EME Outlook - Issue 47

I M P R I M A G R O U P | AT I P R O J E C T

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

INHA WORKS

Smooth cruising for European manufacturing

DORMIO

The suite life of the hotel industry

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

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

I s s u e 47

travel magazine ISSUE 08

The major component of the publication takes the form of our Outlook Travel Guides, providing executives, avid travellers and our existing 575,000 international subscribers with the ultimate rundown of all the major economic drivers and thriving hubs across the world, with exclusive input from tourism industry associations and stakeholders – the people who know these places the best.

T R AV E L GUIDE

CYPRUS

Mediterranean escapism in the Land of Aphrodite F E AT U R E

YACHTING’S SUSTAINABLE REVOLUTION Charting cleaner waters for the Adriatic

I

n a changing world, where the travel industry must adapt to challenging global situations, our mission at Outlook Travel remains the same. We will continue to showcase some of the world’s most inspiring destinations, offering real insight and comprehensive travel guides for when global mobility resumes.

TRAVEL GUIDE

PUERTO VALLARTA From quaint fishing village to bustling resort getaway

We go Behind the Lens with culinary storyteller, Karolina Wiercigroch

You can join the vast numbers of tourism sector players enjoying the exposure we provide across our digital and print platforms with a range of options, from advertising through to free-of-charge editorials, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a readymade forum to attract new investment and increase exposure.

THAILAND TRAVEL GUIDE

THAILAND This Southeast Asian country is a perennial favourite, thanks to an intoxicating combination of beautiful beaches, world-renowned cuisine and incredible temple complexes Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

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nown as the ‘Land of Smiles’, Thailand is a friendly country that welcomed 38.27 million tourists to its shores last year.

There are plenty of reasons why this Southeast Asian destination is so popular.

For a start, there’s the beaches. In the south, Thailand’s two coastlines stretch for miles, populated by swathes of icing-sugar soft sand, the bays speckled with dramatic limestone formations. Thailand is also home to 1,430 islands, ranging from full moon party spots like Koh Pha Ngan to the more off the beaten track Similan Islands, a national marine park popular with scuba divers.

Then, there’s the food. Thailand’s noodles, stir fries and curries are beloved around the

world, characterised by the fragrant taste of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and tulsi. Every town is bursting at the seams with floating markets, street food stalls and high-end restaurants where you can try delicious local dishes.

Thailand’s rich spiritual heritage also attracts tourists. Golden temples and larger-than-life Buddha statues can be found across the country. Visitors can experience colourful religious festivals in the northeast of the country or explore the underground cave shrines in Kanchanaburi and Phetchaburi.

Despite Thailand’s popularity, it’s easy to find a quiet corner to relax, be it on a deserted island or an eco-retreat in the craggy mountains north of Chiang Mai.

SEYCHELLES TRAVEL GUIDE

S E YC H E L L E S Most people visit this archipelago in the Indian Ocean for the beaches, but it has much more to offer than that Writer: Dani Redd | Project Manager: Jordan Levey

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escribing the Seychelles, it’s easy to veer into cliché. These picture-perfect islands are blessed with white sand beaches lapped by translucent water, fringed with palm trees and interesting rock formations. The dramatic sunsets, laidback atmosphere and a wide range of luxury accommodation make them a popular spot for honeymooners.

The Seychelles consists of 115 islands and some small islets, located

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in the Indian Ocean at a crossroads between Asia and Africa. Most of the action is concentrated around the three major islands: Mahé, La Digue and Praslin. Mahé is the largest and most populous; home to the capital, Victoria, and transport hub to the rest of the islands. La Digue is renowned for having some of the best beaches in the archipelago. Praslin, meanwhile, is home to the idyllic Vallée de Mai nature reserve.

But there’s more to the Seychelles

than just the beaches. Trek through the granite mountains and lush rainforests of the Morne Seychellois National Park. Try some of the island’s traditional Creole dishes at a local restaurant. Or if you’re a nature lover, head to Bird Island to observe its population of fairy terns and common noddies, as well as the giant Aldabra tortoises endemic to the archipelago. You’ll be bowled over by what the Seychelles has to offer.

WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL Head of Editorial: Phoebe Harper phoebe.harper@outlookpublishing.com Senior Editor: Marcus Kääpä marcus.kaapa@outlookpublishing.com Junior Editor: Jack Salter jack.salter@outlookpublishing.com Junior Editor: Ed Budds ed.budds@outlookpublishing.com

PRODUCTION Production Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com Production Assistant: Talia Smits talia.smits@outlookpublishing.com Senior Designer: Devon Collins devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com Designer: Matt Loudwell matt.loudwell@outlookpublishing.com Social Media Manager: Fox Tucker fox.tucker@outlookpublishing.com

BUSINESS Chief Executive Officer: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Managing Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Commercial Director: Joshua Mann joshua.mann@outlookpublishing.com

HEADS OF PROJECTS Callam Waller callam.waller@outlookpublishing.com Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com Matt Cole-Wilkin matt.cole-wilkin@outlookpublishing.com Ryan Gray ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Thomas Arnold thomas.arnold@outlookpublishing.com BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE Sam Love sam.love@outlookpublishing.com TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Marvin Iseghehi marvin.iseghehi@outlookpublishing.com SALES MANAGERS Sales & Partnerships Manager: Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com

PROJECT MANAGERS Alfie Wilson alfie.wilson@outlookpublishing.com Krisha Canlas krisha.canlas@outlookpublishing.com

Lloyd Hanley lloyd.hanley@outlookpublishing.com Deane Anderton deane.anderton@outlookpublishing.com Nicholas Kernan nicholas.kernan@outlookpublishing.com

ADMINISTRATION Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Finance Assistant: Suzie Kittle suzie.kittle@outlookpublishing.com Office Manager: Daniel George daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com EME Outlook 69-75 Thorpe Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 1UA, United Kingdom.

Sales: +45 (0) 1603 363 631 Editorial: +45 (0) 1603 363 655

SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: +45 (0) 1603 363 655 phoebe.harper@outlookpublishing.com www.emeoutlookmag.com Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/emeoutlook Follow us on Twitter: @eme_outlook

The Workplace Revolution The modern workplace is a shifting phenomenon. In the wake of COVID-19. Remote or hybrid working is on the rise, and as the tide of the Great Resignation sweeps across industries, talent retention has become more important than ever.

Attending the ‘Managing the Transformation of/at Work’ event held in London earlier this month, keynote speakers from industries across Europe deliberated this very topic, resounding the sentiment that in today’s world, performance carries a higher value than presence.

Heralding the ‘Future of Work’, the articulation of purpose has become the ultimate agenda for employers and business leaders worldwide.

“We have to articulate purpose – live it and feel it, so people know the answer when they ask themselves, “why am I getting up today to do this work?””, says FinTech CEO Sabrina Del Prete.

Our frontrunner – Van Moer Logistics – understands this all too well, as we unpick the notion with CEO and Founder of the leading logistics firm, Jo Van Moer. A specialist in transport and distribution, earlier this year the company launched the Van Moer Academy, as a means to unlock and foster employee potential with an emphasis on engaging staff in the workplace.

