins the dramatic reversal of fortunes on what he terms as the creation of a favourable business environment within the organisation, a cultural shift which has enabled employees and management to express their full commitment.

This in turn led to enhanced shortand long-term planning, a drastic increase in productivity, reduction in operating costs and growth in export sales and overburden production.

A quick look at 2019’s figures put this into perspective. Coal Mine Pljevlja produced 1,561,618 tonnes of coal, of which around 90 percent (1,419,968 tonnes) was delivered to its major customer, the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant.

Around 7.5 million cubic metres of solid overburden mass was delivered – this is 14 percent higher than planned and as much as 32 percent higher than the results achieved in 2018.

Another small, albeit important and

growing source of revenue, lies away from the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant.

“Within the previous four years we have managed to triple sales in the mass market and reach a level of more than 141,000 tonnes at the end of 2019,” Popadic says. “This is very important for the coal mine, as it provides additional income amounting to more than €6 million.

“In 2019 we earned profit amounting to €9.5 million, which is considerably better compared to the previous year.

In fact, it makes for one of the best results achieved in the course of the 67 years of the mine’s operation.”

A NEW ERA Indeed, Coal Mine Pljevlja is the largest producer of coal in Montenegro and one of the most significant operations in the Balkans, a major selling point being its moderate calorific value and low sulphur content.

Despite facing challenges in relation to environmental tariffs and a general shift in consensus away from using coal-fuelled power, the company continues to increase its output and profitability, a feat which has become possible ever since it became part of Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) in 2018.

“The coal mine has obtained the long wished-for financial and operational stability and daringly initiated the procurement of new machinery, as well as construction of the key facilities,” Popadic says.

“Each invested euro has undoubtedly been returned through an increase in operational and financial results.

“The newly procured dump trucks and excavators have directly contributed to an increase in the volume of produced overburden, relocation of the crusher-belt conveyor-spreader system has directly influenced the reduction in the costs of production, while construction of a new, modern maintenance hall has ensured better availability of the mining machinery.

MINING

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“WITHIN THE PREVIOUS FOUR YEARS WE HAVE MANAGED TO TRIPLE SALES IN THE MASS MARKET AND REACH A LEVEL OF MORE THAN 141,000 TONNES BY THE END OF 2019”

EME Outlook issue 37 | 75

COAL MINE PLJEVLJA “We also introduced a new ERP system and finished the adaptation of the administration building, miners club and pensioners club.”

All of this amounts to €16.6 million of investment over the past two years, the plan at the beginning of 2020 being to commit another €19 million to complete existing and initiate new

POWERED BY PARTNERSHIPS Q: HOW IMPORTANT ARE PARTNER AND SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR BUSINESS? SLAVOLJUB POPADIC: “Strong partner companies have considerably contributed to the coal mine’s business success, through delivery and maintenance of the mining machinery and delivery of consumables and spare parts.

“We are proud that our partners are companies that are well renowned in the mining sector, and our results wouldn’t be at the present level without their commitment and expert teams.”

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projects. However, as with almost every industry, plans have been hit by the unforeseen outbreak of coronavirus.

It has posed tremendous challenges to the operation in a practical sense.

Social distancing, mandatory mask wearing and meticulous sanitisation, as well as temperature checks and daily checks to ensure compliance with ‘new normal’ standards, have all disrupted the routine way of doing things. Add in the impact that movement restrictions and border closures have had on exports, and it is easy to see how difficult much of 2020 has been.

However, Coal Mine Pljevlja has forged ahead undeterred. “By investing great efforts, we have managed to keep business activities at last year’s level or even a little bit above that level,” Popadic confirms.

“At the end of the sixth month, profit was 12 percent higher compared to the same period last year.”

LOOKING FORWARDS Although initial signs look positive, Coal Mine Pljevlja has prepared three models of investment ranging from €4.9 million to the original €19 million target, the final outcome very much a case of seeing how the rest of the year rides out.

Another important priority will be the organisation’s continued support within both the local Pljevlja community and wider contributions to Montenegrin society.

Indeed, CSR is a critical part of the firm’s identity, which stretches far beyond providing the raw material needed to power 40 percent of the country’s electricity output.

“We support sports, culture, healthcare, arts, environmental and social activities,” Popadic adds. “We help local hospitals and community health centres through donation of new, state-of-the-art equipment, specialised vehicles and the like.