“The academy is there for blue-collar workers, white-collar workers and managers alike,” Van Moer explains. “We are increasing our driver coaching when it comes to safe and ecological driving through a monthly driving report, as well as ensuring that our drivers each have a personal development plan in place to make sure that they are aiming for their own personal goals in the company.”

Meanwhile, we speak with SHI as the technology firm enabling the hybrid working revolution with cloud, end user, and security solutions.

“Recent predictions suggest that once people settle into their new working routines, there will be an increase in remote workers of more than 300 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels,” reveals SHI UK Managing Director, Donavan Hutchinson. Accommodating this rise is the company’s suite of sophisticated solutions that cater to managing data security and streamlining communication for a whole host of organisations.

In Finland, Inha Works is the leading boat manufacturer that has enjoyed a sales boom and is now managing limited capacity as a result of the rise in recreational activity stemming from the pandemic. Elsewhere, enjoy insight from Scotland’s wind turbine specialists, Windhoist, Italian textiles manufacture Imprima Group, and many more.

Whatever your working situation, we hope that you find this issue an insightful read.

Phoebe Harper Head of Editorial, Outlook Publishing EME Outlook issue 47 | 3

CONTENTS E M E

O U T L O O K

130

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I S S U E

4 7

8

REGULARS

6 NEWS Around Europe and the Middle East in seven stories

8 EXPERT EYE Fundamental advice for expansion in the UAE

BU SI N ESS I N SI G H TS

14 EVENTS Work in the Era of Empathy Exploring the transformation of the workplace with the UK’s business leaders

18 EVENTS 24

4 | EME Outlook issue 47

Falcons Fly High Launching the RAF Falcons’ 2022 parachute display season

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TO P I C A L F O C U S

24 RETAIL The Golden Touch The online domination of the UK’s most followed spirit brand

130 THE FINAL WORD What is your greatest success story of initiating change within your company?

EME OUTLOOK ISSUE 47

30

F E AT U R E S

28 SHOWCASING LEADING COMPANIES

Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

T EC HN OLOGY Hybrid Everything Cloud, end user, and security solutions for a hybrid future

S UPPLY CHAIN

CON ST R U C T I ON

30 Van Moer Logistics

92 Dormio

Green Cargo Land and Sea Leading sustainable logistics in Belgium

MANUFACTURING

46 Inha Works

The Suite Life of the Hotel Industry Creating memorable travel experiences across quirky European resorts

106 ATI Project The Summit of Italian Design

Premium Marine Performance

A new and rising star in an historic industry

Smooth cruising for European manufacturing

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

56 Imprima Group Eco Friendly Fashion Textiles manufacturing weaved with sustainability

64 Commercial Vehicle Group

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80 SHI

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112 Windhoist Winds of Change Scotland’s turbine installation specialists

F OOD & D R I N K

Vehicle for Change

122 CIS Group

Driving innovation and diversity in global manufacturing

Scotland’s turbine installation specialists

Tailor-Made Remote Site Solutions

EME Outlook issue 47 | 5

NEWS

Around Europe and the Middle East in seven stories…

ENVIRONMENT

SUN-SATIONAL SPANISH TEMPERATURES SOAR SPAIN IS EXPERIENCING a searing heatwave after temperatures soared up to a sweltering 44 degrees in some regions. More than 15 degrees hotter than average for this time of year, this unprecedented rise in temperature could make May the hottest month of the century for Spain.

With 13 regions placed on high alert,

including Andalucia and Andujar, the Spanish government has advised all to stay hydrated, limit physical activity and stay in cool areas whenever possible. This intense climate is the result of a mass of hot, dry air carrying dust up from North Africa. Climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and brutal as global temperatures continue to rise.

ECONOMY

COINING A SENSE OF PRIDE BRITAIN’S ROYAL MINT has released a rainbow-coloured coin to mark the 50th anniversary of Pride UK, the event which was first held in 1972. The governmentowned company has issued a commemorative 50 pence coin, which will not enter official circulation, designed by London 6 | EME Outlook issue 47

artist, writer and LGBTQ+ activist Dominique Holmes.

This marks the first time Britain’s LGBTQ+ community has been recognised on official UK coinage and forms part of the Royal Mint’s recent strategy to implement diversity and inclusion. With state-of-the-art colour printing technology, the iconic colours of the Pride flag are recreated alongside London’s values of Protest, Visibility, Unity, and Equality.

ENVIRONMENT

GERMAN TORNADO TERROR A TORNADO HAS left 43 people injured as it ripped through several towns in western Germany, leaving a path of savage destruction in its wake. The city of Paderborn suffered heavy damage as roofs were torn off and debris was strewn in all directions. The severe storm has resulted in 10 injured citizens and one death of a 38 year-old man.

The tornado has caused flooding to many residents’ basements, trees to be uprooted and flung into the air, and streets of cars ravaged by this brutal natural disaster. The number of tornadoes reported in Europe has been rapidly increasing in recent years.

N AT U R E

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

SOLAR POWER BALLADS

JAW-SOME SUMMER PENDING A SWATHE OF great white sharks, the animal kingdom’s most feared apex predators, could be heading ferociously towards UK waters in search of seal colonies and cooler ocean temperatures, many shark experts are warning.

Sightings of great whites are few and far between in UK waters, but not unheard of altogether. Sharks of this kind that usually inhabit the Mediterranean Sea are migrating from their winter habitat, where they

AUTOMOTIVE

THE DRIVE FOR HYDROINNOVATION RENAULT HAS FINALLY dropped the release details of its highly anticipated electric-hydrogen hybrid concept car, with the French automation company describing the ground-breaking technology as being “a key option to make electric vehicles more convenient.”

hunt squid, fish and the odd dolphin.

However, the water then becomes too hot in the Mediterranean and they roam in search of seals in cooler waters.

The design for Renault’s Scenic Vision incorporates a winning combination of a hydrogen engine, electric motor, battery, fuel cell and a hydrogen tank. The 2.5-kilogramme tank is found at the front of the vehicle and will take around five minutes to fill.

In a document outlining the concept, the Scenic Vision’s battery is recyclable and will be produced at a facility in France by 2024 as part of a longer-term vision for Renault.

LOWLANDS FESTIVAL IN the Netherlands is one of the largest music gatherings in Europe. The three-day event on the outskirts of Amsterdam boasts an impressive array of artists from the indie, rock and pop worlds. This summer, the festival is looking to improve its green energy credentials with a new solar car park set to steal the show.

Cars are parked beneath the bifacial solar panels, with the parking lot covering 350,000 square metres, boasting 90,000 solar panels and space for an impressive 15,000 cars.

As festivalgoers park up and enjoy the musical feast on show, the solar carport can generate up to 35 MWp (Megawatts-peak) of energy from the sun, enough power to supply 10,000 households, or 100 Lowlands Festivals.

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

CANNES PROTESTORS MAKE EMPHATIC STANCE PROTESTERS STORMED THE red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, rallying against male violence, in the second incident of this nature at the French festival. A group of women unfurled a large banner at the premiere of new thriller movie ‘Holy Spider’, letting off black smoke devices and boldly holding their fists in the air.

The banner featured a list of victims of the 129 confirmed femicides since the last Cannes festival, in an attempt to highlight the number of domestic killings in France. Video footage of the event has since been shared widely on social media, helping to maximise the message of the demonstration.

EME Outlook issue 47 | 7

Opening up the UAE Tom Keya, executive of legal consultants Ruthberg LLC and founder of mental health platform Soulh, details how companies can successfully expand into the UAE Written by: Tom Keya

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he UAE is a modern economic marvel and one of the biggest success stories of the 21st century.

Starting as an unspectacular port town, Dubai has grown into one of the most attractive locations in the world.

Most important, however, is how the openness and ease of doing business that the UAE offers have turned it into an economic powerhouse. With a GDP of over $400 billion and 8 | EME Outlook issue 47

ambitious plans to grow and diversify its economy, it’s little wonder Dubai, and the UAE in general, is such a compelling prospect for businesses looking to expand into the Middle East.

Economic Opportunities and Emerging Markets in the UAE With a strong economy, excellent infrastructure, and transportation links, the UAE is widely regarded as a

desirable location to conduct business.

However, like many countries, the UAE suffered a deep recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This economic trajectory was largely caused by downturns in vital sectors like tourism and oil. Fortunately, tourism is recovering slowly, while oil prices are soaring. However, it’s the UAE’s commitment to less oil dependence that offers companies the

EXPERT EYE OPENING UP THE UAE

best expansion opportunities.

Most notably, the government announced a series of initiatives, to coincide with the nation’s 50th birthday. These initiatives are designed to help the UAE become a global player across industries as varied as robotics, healthcare, finance, and information technologies.

E-commerce is an example of an industry the UAE is attempting

to develop rapidly. To that end, the government has created free trade zones dedicated to e-commerce in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

These contain specific infrastructures, such as e-commerce logistics units, multi-client warehouses, and end-toend warehousing services like order management systems.

Similarly, the UAE has moved quickly to set up a regulatory framework for

companies in Blockchain, crypto, and in the DeFi space. This will help attract talent and companies in the industry and encourage them to set up business in specially designed free trade zones.

Opening an Office in the UAE: Free Trade Zone or Mainland?

When expanding into the UAE, one of the most important decisions – if not the most important – is deciding EME Outlook issue 47 | 9

ECONOMIC AND LEGAL CHALLENGES OF EXPANDING INTO THE UAE As lucrative as expanding into the UAE is, it’s not without its challenges. Without doing their due diligence and, more importantly, seeking assistance in setting up offices and subsidiaries, unsuspecting companies can find themselves in over their heads.

Economic and legal roadblocks include: CHOOSING THE WRONG LOCATION Business owners fail to do enough research, so misunderstand the implications of setting up on the mainland or in an FTZ. CHOOSING THE WRONG FTZ Similarly, businesses choose to set up offices in an FTZ that doesn’t fully cater to the requirements of

between a free trade zone (FTZ) or the mainland. Knowing the differences between the two and matching them to the needs of your business is crucial for avoiding challenges down the line.

Opening an Office in a Free Trade Zone Setting up a branch in an FTZ allows foreign companies to retain 100 percent ownership of their business.

There are over 45 free trade zones across the UAE, with more than 30 of them located in Dubai. Opening a business in one of the free trade zones is designed to be straightforward – as a way of attracting foreign investment. Each FTZ is different: with specific zones best suited to particular business activities. Subsequently, each FTZ has different exact requirements on how to legally set up an office or branch.

Taking all this into account, you need to consider several factors when deciding the best free trade zone to establish an office in. This includes: 10 | EME Outlook issue 47

• Business activity • Need for physical space needs, i.e., offices, warehouses, etc.

• Number of employees: i.e., how many visas you’ll need to apply for • Do you need to be near a port or airport?

the business.

FAILING TO PROPERLY UNDERSTAND THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATIONS AND RUNNING COSTS Both the mainland and FTZs, as well as individual FTZs, have their own set of obligations and, consequently, running costs.

Once you’ve decided on the right free trade zone, the process for opening a business is as follows: • Pick a Legal Structure for the Business In an FTZ, your business can be: – Free Zone Limited Liability or Free Zone Company – Free Zone Establishment The main difference is the number of shareholders. But not every free zone allows both structures, so research each structure carefully.

• Select a Trading Name Your company name has to meet a few requirements, such as not featuring “Dubai” or “United Arab

Improperly calculating these costs can add up in the long run.

WRONG SHAREHOLDER STRUCTURE The overall cost of your business structure will be determined by the shareholder structure. The shareholding structure then goes on to impact the operating and decision-making efficiency of the company.

MISUNDERSTANDING LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS Because of its rapidly developing economy, regulations in the UAE can evolve quickly, so keeping up to date is crucial.

EXPERT EYE OPENING UP THE UAE

Emirates” and not referencing any religious names or iconography.

• Apply for a Business Licence Depending on the planned activity of your business and your business offering, you may be required to apply for multiple business licenses.

• Choose Office Space The specifics will depend on how many employees you aim to employ and your proposed business activities.

• Register Your Business and Obtain Licences Submitting all relevant forms, licences, financial reports, legal documentation etc, and paying all relevant registration and licence fees to the appropriate free trade zone authorities.

• Begin the Visa Application Process for Your Employees With your business registered, it’s now time to start getting your staff up and running.

Opening an Office on Mainland Dubai The process of opening a business on the Dubai mainland shares many of the same administrative steps as opening a business in an FTZ. The main difference is having to find a local Emirati sponsor. Additionally, your Emirati partner will have to retain a 51 percent ownership stake in your business.

Now, while this is a significant extra step and transforms the entire shareholder structure within your business, this does pose a few advantages. Firstly, you’ll have fewer restrictions on how and where you operate; you won’t be bound by the regulations of your FTZ and the licenses you hold. Secondly, there’s no limit to the number of staff visas you can apply for.

Living considerations for staff relocating to UAE Once the paperwork for your business has been submitted and approved, it’s time to arrange visas for your staff. If opening a business in a free trade zone, you’ll be assigned a quota of working visas for your employees. This quota depends on the FTZ, the size of your office space, and your registered business activities.

First, each employee must apply for an employment entry visa. When they have that, they can apply for an Emirates ID card (resident identity card), and then they’ll receive their residence visa and work permit.

However, as well as the visa application process, each employee coming to work in UAE will have to go through a short process of cultural assimilation. For your staff to be successful in the UAE, they must learn and respect cultural norms, public holidays, and religious festivals.

ABOUT THE EXPERT A business development strategist and mental health advocate, Tom Keya currently works and lives in Dubai, UAE. Tom is the Founder of Soulh – a wellness company focusing on tech and supplements to help mental health in the workplace. As well as philanthropic and strategic work in this sector, Tom also regularly writes for various online publications on mental health in the workplace and a number of other topics.