“Together with the local authorities

of the Municipality of Pljevlja, we improve city stadiums, parks, fountains and other infrastructure. We are the leading sponsor of the city’s main football, handball and volleyball clubs. We have excellent cooperation with SRK Lipljen, an environmental organisation whom we assist with breeding of autochthonous trout and fish stocking of the local rivers and lakes.

“At a national level, we help the main clinical centre in Podgorica and support nationally important events.”

The CEO is also determined to improve the welfare of Coal Mine Pljevlja’s own people, a target for the

MINING

coming year being to increase staff salaries alongside the constant goal of optimising operations.

While he recognises that achieving the two outcomes will be challenging, Popadic is confident that continuous improvement will be made, and that the mine will stand as a key contributor to Montenegro for a great many years to come.

He signs off confidently: “Coal mines are facing serious challenges.

We are witnessing the closure of a number of mines across the EU, the industry and households are making shifts to alternative energy generating products and we are facing new, very

high environmental fees.

“However, together with Elektroprivreda, we have created a model that should ensure sustainable operation of the thermal power complex for the next 30 years. We will do everything to implement the plans from the model and keep the business activity sustainable.

“This will be significantly contributed to by the environmental reconstruction of Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant which is underway, and this will enable it to meet strict EU standards, as well as to obtain new materials through the technological process of desulphurisation, useful in

future cement production.

“All the envisaged activities have been going as planned, and therefore I am optimistic about the coal mine’s continued important role in the development of Montenegro for the next 30 years.”

COAL MINE PLJEVLJA Tel: +382 52 321 781 office@rupv.me www.rupv.me

EME Outlook issue 37 | 77

UNSTUDIO

BREAKING GROUND IN THE MIDDLE EAST Global architecture firm UNStudio is bringing its innovative, out-of-the-box design approach to the Middle East, the firm will soon open a permanent office in Dubai Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Ryan Gray

Air traffic control tower proposal, Dubai 78 | EME Outlook issue 37

CONSTRUCTION

O

ver the past decade, contemporary architecture has transformed the built environment of Middle Eastern cities.

Dubai, for example, not only boasts the world’s tallest building – the spindle-like Burj Khalifa – but also the only man-made archipelago modelled on all seven continents.

“We are currently noticing a change of direction in the region; a shift away from standardisation, towards new concepts and projects that require more unique and bespoke solutions, particularly in the cultural sector,” says Ben van Berkel, Founder and Principal Architect at UNStudio, when asked what excites him about the sector.

UNStudio is an innovative international architectural design network with over three decades of experience delivering projects in countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. It has offices in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and will soon be opening a fifth office in Dubai.

“Our aim is to attract regional clients that want to develop the special projects they see being built in all corners of the world, but are not yet doing at home,” Van Berkel explains. “The biggest challenge lies in finding clients that understand what is required to succeed from the start of a project all the way through to delivery.

This is essential if you want to ensure the level of quality and craftsmanship from the original design in the finished buildings.”

And when it comes to high-quality craftsmanship paired with design, UNStudio knows how to deliver.

Drawing upon its 30 plus years of global experience, it is able to approach each project with a wealth of knowledge to hand, knowledge which it combines with an innovative and site-specific approach.

Van Berkel believes that it is this way of working that will allow UNStudio to make inroads into the Middle Eastern architecture sector.

EME Outlook issue 37 | 79

UNSTUDIO

How important are partner and supplier relationships to the success of your business?

BEN VAN BERKEL: “The quality of the end result depends on many different factors. An important one of those is the relationships and collaborations that we have with our partners.

By understanding and sharing the goals of the project, and having the capabilities to achieve what are often complex tasks, the project as a whole will always be better. This also counts for our specialist consultant partners, as well as clients.

PHOTO © ELS ZWEERINK

“While the result of our projects is widely published globally, it is the quality of the end result that is our strongest asset for the acquisition of new projects.”

“There are only a handful of renowned architectural design studios currently active in the Middle East. Most of these are corporate architectural firms with clear global business plans, who provide good, but not unique, innovative or special projects,” he explains.

“UNStudio approaches each project with specific attention to their particular location or programme, and from there, develops a holistic design that is innovative but very much rooted in the local circumstances and possibilities.”