EME Outlook issue 47 | 11

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.

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

DESIGN: Stephen Giles +44 (0) 1603 363 634 steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com

E D I TO R I A L : Phoebe Harper +44 (0) 1603 363 655 phoebe.harper@outlookpublishing.com

Devon Collins +44 (0) 1603 363 656 devon.collins@outlookpublishing.com

Marcus Kääpä +44 (0) 1603 363 653 marcus.kaapa@outlookpublishing.com

WO R K I N THE ERA OF E M PAT H Y We attend the ‘Managing the Transformation of/at Work’ panel event, as UK business leaders discuss how to navigate the new era of work Writer: Phoebe Harper

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he future of work has arrived.

This is the opening sentiment expressed by work futurist and author Sophie Wade, at the ‘Managing the Transformation of/at Work’ panel held in London earlier this month. The event coincides with the launch of Wade’s latest title, ‘Empathy Works: The Key to Competitive Advantage in the New Era of Work’.

As Wade observes, due to the unforeseen disruption of the COVID19 pandemic, we have all been masked (literally) to the transformation taking 14 | EME Outlook issue 47

With varying backgrounds and specialities, and suitably different standpoints on the efficacy of remote working, the assembly presents a diverse range of perspectives for discussion. Core issues are debated across the panel, all of which are top of mind for business leaders spanning all sectors and geographies in the wake of COVID-19.

Above all, the panel unpacks the question of how we can transform our businesses and engage and retain the talent needed to achieve sustainable growth in the new era of work.

TECH DRIVING POSITIVE CHANGE place within the workspace and must now confront how best to proceed in these uncertain waters.

She is joined in discussion by four other panellists; Managing Partner of business management consultancy firm OE CAM, Martyn Sakol, FinTech specialist and Founder/CEO of KoreLabs Sabrina Del Prete, CEO of Potentialife and expert in positive leadership Angus Ridgway, and finally Haddy Davies – CEng MIChemE and Direct Materials Technical Process Lead at Johnson Matthey’s.

For Ridgway, tech-enabled positive changes have risen to the fore.

As concurred by Del Prete, after a significant background in the financial realm, most recently in FinTech, she unpicks the ‘red herring’ behind digital transformation. “It has never been about the tech, but rather about the people,” she observes.

The question of tech-enabled innovation raises the need for advanced motor skill training that will demand both significant time and investment – this is particularly

MANAGING THE TRANSFORMATION OF/AT WORK EVENT

relevant to factory floor shift workers, who are often overlooked in such debates concerning hybrid working, since a physical work presence is typically demanded. “We need to speak into that space and acknowledge the lived experience of people,” says Davies.

This becomes most apparent as Haddy Davies highlights her personal experience, as a wife and mother first and foremost, but also as a highly qualified chemical engineer. As someone whose work necessitates presence in the workspace, the quandary of being forced to adjust to remote working whilst continuing home life became obvious in the early days of the pandemic.

“Building, designing and scaling machines can’t be done remotely. The journey of transition lasted several months,” she reflects.

COVID-19 has been an undeniable accelerator to the future of work. For Del Prete, the pandemic has catalysed the company to jump 10 years ahead.

This is widely defined as a technologydriven business environment, that is fast-paced and far from predictable.

LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD This introduces the question of the fairness of home working, and it is a topic that is continually returned to when considering the imbalance

of everyone’s circumstances and obligations at home – from childcare responsibilities to the simple hurdle of having poor internet connection.

Yet the benefits soon become apparent.

For Del Prete, an obvious silver-lining was the simple money-saving aspect of not having to occupy a physical office space. Working remotely is not an issue when output is the main focus of everyone’s workload, and in her case, this even had the effect of sharpening perspectives on what needed to be done. As a business leader, she acknowledges, “we are exploring a new reality, and we are all making mistakes. But my job is to move with the times.”

“ I N T H I S B R AV E N E W W O R L D , W E H AV E T O THINK OF P SYC H O LO G I C A L S A F E T Y. T H E R E I S N O L E V E L P L AY I N G F I E L D OUT OF THE OFFICE” – M A R T Y N SA KO L , M A N AG I N G PA R T N E R O F B U S I N E S S M A N A G E M E N T C O N S U LTA N C Y FIRM OE CAM

However, all panellists reinforce the notion that remote working is not a one-size-fits all option. Sakol is quick to hazard that companies must not “sleepwalk” into the hybrid model, based on the experience encountered through his clients. Adding to the roster of potential issues, he includes discrimination and exclusion between office workers and those who are remote, such as missing out on key discussions outside of meetings, not to mention the interpersonal elements of an office environment that are so stimulating for us all as social beings.

The event itself serves as the ultimate reminder of personal connection, as a relatively recent example of B2B leaders being able to gather in person.

Ridgway goes on to highlight the gender diversity that benefits from a structured environment such as an office, where women generally are freed from the expectations of traditional gender roles that may be experienced in the home. On the other hand, the matter of people of colour is also raised, who have enjoyed the working from home experience for the freedom from ‘micro-aggressions’ that are often encountered in the EME Outlook issue 47 | 15

MANAGING THE TRANSFORMATION OF/AT WORK EVENT

workplace which has been widely reported on. This also applies to the comfort levels of those with disabilities having to commute to an office environment where the levels of accessibility may not be as facilitating as they are at home.

“In this brave new world, we have to think of psychological safety. There is no level playing field out of the office,” says Sakol. This statement is immediately countered by Wade, who argues that even in the office, it has never been a level playing field, and that through the pandemic, the

glimpses into people’s personal lives opened a window for empathy.

UNLEASHING PURPOSE In terms of talent management and future growth, the question of focusing on performance as opposed to presence, is a matter of mutual consensus.

Regardless of the working situation, inclusion and empathy are critical fundamentals – whether entirely remote, office-based, or hybrid.

The term ‘hybrid’ itself poses a problem, identified by Ridgway

as a “sterile compromise”.

Whilst companies explore this unprecedented degree of freedom, it must be a conversation of office functionality - “we need to ask, what is the value proposition of the office?

“We must think of functionality, rather than location,” he adds.

The question of how well senior teams across companies are adapting to new business conditions comes under scrutiny, as does confidence in middle management’s capabilities to engage their teams to meet with customers’ new and changing demands.

“ W E H AV E T O A R T I C U L AT E PURPOSE – LIVE IT A N D F E E L I T, S O PEOPLE KNOW THE ANSWER WHEN THEY A S K T H E M S E LV E S , “WHY AM I GETTING U P T O D AY T O D O THIS WORK?”” – FINTECH SPECIALIST AND FOUNDER/CEO OF KO R E L A B S , SA B R I N A D E L PRETE

This all comes against the unignorable backdrop of ‘The Great Resignation’ - the undeniable proof of the struggle many companies are facing in adapting to this new age.

Wade raises the game of “musical chairs” that is currently taking place across industries, as employees hop between companies. She cites the statistic that 48 million people across the US resigned last year alone – so how can employers change the game?