In other words, the studio allows the landmarks it designs to be shaped by the environment in which they are situated – by the climate, the materials available locally and by referencing and conceptually integrating cultural aesthetics and traditions.

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INNOVATIVE PROJECTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Van Berkel himself is an innovative architect, drawing inspiration from a variety of different sources.

“I am influenced by many personal fascinations; interests that would perhaps not commonly be perceived as being directly related to architecture,” he explains. “This can range from science – the first moon landing, for instance – to philosophy, literature, photography, fashion, art or music.

“For me inspiration can come from many different sources, but it is how these external references are eventually applied to design, to the organisation and the context, which is of particular interest to me.”

It should come as no surprise, then, that UNStudio has a reputation for

CN Terracotta Historically acclaimed for its natural characteristics, durability and sustainability, terracotta dates back to Ancient China when it was used to build palaces, produce pots and statues such as the Terracotta Army, still standing 2,000 years later.

Fast forward to the 21st century, CN Terracotta is acclaimed by architects worldwide for its endless innovation and creativity, offering almost limitless design flexibility.

Perhaps the most extraordinary example of this marriage of imagination and innovation, combined with technical brilliance, can now be seen emerging from the shimmering sands of Dubai, on the Arabian Peninsula. A special pair of shoes sparked an idea in the client – this inspired the visionary architects at UNStudio, who, working closely with CN Terracotta, evolved into the design of the tallest terracotta façade in the UAE. The Dubai wasl Tower, at 302 metres high, will become a touchstone for adaptability and sustainability with its extraordinary ceramic façade, decorated with autonomously generated light patterns of gold, purple and blues that breathes with the rhythm of the city.

CN Terracotta created this unique metallic glaze following multiple experiments, using techniques derived from centuries of tradition, working with clay, and combined with modern, environmentally friendly, efficient, and economic production methods. The experience gained from projects such as the CTF Tower in Guangzhou at 530 metres, the worlds’ tallest terracotta installation enables CN Terracotta to tailor safe solutions for even the most complex buildings – commercial, residential, or soaring iconic skyscrapers like the wasl Tower, inspired by a shoe!

www.cn-terracotta.com

Reimagining Architectural Facades in the 21st Century

CN Factory & Head Office CN Ceramic Industrial Park, Hubin Road, Dingshu Town, Yixing City, Jiangsu Province, P.R.C. T +86 0510 87460868 E ib@cn-ceramic.com, E foreigntrade@cn-ceramic.com www.cn-terracotta.com Russia Office E matveevd@aluminstroy.ru www.terra-terracotta.ru

USA & Canada Office E peter.reed@terracottacontract.com www.cnterracotta.com New Zealand Office 1331, Victoria Street Beerescourt, Hamilton 3200 New Zealand T +64 9 216 5657 E info@cnterracotta.co.nz www.cnterracotta.co.nz

Australia Office 828 Pacific Highway Gordon, NSW 2072 Australia T + 61 2 9416 0612 www.cnterracotta.co.nz United Kingdom Office Middlecott, Trethurffe Ladock, Truro Cornwall, TR2 4PU United Kingdom T +44 7747 720340 E Roy@cnterracotta.co.uk www.cnterracotta.co.uk

UNSTUDIO The Tower epitomises the firm’s vision to produce designs that are adaptive, resilient and ‘futureproof’– that remain innovative despite the design process taking place over several years, and don’t contribute to a waste of materials and resources. It does all this without compromising on aesthetics. The Tower has a striking, contrapposto structure – a term derived from the visual arts, where it refers to a counterpoised figure – and a gleaming façade that will distinguish it from any buildings surrounding it.

Another project in Dubai is The Island, a hospitality and leisure project built on a 10.5-hectare island off the coast of Umm Suqeim. Alongside 1,400 hotel rooms and apartments, an accessible 800-metre waterfront, the construction will also offer entertainment, retail and restaurant options. Its design was developed as a unique pedestrianised new neighbourhood of the city.

“We are very proud that UNStudio has three major projects being executed in the city,” Van Berkel Wafra Tower, Lusail, Qatar, 2015 to present unique, visually arresting designs.

However, it is also aware that such innovation should be combined with “buildability”.

Since it first entered the GCC region in 2008, UNStudio has been working closely with its clients from the Middle East to find solutions that are both feasible but also innovative and outof-the box. It has embarked upon numerous flagship projects within Qatar and the Middle East, including the Dubai Financial Market new headquarters and the wasl Tower, both based in Dubai and currently under construction.

“The wasl Tower is a benchmark 302-metre super-high-rise structure in a pivotal Dubai location and will have one of the world’s tallest ceramic facades,” Van Berkel explains.

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“It will be a regional touchstone for adaptability and sustainability. The capacity of the building to acclimatise to local temperatures through shading and cooling techniques sets it apart from other buildings within the hot desert climate.”

proclaims. “They are evidence of our investment in the region over the past decade, which required the hands on dedication of our site teams, in collaboration with the development managers, the local consultants and the client.”

CONSTRUCTION

BRIDGING SCIENCE AND HUMANITY DeSimone Consulting Engineers provides high-quality structural engineering, façade consulting, and forensic services for all types of buildings. Known for the highest quality of service, the firm provides each client with personal, dedicated, and inspiring engineering solutions.

Dedicated to the successful execution of program design concepts and the optimization of building systems, DeSimone has designed some of the world’s tallest and most recognizable structures.

DeSimone is the structural engineering designer for Al Wasl Tower, and they were able to save significant construction materials quantities for the owner on the project.

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PHOTO © EVABLOEM

PHOTO © EVABLOEM

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:

EME Outlook issue 37 | 83

UNSTUDIO

Doah Metro Network, QIRP, Qatar, 2012 to present

Dubai Cloud, Expo pavilion proposal, 2015 Dutch/Dubai 2020 Expo pavilion proposal, 2018

The Island, Dubai, 2015 to present

CONSTRUCTION

Ben van Berkel, Founder / Principal Architect UNStudio Then there’s the Qatar Integrated Railway Project – one of the fastest and most advanced driverless metro systems in the world.

Phase one of the project involved the construction of three metro lines and relevant stations – 37 of which have been completed. UNStudio created a vision for the stations of this all-new network. It also collaborated with the Qatar Rail Architecture Department to produce an architectural branding manual, setting out guidelines on design, material usage and architectural details to ensure a consistent appearance across different sites.

UNStudios’ innovative, holistic approach has been well-received in the Middle East. It is currently working on other key projects in Qatar, as well as in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. This growing portfolio of experience is, according to Van Berkel, giving the company confidence and the knowledge to know which opportunities to target. Furthermore, the company’s growing network of consultants and clients is enabling it to further its goal of a locally adapted approach.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE COVID-19 may be systemically affecting local economies, but Van

Berkel is feeling positive about his company’s future. He is looking forward to the official opening of its Dubai branch, headed by Director & Senior Architect Frans van Vuure and Senior Project & Design Coordinator Nick Marks, and increasing the number of clients from the GCC. “Often they don’t believe that local consultants and contractors can achieve this level of work, but our experience – and projects like the wasl Tower and the Qatar Integrated Railway Project – show that we can deliver very high quality work in the region,” he explains.

Something else that van Berkel is excited about is the possibilities opening up in the GCC region for UNStudio’s sister company, UNSense.

It is an architectural technology company that combines design-based thinking with insights derived from data technology.

“At UNSense we don’t believe in technology for the sake of technology,” van Berkel comments.

“We think the combination of data and design creates a powerful force to improve living conditions for people, and to ultimately create buildings and cities that are more humane, healthy, clean, safe, sustainable, and beneficial to the environment.”

“Data technology, sensorial

technology and artificial intelligence enable us as architects and designers to create buildings that sense, understand and respond to the needs and behaviours of the people that work and live in them.”

UNSense is currently operating in Europe, developing designs and strategies for smart homes and cities, including the “100 Homes” project in Helmond – a ‘living lab’ where voluntary data exchange systems and technology are tested to create a positive impact on the inhabitants. It’s easy to see why Van Berkel is excited about what UNSense can do when it applies such insights to projects in the Middle East.

And it’s easy to see, too, why the company has experienced such a level of success over the decades. Its sustainable ethos, innovative artistic designs and data-driven insights look set to define the next chapter of its ever-evolving story.