Within this context, Del Prete highlights her mentorship work with younger people, identifying how today, Gen Z are far clearer about their own ambitions. “Success is now measured in a different way. They 16 | EME Outlook issue 47

question how opportunities can fit for them, and how far their money can go before they have to compromise.”

Burnout is the buzzword underlining this entire movement, as employees find themselves overworked and questioning their own sense of purpose.

“Companies must now face the burden of communicating and connecting to purpose,” states Ridgway.

“We have to articulate purpose – live it and feel it, so people know the answer when they ask themselves, “why am I getting up today to do this work?””, Del Prete explains.

Articulating the ‘end-vision’ of why people are doing what they’re doing, whether working in office pods, or in their own front room, is the essential tool of connection and employee retention.

Aside from the communication of purpose as a key means to overcome this – identified by Del Prete as “the secret weapon”- reinforcing culture is also imperative.

“Leaning into culture connects people wherever they are,” says Wade.

AN EMPATHETIC FUTURE Regardless of individual views on the practicalities of the new ways of working, one theme unites all speakers - the necessity of empathy and the enforcement of an individualised approach when leading employees into the future of the workplace.

The etiquette of remote working remains to be established in order to cement boundaries that have become hazy through a work-life balance where home is increasingly becoming the workspace, as Ridgway advocates for the “protective boundaries” that are yet to be finalised.

Sakol confirms that business leaders must master navigating ambiguity, with empathy as the basis of strong leadership. Indeed, it is this concept that must be introduced as a

new corporate value.

Gone are the days of a traditional Taylorist working environment, as structures everywhere are now being questioned and re-examined.

Structure is inevitably linked to purpose, and structural change invites positive leadership.

“There are ways to have form without fluidity,” says Wade.

In an age that has become defined by different expectations of both life and employment, companies must address the question of how to combine the needs of the individual with the larger objective of the firm.

As Ridgway argues, connection is the

new process that must be advanced.

Wade draws the animated discussion to a close by reflecting on this continued period of inflection, as internal and external tensions drive transition. “Empathy is the ingredient to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.”

The management and motivation of employees must be enhanced and improved now more than ever before.

For anyone who is a member or leader of a workplace, we are all part of this evolutionary journey, and such discussions can only be expected to continue as we forge a new way forward, together.

EME Outlook issue 47 | 17

FA L C O N S FLY HIGH

Launch day is an integral part of our season. This is an opportunity to say thank you to our sponsors and engage with the local community.”

On Tuesday 26th April, the RAF Falcons, widely recognised as the UK’s premier military parachute display team, officially began their 2022 season in spectacular style.

For Flight Lieutenant Stuart Philpott, Officer Commanding of the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team, the launch could not have gone any better.

On a perfect day for parachuting against the bright blue Oxfordshire skies, we took our place amongst a crowd thrilled by the flying Falcons.

We attend the launch of the RAF Falcons’ 2022 season, which opened with a dazzling display at RAF Brize Norton Writer: Jack Salter

Combined with the use of the Chinook, regarded by many as the world’s most iconic helicopter, we got to see the very best of the RAF Falcons.

Up at the crack of dawn, we made the three-hour journey from Norfolk to the Falcons’ home base at RAF Brize Norton, to be greeted by the team (as well as some much-needed teas and coffees) upon arrival.

Remarkably unphased by the descent they would soon be undertaking, the Falcons stood out as a very relaxed, welcoming and approachable team, engaging with ourselves and the fellow sponsors in attendance.

RAF FALCONS DISPLAY TEAM EVENTS

PARACHUTING PIONEERS Photos taken with the team were followed by a presentation led by Flight Lieutenant Mike Reeve, who began by providing a brief history of the RAF Falcons. We had the honour of being joined at the launch by the family of the late, great Peter Hearn, one of the six founding members of the team.

“Peter saw an opportunity for parachute displays to be utilised as a military showpiece, and was part of ‘The Big 6’ which eventually became the RAF Falcons in 1965,” Reeve told us.

“They were the pioneers of display parachuting and the first parachute display team in the UK, and from there displayed all over the country and the world.”

Reeve also informed us of the Falcons’ brand-new display, one that captivates the military precision and skill of the team and demonstrates the ever-changing skill sets required for military parachuting, whetting the

room’s appetite for the launch display that was to come later in the day.

“This season is looking epic – the predicted number of people the Falcons will be displaying to this season is up to two million across all the shows!” he smiled.

A short, scenic walk away from the lecture theatre was the Airborne Delivery Wing, a Royal Air Force training unit that provides parachute

training to all three British Armed Forces, where Warrant Officer Paul Floyd walked and talked us through the impressive facility.

Knowledge dispels fear in the Airborne Delivery Wing, and Floyd equipped us with a thorough understanding of all things parachutes and parachute training.

Complete with a virtual reality (VR) parachute trainer, the Falcons

EME Outlook issue 47 | 19

RAF FALCONS DISPLAY TEAM EVENTS

20 | EME Outlook issue 47

also utilise digital imagery to create a virtual world and train service personnel. As impressively demonstrated to us, the parachuters are suspended by harnesses and wear VR goggles, to practice jumps in a range of realistic, immersive environments.

“It’s about making sure everyone is good to go before they begin a parachute descent. The VR gives everything needed to instil the required drills and procedures,” Floyd explained.

BRAND-NEW DISPLAY Just shy of midday, it was time for local schools, sponsors and senior military to gather for the sunsoaked season launch and a highly anticipated, brand-new parachute display.

Having completed a busy period of winter training overseas and in the UK, this would be the inaugural display of

one of the Falcons’ busiest seasons to date.

Though the traditional display was changed last year to coincide with the RAF Falcons’ 60th anniversary celebrations, the famous canopy stack formation the team has been performing since the 1970s will continue to be displayed, embellished by some new, exciting and dynamic parachute manoeuvres.

Ahead of the two-minute call from the Drop Zone Safety Officer (DZSO), the team was going through their final safety checks, loaded up with all sorts of parachuting equipment and smoke canisters.

That the mighty Chinook was merely a spec in the sky from ground level really emphasised just how high up the Falcons were. With the weather on their side, they would be jumping from the maximum height of 7,000 ft, staying in constant communication with each other.

“ L A U N C H D AY IS AN INTEGRAL PA R T O F O U R SEASON. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY T O S AY T H A N K Y O U TO OUR SPONSORS A N D E N G AG E WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY”

EME Outlook issue 47 | 21

RAF FALCONS DISPLAY TEAM EVENTS

“ I T ’ S R E A L LY N I C E T O S E E T H E C R OW D. YO U C A N H E A R T H E M B E F O R E YO U LAND AS WELL, SO IT’S N I C E T O G E T T H AT L I T T L E BIT OF A BUZZ. AFTER A FEW HUNDRED DESCENTS, THE NERVES DISAPPEAR, B U T T H E B U Z Z S TAY S ”

22 | EME Outlook issue 47

Adorned in the prestigious red, white and blue canopies of the Royal Air Force, whose colours truly popped against the crisp Oxford sunshine, the Falcons commenced their complex routine, starting with the ‘snake’ formation.

Once in position, the team formed a touching heart-shaped tribute, dedicated to the members of the Hearn family who were with us for the display.

Named after the fairground ride, the Falcons then turned into the ‘carousel’, the team’s favourite manoeuvre and a fun visual spectacle, before completing an impressive ‘sabre chase’ in the final formation before the display landing.

All the while, separate from the other parachutists was Sergeant Doug McAll, flying the flag of the United Kingdom. Upon landing, the team safely stowed away their equipment,

RAF FALCONS DISPLAY TEAM EVENTS

secured their parachutes, and waited for the command of the DZSO to take their positions for the RAF Falcons parachute salute.

Just as we experienced first thing over tea and coffee, the Falcons were more than happy to meet and greet their awestruck audience, even after the exhilarating thrill of a parachute display.

“We obviously had the clear blue skies, so we were able to do the full display, which is nice because we are normally battling with the cloud, wind and rain,” Philpott told us, fresh from his 7,000 ft descent.

“It’s really nice to see the crowd.

You can hear them before you land as well, so it’s nice to get that little bit of a buzz. After a few hundred descents, the nerves disappear, but the buzz stays.”

A dramatic close-up of the Chinook was a fitting way to finish the launch, as the Falcons embark on another spectacular season of displays.

EME Outlook issue 47 | 23

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HTTPS://AUVODKA.CO.UK

TOPICAL FOCUS AU VODKA RETAIL

THE GOLDEN TO U C H

Jordan Major, Head of E-Commerce

Encapsulating the spirit of a luxury drinking experience, we explore the explosive growth of the ultra-premium British brand, Au Vodka Writer: Phoebe Harper

T

he most followed UK spirit brand, the internet’s second most popular online spirit brand, and a year-over-year growth of 10,000 percent recorded in the space of 2021.

These are just some of the remarkable accolades achieved by ultra-premium British brand Au Vodka (Au) since the company’s inception in 2016. It is fair to say that the trajectory of this young and dynamic company is nothing short of meteoric.

An online success story, Au is the ultimate example of e-commerce

and forward-thinking marketing tactics fuelling a company’s growth.

Leveraging social media as a key tool in propelling brand awareness, Au demonstrates the necessity of a strong online presence to attract a loyal following and maintain a position at the forefront of consumer awareness.

Based in Swansea, Wales, Au has amassed a devoted gathering of social media followers, coupled with celebrity endorsements and multimillion-pound growth. With iconic EME Outlook issue 47 | 25

TOPICAL FOCUS RETAIL

branding, Au’s token golden bottles with hand-crafted pewter labels have become synonymous with a luxury drinking experience.

We take a dive into Au’s growth and international sights for expansion with Head of E-Commerce, Jordan Major.

EME Outlook (EO): Firstly, could you briefly introduce us to Au Vodka?

Jordan Major, Head of E-Commerce (JM): Au was founded in 2016, when Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn thought of the idea after seeing everyone gifted the same boring spirits at Christmas time. We have seen real growth from 2019 to present, going from £700,000 in turnover to £45 million last year. The main products we sell are our 70cl flavoured vodkas.

This started with Black Grape then we moved onto Fruit Punch, Blue Raspberry, Green Watermelon, Red Cherry and our latest flavour Pineapple Crush. We also did a special edition Coffee Liqueur that we have since stocked in Tesco as well as on our online site. We also sell a great range of merchandise, from glassware to money guns - we are trying to offer something for every Au fan.

EO: As one of the UK’s fastest growing online brands, could you expand on the role that e-commerce plays at the company?

JM: E-commerce is a massive part of our brand. It generated just 10 percent of our overall sales in 2021 however we believe it’s 90 percent of what people see from us. We love coming up with unique ways to show our customers what we are doing at Au from day-to-day office life on TikTok to our huge marketing campaigns on Instagram and Facebook. E-commerce pulls it all together and allows customers to purchase what they see us advertising directly from us.

26 | EME Outlook issue 47

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HTTPS://AUVODKA.CO.UK

“ W E S E E 2 0 2 2 A S A Y E A R W E C A N S TA R T T O TA K E O V E R T H E E U E - C O M M E R C E S P A C E F O R S P I R I TS AS W E L L AS L AU N C H I N G I N TO T H E US AND MAKING SOME NOISE OUT THERE, G R OW I N G F R O M £ 5 . 2 M I L L I O N TO £10 MILLION NEXT YEAR” – J O R DA N M A J O R , H E A D O F E - CO M M E R C E , AU VO D K A

EO: How did the company navigate the COVID-19 pandemic? Did you notice any new trends during this time?

JM: During COVID-19 we saw a number of challenges arise, as did everyone in the business world. We managed to use the fact consumers were at home with more disposable income to our advantage from an e-commerce point of view as we were able to target people with new drinks they could make at home. Developing our social media pages was a massive focus during COVID-19; everyone was at home, so why not try and gain as

many followers and likes as possible before people’s lives go back to normal and they don’t have time to scroll Facebook and Instagram feeds for hours? We saw massive success from this, growing to the most followed UK spirit brand.

EO: How does Au Vodka differentiate itself from the competition on the UK retail market?

JM: We have an obvious USP in the fact we have unique coloured liquids as well complemented by an amazing taste. As well as this, we use social media and the “modern” way of

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HTTPS://AUVODKA.CO.UK

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HTTPS://AUVODKA.CO.UK

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HTTPS://AUVODKA.CO.UK

marketing to our advantage as some of our competitors are much slower to react to trends.

EO: Looking ahead, how will e-commerce continue to develop the company’s growth?

JM: I have massive personal goals to achieve with our e-commerce department this year. We see 2022 as the year we can start to take over the EU e-commerce space for spirits as well as launching into the US and making some noise out there, growing from £5.2 million to £10 million next year. Alongside this, to keep ourselves busy we will continue to push the boundaries with our marketing and social campaigns with the amazing work from our PPC team.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HTTPS://AUVODKA.CO.UK

https://auvodka.co.uk EME Outlook issue 47 | 27

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, James Mitchell, who can provide further details on how to feature your company, for FREE, in one of our upcoming editions.

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I M P R I M A G R O U P | AT I P R O J E C T VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

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

Van Moer Logistics is changing the face of European logistics. Founder and CEO, Jo Van Moer, discusses the latest developments in the space centred around helping people and the planet

I s s u e 47

Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

INHA WORKS

Smooth cruising for European manufacturing

DORMIO

The suite life of the hotel industry

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

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

GREEN CARGO LAND AND SEA The economy is now running at full speed playing catch up. We have been seeing higher volumes in the port of Antwerp (Belgium) and there are now peak volumes coming in, with everything being stored here centrally for further distribution to Europe.

“Shippers are now storing more safety stocks in strategic locations such as Antwerp to ensure they can deliver on

2 | EME Outlook issue 47

time due to the major hiccups in the global supply chain.

As a result, we are also experiencing higher demands in storage, handling and even value-added logistics.”