Tel: +31 (0)20 570 20 40 info@unstudio.com www.unstudio.com

EME Outlook issue 37 | 85

EVENTS

Arab African Mining September 28-30 | Online only | www.arabafricanmining.com

Uncovering investment opportunities in the Arab and African regions WIT H O FFICIA L ministerial representation from the leading mining destinations of the region, we are delighted to announce that Arab African Mining will not be scuppered

by COVID-19 this year, and will be held online from September 28-30.

Arab African Mining will be the first digital conference uniting government officials, mining companies, technology providers, institutional investors, and other key stakeholders interested in the last mining frontiers of the African and Arabian world.

The mining industry is set for disruption through innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable practices. Arab African Mining 86 | EME Outlook issue 37

has quickly established itself as an essential platform for governments, geological surveys, global mining companies, and resource investors to discover the latest trends and investment opportunities.

In response to COVID-19, Arab African Mining is pleased to launch a new dedicated video meeting platform. In this time it is more important than ever for international businesses working in the Middle East and Africa to continue discussions with government officials, international organisations, banks and regional investors.

To further enhance the digital experience, Arab African Mining

will integrate with the digital mining platform i-MINE. Geological surveys and mining projects will be prereleased on the platform, enabling attendees to browse a multitude of projects before their publication at the conference.

For participation in the event , please email jason.smith@frontierexchange.com or call: +44 (0) 7490 095 472

Organised by

www.frontier-exchange.com

Sept 28-30

Date: 28-30 September 2020 arabafricanmining.com/register

Arab African Mining goes online in 2020!

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures, we have decided to hold Arab African Mining online this year.

Using the very latest conferencing technologies, you will be able to arrange 1-2-1 business meetings virtually, as well as listen to the outstanding content as it is broadcast live from Africa, the Middle East and around the world.

THE NEW NORMAL

NETWORKING ON-DEMAND An unexpected but welcome result of digital conferencing means we are able to have more efficient conferences. Delegates can design their sessions, schedule meetings with the right people instead of leaving it to chance.

EVENTS

EPOCH 2020 October 5-6 | Online only | www.oilepoch.com

Exploring diversity and inclusion in oil and gas online I N R ES P ON SE to travel constraints, BGS Group, the organiser of EPOCH 2020, announced the launch of a new virtual platform – BGS Online.

“After checking all the existing platforms, we realised none of them met our standards. Consequently, we made our own digitised platform – BGS Online,” says Kristina Sabirova, BGS Group Managing Partner. Here is how it looks: Even more decision-makers. As an online venue has no limits to the number of participants, the number of VIP delegates rose. Already registered companies decided to widen their delegation.

“When contacting partners of the congress to notify about the change in the format, I heard sighs of relief – companies need contracts and leads, and it’s difficult to get it now. Then, this 88 | EME Outlook issue 37

sigh of relief turned into excitement once companies realised EPOCH 2020 was not going to be another webinar, but a full scope congress with all the necessary tools carefully developed for our partners,” says Regina Chislova, the EPOCH Project Director.

Unlimited networking. Online, a delegate has unlimited number of conversations through chats.

Switching between them, a delegate can send a message to anyone, be it a VIP speaker or a regular delegate.

Extended discussion with speakers.

Offline, the audience waits until the end to ask questions. In our online format, delegates have their questions answered immediately, making a presentation a more interactive conversation, and giving a topic better coverage.

Online personal manager. One of

the key features of the BGS Group congresses is personal manager support. She/he supports clients by providing assistance and introducing a delegate to the right people. The online format gives immediate access to this valuable tool.

Feel completely safe, invite your colleague to join you, show a production unit to your potential client – all this is possible at EPOCH 2020.

THE FINAL WORD

What impact has the coronavirus pandemic had on your industry, and how are you responding?

To round off each issue, we ask our contributing business leaders for their views on the same question

Robert Agnic Joint CEO, Plastika Skaza “In fact, sales stopped a bit during the COVID-19 crisis. The deals that should have been signed in spring have been postponed to fall or to another year. Nevertheless, this year we managed to get new customers and we will reach the yearly goal, which indicates our agility.

“The process after the COVID-19 crisis is definitely different – there are more online audits and meetings, but there are also more opportunities, as the closure of markets has also changed the orientation of our potential customers from the east towards the EU. It doesn’t matter if you are a small or big company – it’s the flexibility and agility that drives a company to survive such a hard period. And we did.”

Miika Reinikka CEO, Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch “Our industries have naturally been impacted. We have seen delays in some projects and investment decisions. Our priority has been – and we have worked hard – to keep our employees safe. Luckily, and thanks to our actions and similar work in our supply chain, we have been able to keep our factories open. We will continue these efforts to keep ourselves operational.”

Slavoljub Popadic CEO, Coal Mine Pljevlja “The coronavirus pandemic has made the operation of the coal mine considerably more difficult; however, by investing great efforts we have 94 | EME Outlook issue 37

managed to keep the business activities at the last year’s level or even a little bit above that level. On one hand, the coronavirus has caused problems with delivery of coal to partners abroad, due to closure of borders and complicated border crossing procedures. On the other hand, daily operations have been made additionally more complex as wearing of masks is mandatory, as is keeping physical and social distance and using of disinfection substances.

Bodily temperatures are measured for all employees when coming to work, and the HSE Department carries out daily checks of compliance with the prescribed standards.

“Initially we had quite a lot of problems with procurement of equipment and consumables from abroad, but this

situation has gradually been stabilised and now it is back to normal.”

Patrik Möller Co-Founder and CEO, CorPower Ocean “We have been impacted by the financial markets becoming more risk averse in the initial phase of the pandemic, and our supply chain was interrupted when several regions in Europe shut down, forcing us to change some suppliers to keep the project on target. Fortunately, we see strong recovery now, with lots of attention from investors and customers in the green (blue) recovery phase.”

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Ensuring continuity of supply through challenging times...

BERGMAN & BEVING

MANUFACTURING

POWER TO THE TOOLS

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Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Bergman & Beving’s Tools & Consumables division continues to pursue an ambitious strategy of growth Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Matthew Taylor

My father and grandfather are characterised by being ‘practical men with sharp minds’. They both ran their own small size businesses as entrepreneurs.

Therefore, it came quite naturally to me to become an engineer, where I could utilise the practical skillset and sharp mind I hope I inherited.”

These words are spoken by Oscar Fredell, who is Managing Director of the Tools & Consumables Division at Bergman & Beving.

The Swedish company is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of products and services to the construction and manufacturing sectors, and Fredell has long nurtured aspirations of working for it.

“In around 2000, I travelled across the country with fellow engineering students in order to study the operations of the strongest distributor in Sweden – Luna Group,” he continues. “Joining Bergman & Beving gave me the opportunity to lead that company, along with the

BERGMAN & BEVING other strong brands within the Tools & Consumables division. It is a dream chains, which flow mainly through markets in which it operates, due to come true.” Ireland, the UK and the Nordic the less stringent lockdown measures HOW IMPORTANT countries. enacted by its government. Luckily, When asked why, Fredell cites the as ARE PARTNER Its main hubs are located in the company’s main hub is based Katowice entrepreneurial (Poland), Bedford (UK), here, it was able to continue delivering AND SUPPLIER company’s strong Gothenburg (Sweden), Ningbo products to customers.

RELATIONSHIPS cultureTO and its decentralised deci(China) and Taichung (Taiwan).

These Like most companies across the THE SUCCESS OF hubs are located close to harbours, world, however, Bergman & Beving sion-making which mindset.

YOUR BUSINESS? optimises container flows as has faced challenges. handling.

It had to implement many meas“Bergman it&necessitates Bevingminimal is full of An OSCAR FREDELL: “Our inbound flow of 400 40-feet containures to protect its personnel in both supplier partners are obviously ers comes annually from Ningbo and extremely skilled people helping it toits office and production environan important part of a wellTaichung. ments, while maintaining efficiency. functioning supply chain achieve its goal to world-class “We arebuild renowned for our supply Such measures included increasing operation. We have high chain and logistics operations. We win cleaning of spaces, splitting worktime expectations of brands our suppliers,for professional users within new contracts and keep long-lasting to reduce the amount of people on and feel we have very good partnerships as a consequence of that shift, virtual meetings and measuring thesupplier manufacturing and construction partners today. Our strength,” Fredell says. temperatures of staff when arriving at relationships are characterised or leaving work. activities,” he adds. by usually being very longlasting, where we optimise joint operations over a long period.

STAYING RESILIENT AND AGILE

According to Fredell, it was the company’s supply chain that enabled it to weather coronavirus effectively.