The introductory statement from Jo Van Moer, founder and CEO of Van Moer Logistics, highlights the dramatic shift in pace for the European supply chain following the complete reopening of companies and kickstart of activity

across the continent.

Van Moer Logistics is a Belgian-based inter-European logistics giant that specialises in transport and distribution, warehousing and value-added logistics, port and intermodal logistics, and bulk and tank container logistics.

On top of this, the company’s supporting services include cargo forwarding, customs solutions (such as import/

export declarations and inspections), on-site logistics, and lastly IT and automation (integrating and deploying systems to meet customer standards).

“Van Moer Logistics is a one-stop-shop; we offer the in-house logistics chain from A to Z, from forwarding to transport and storage. Our own assets within inland shipping are also very strong. We are unique thanks to

EME Outlook issue 47 | 3

www.emeoutlookmag.com/work-with-us

Marketi ng Oppo rtunity

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

GREEN CARGO The economy is now running at full speed playing catch up. We have been seeing higher volumes in the port of Antwerp (Belgium) and there are now peak volumes coming in, with everything being stored here centrally for further distribution to Europe.

“Shippers are now storing more safety stocks in strategic locations such as Antwerp to ensure they can deliver on

30 | EME Outlook issue 47

time due to the major hiccups in the global supply chain.

As a result, we are also experiencing higher demands in storage, handling and even value-added logistics.”

The introductory statement from Jo Van Moer, founder and CEO of Van Moer Logistics, highlights the dramatic shift in pace for the European supply chain following the complete reopening of companies and kickstart of activity

Van Moer Logistics is changing the face of European logistics. Founder and CEO, Jo Van Moer, discusses the latest developments in the space centred around helping people and the planet Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

LAND AND SEA across the continent.

Van Moer Logistics is a Belgian-based inter-European logistics giant that specialises in transport and distribution, warehousing and value-added logistics, port and intermodal logistics, and bulk and tank container logistics.

On top of this, the company’s supporting services include cargo forwarding, customs solutions (such as import/

export declarations and inspections), on-site logistics, and lastly IT and automation (integrating and deploying systems to meet customer standards).

“Van Moer Logistics is a one-stop-shop; we offer the in-house logistics chain from A to Z, from forwarding to transport and storage. Our own assets within inland shipping are also very strong. We are unique thanks to

EME Outlook issue 47 | 31

The future is Super. And now it’s 8 % better.

While no one can say for sure what the future will bring, we’re confident that it’s a bright one. The new Scania Super powertrain is not only said to be the smoothest drive on the road, but also the most efficient we’ve ever built. It sets an entirely new industry standard in terms of powertrains and combustion engines, with a fuel saving of at least 8 %. Ready today to meet the challenges of tomorrow. A tomorrow that will be 8 % better. www.scania.be The new Scania Super powertrain, with the combustion engine as its centrepiece, will deliver a fuel saving of at least 8 % compared to Scania’s current 13 l engine (DLU).

The comparison is made for long distance operations.

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

the combination of our own barge terminals, barges, truck fleet for first and last mile and combined with water-bound warehouses,” Van Moer tells us.

“On top of this, our flexibility and manoeuvrability stand us apart in the sector. As a young family business, we have a very short decisionmaking process, and we continue to

VAN MOER LOGISTICS – PRIMARY SERVICES TRANSPORT AND DISTRIBUTION Offering a variety of transport services to fully support customer supply chains, creating an interchange within planning and operations. Van Moer Logistics’ customised service level will help customers to further develop their logistical operations.

WAREHOUSING AND VALUE-ADDED LOGISTICS Van Moer Logistics specialises in the storage and handling of various commodities. Providing storage for palletised and break bulk goods, the company strives to offer customers the best quality service at all times.

PORT AND INTERMODAL LOGISTICS Van Moer Logistics always performs a thorough transport analysis in consultation with its customers, to advise them on the perfect multimodal alternative. This is how the company actively boosts the modal shift through inland waterways.

BULK AND TANK CONTAINER LOGISTICS One-stop-shop depot providing a wide range of services concerning bulk and tank container logistics. Offering customers a complete service level within the same facility for optimal handling and storage efficiency.

invest. We can act quickly on market opportunities and follow the needs of our customers. It is often by following the needs of our customers that we launch new business developments and new locations that follow our clients, including abroad. We are also pioneers in sustainability, not only because of our unique approach to inland navigation, but also because of constant investment in the latest technologies and developments in our equipment and IT systems, which ensures a high-quality standard.”

OPTIMISING OPERATIONS As a multimodal logistics chain, Van Moer Logistics seeks to fully relieve its customers in their increasingly complex and circular supply chains.

In doing so, the company strives for a balance between economic, ecological and social considerations.

Van Moer Logistics is committed to collaborating with various partners to realise the multimodal shift collectively.

Another 60 Scania trucks for Van Moer Logistics

A

fter 40 taking Scania trucks in the spring of last year, Van Moer Logistics is now ordering another 60 460 R Super A4X2NBs. These new vehicles fit perfectly into the sustainability strategy of the logistics player based in Zwijndrecht.

With some 500 of its own trucks, 480,000 m2 of warehouses, its own port terminals and equipment for transport by water and rail, Van Moer Logistics is one of the big names in the Supply Chain at Belgian, and by extension, also at European level. Van Moer is fully committed to sustainability, with, in addition to intermodal transportation, also efficient trucks that contribute to the necessary flexibility. The choice of these trucks partly determines the sustainability of the entire operation. And that is one of the reasons that the company works closely with Scania. “Scania has been a trusted supplier for us for many years.

It continues to optimise its trucks, with a view to sustainability and driving comfort,” states Jo Van Moer, CEO of Van Moer Logistics.

13-litre Super as the most sustainable power source Investing in trucks with the latest technologies is one of the ways in which Van Moer Logistics is committed to sustainability. It does so, not only by using alternative fuels such as natural gas which is used for 10 percent of the fleet, but also with the most modern powertrains. The decision to order 60 new 460 R trucks with the economical 13-litre Super powertrain is then a logical step. Jo Van Moer: “These models

emerged as the most sustainable and cost-efficient diesel truck. Moreover, Scania also offers an excellent service that has resulted in close cooperation for many years.”

The 60 new trucks will be used to replace older models, in order to make the fleet even greener.

Exponential growth of the fleet is out of the question, partly because it is difficult to find extra drivers. But the comfort and appearance of Scania also offer opportunities in that area, says Felien Van Oost, Marketing & Communication Manager at Van Moer: “We are increasingly focusing on Scania, because our own drivers are asking for the brand’s trucks. By also taking their preferences into account, we ensure satisfied employees, in addition to sustainability.” The Scania R cab has been designed with comfort and ergonomics in mind, thus optimizing drivers’ working conditions.

Growth strategy Thanks to partnerships for transport and logistics services with big names such as Umicore, Caterpillar, BASF and Delhaize, Van Moer Logistics is an important part of economic life in our country and beyond.