“We made an early mistake in April by forecasting a 20 percent volume drop on sales,” he continues. “We did, however, see a 20 percent volume increase in sales towards the construction sector, which is why we ran short on stock in the Nordics in June. We were lucky to have such strong suppliers and producers and are therefore now back on track.”

The division’s main market, Sweden, remained more stable than other

A STRONG GROWTH MINDSET

“Apart from enabling us to run efficient operations, it is also a source of pride for us to be able to achieve high service degrees regarding products on stock.

We take four years of historic performance into account when planning our inbound material flow, and continuously work with our suppliers to improve. I feel very proud of our supply chain team and its operations.”

Oscar Fredell, Managing Director, Tools & Consumables Division at Bergman & Beving.

The firm was founded in 1906 and continues to stand as one of the most reputable industrial firms in Sweden

“We ran an antibody test on all employees in August, with the result of zero personnel with antibodies. It seems we have kept our personnel and our partners safe so far,” Fredell says.

Overall, he is not just impressed with the division’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, but with the industry overall.

“The Swedish industry has shown a strong ability in being agile and flexible. To me, that is good news regarding the state of Swedish industry and shows a general strength for the future,” Fredell adds.

This leads him to an extremely optimistic outlook when it comes to the nation’s industrial sector. Not only does Fredell feel the sector is beginning to emerge from the shock of COVID-19, but he also professes pride in the companies that operate within it – they are technologically advanced, relying heavily on automation and robots, which leads to globally renowned products. The sector has also shown its ability to successfully manage change.

Bergman & Beving was founded in 1906 to import technologically advanced industrial capital goods to distribute among Swedish industrial companies.

Fast forward over a century and the company now also designs and develops products for the manufacturing and construction sectors as well as imports them; its reach now extends well into northern Europe.

ENSURING CONTINUITY OF SUPPLY THROUGH CHALLENGING TIMES

CONTINUING TO GROW With its trust in the resilience of the sector solidified, the Tools & Consumables division is poised to continue with its ambitious target:

2 | EME Outlook issue 37

EME Outlook issue 37 |to3grow 15 percent, year on year.

MANUFACTURING

PROJECT CASE STUDY

TAIWAN A demonstration of the Tools & Consumables Division’s partnerships in action comes from Taiwan, where the company has been busy working on a renewable energy project.

Fredell explains: “As we have our own organisation in Taiwan and have a close cooperation with our suppliers there, we are able to customise tool kit solutions exactly the way our customers want them.

“Last year the energy giant Vattenfall approached our partners about tool kits to their offshore wind farms. They liked our roller cabinets, but for their windfarms they needed a service tool box that could be bolted to the floor. As the space is limited in the windfarm machine room, they even needed a workbench on top of the tool box. Our end user development manager then drew a tool box with a little wider work bench and specially designed legs.

“Together with the windfarm engineers, he also designed a customised EVA tool set that contained all the tools needed to do the service in the windfarms, and these tool kits are now placed in the machine room on top of all Vattenfall’s offshore windfarms outside Scotland.”

According to Fredell, there are two main ways the target can be achieved – through working with the right customers and investing in innovation.

“We choose to sell to the most successful and most productive resellers on each market,” he says. “They usually match well with us and our strong sales concepts. We have been able to sign a number of major contracts with

those kinds of customers during the last 12 months, which is why we are confident in reaching and exceeding our targets once the market stabilises after COVID-19.”

In the upcoming months, the company intends to focus on the customers it already has, helping them to increase their sales and become more profitable. However, Fredell also

Limit Micrometer outlines ambitious plans to expand his division’s largest brand, Teng Tools, to penetrate more markets beyond Nordic countries.

In regard to innovations, he alludes to some interesting products and solutions that will be emerging from the sourcing and R&D teams in the upcoming years.

“We have chosen to look even more long-term and invest even harder in innovation to secure long-term growth and customer loyalty for us and for our resellers,” he explains.

A large part of this strategy has been the recruitment of senior research and development personnel.

This commitment to innovation and growth suggests that in the months following the coronavirus, Bergman & Beving will not just survive, but thrive as an organisation, not least in Fredell’s Tools & Consumables Division.

Tel: +46 (0)10-4547700 info@bb.se www.bergmanbeving.com

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