Van Moer wants to further strengthen this position in the coming years. An ambitious goal for which it entered into a participation last year with the industrial investment holding company Ackermans en Van Haaren. Scania is especially happy about being able to support this growth in a sustainable way.

www.scania.be

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

VAN MOER LOGISTICS – AT THE CORE SAFETY Everyone reserves the right to return home safely, every day.

That’s why safety is so important to the Van Moer Logistics family. Van Moer Logistics integrates safety into its corporate culture and does not preach it as forced rules or measures.

SUSTAINABILITY Van Moer Logistics is committed to performing its services in the most sustainable way, assuring its future perspectives by taking the environment into account throughout its own business operations.

QUALITY Van Moer Logistics offers high quality services and performs a strict quality management system.

Through process improvement the company continuously searches for optimisations.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Operating with integrity and accountability, without losing respect for rules and legislation. Van Moer Logistics always does business in a transparent and constructive manner.

“The way transport is controlled, or better, directed, has a major effect on the environmental impact through greenhouse gases, namely CO2, CH4, NOx and particulate matter,” Van Moer says. “Our contribution lies mainly in making infrastructure and capacity available for inland navigation and road transport, optimising the use of each modal form, the energy efficiency of each modal form, and offering a mix that balances economic, social and environmental parameters.”

According to Van Moer, certain optimisations only come with sizing up business. Van Moer Logistics is sufficiently horizontally integrated and has the volumes and capacity to achieve economies of scale.

In addition to this, through the company’s acquisition policy, it has vertically integrated a part of the chain.

“With our direct access to maritime transport, our inland terminals and regional hubs, 500,000 m2 of warehouses with rail connections, unloading quays, transhipment sites, and our fleet of nine inland barges and 500 trucks, we can realise an integrated multimodal approach. This enables us to optimise transport and logistics for our customers,” Van Moer explains.

Eurofiber Eurofiber ensures highspeed and reliable connectivity for Van Moer Logistics To a world-class logistics provider such as Van Moer Logistics, it is essential that everyone and everything is connected all day, everyday, at the highest possible speed. “Fiber connectivity was the only solution that would meet these needs,” says Stijn Spooren, IT Infrastructure Manager at Van Moer Logistics. Looking for a fiber connectivity partner in 2014, they soon ended up at Eurofiber: “No one else could provide this reliable and ultra-fast fiber connectivity to even the most remote locations.”

Today, Van Moer Logistics relies on Eurofiber to connect 17 different sites to the datacenter, with 100 megabit connectivity upstream and downstream. “We started out with two and gradually added sites”, tells Stijn Spooren, “With this central datacenter serving as a private cloud, it is very easy to add new sites, thanks to Eurofiber’s excellent support. It allowed us to move ahead faster than our competitors in the logistics market.”

The central hosting of all data and functionality makes good business sense, remarks Stijn Spooren: “Instead of having to maintain and support several server environments, we only have this one central location to take care of. When we need to add a site, it is just a matter of providing the fiber connectivity. Eurofiber proves time after time that this is the best solution, cost-wise and in terms of speed of deployment.”

This is a reassuring thought for the future growth ambitions: “Even if we double our activities in the near future, we can still rely on this model, thanks to Eurofiber.”

www.eurofiber.com

36 | EME Outlook issue 47

When connectivity is crucial for your business leadership.

Since 2014 Eurofiber provides 17 different Van Moer Logistics sites with datacenter connectivity.

Eurofiber. Lifeline for the digital society

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA) Expense Reduction Analysts, a long term Van Moer Logistics partner.

Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA) is a global leader in operational cost optimisation, with 800+ experts in over 40 countries. Its cooperation with Van Moer Logistics started in 2013 and was renewed at the end of 2020, with 10 cost categories under review.

Both partners attach great importance to sustainability, in terms of supplier relationships, but also focus on lowering CO2 emissions.

With the help of ERA, Van Moer Logistics is currently rearranging its waste streams. This should result in increased recyclability, less residual waste and ultimately in reduced emissions.

“ V M L I S A O N E - STO P SHOP; WE OFFER THE IN-HOUSE LOGISTICS C H A I N F R O M A TO Z , F R O M F O R WA R D I N G TO T R A N S P O R T A N D STO R AG E ” – J O VA N M O E R , F O U N D E R A N D C E O , VA N M O E R L O G I S T I C S

38 | EME Outlook issue 47

For Van Moer Logistics, inland ports are essential in the transition to a greener supply chain. These serve as the start and end points for maritime transport. Inland ports can be an “extended gate” where no intermediate customs checks need to take place.

“In this way, the transport time is optimised,” Van Moer continues.

“Today we have eight terminals along Flemish and Brussels waterways.

Some were constructed in partnership to suit a customer or specific traffic.

Others are open to a broad container flow and are considered fullyfledged regional hubs because of the framework.

“You can find the idea of partnerships in our warehouses as well. Some serve as a hub for a particular customer or specialise in a certain type of goods, for example, chemicals, paper, granulates, food, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and even e-commerce.

Other warehouses even have a direct connection with the client’s production hall, whilst some are storage and transhipment hubs for a multitude of goods.”

expensereduction.com

Messer Belgium Messer Benelux: your partner in industrial gases.

Our goal is to be not only the best supplier, but above all the best partner for our customers in the supply of industrial gases.

Key factors here are the ability to take care of business by providing a comprehensive service supported by the necessary automatic processes.

We also pride ourselves on constantly thinking ahead and cooperating with the customer at all stages of the process.

Interested? Let’s partner up!

www.messer.be

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

We optimize costs in the Logistics & Transport industry.

We are a global leader in operational cost reduction, with 800+ experts in over 40 countries. Contact us for discovering how we can support your company

PPE Energy & Utilities Warehouse Supplies Facility Services Maintenance & Repair Security

Insurance Telecoms Expenses Office Supplies IT Costs Bank Charges Photocopiers

Yard Management

MHE Temp Staff Costs Fleet Pallets

Subcontracted Transport Travel Expenses Contact us to discover how we can support your company.

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STRONG IN INDUSTRIAL GASES Solid worldwide structure.

Locally embedded flexibility.

www.messer.be

EME Outlook issue 47 | 39

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

TVM Belgium TVM Belgium is the expert for transport and logistics by road and water relating to insurance policies, but also to advice and services. TVM offers specialised insurance policies for trucks, trailers, cranes, forklift trucks and inland navigation. For this, TVM works together with specialised insurance brokers.

TVM promotes safer transportation by recognising and preventing risks and by actively work on loss reduction. In so doing TVM wishes, as a partner that is deeply involved in the Supply Chain, to assist their customers on their path to continuity and safety in Europe.

GREEN DEVELOPMENT Working towards a greener future is a core part of Van Moer Logistics’ mindset and focus when it comes to its internal developments and operations.

“We believe in hydrogen for heavy traffic; CMB.TECH is our Belgian technology partner who is working with us in this sphere of development,” Van Moer tells us. “We are starting with dual fuel to be able to create more volume of hydrogen, and once the critical decrease has been reached to gain volume benefits, more filling stations and other infrastructure will be added. The dualfuel technology is an ideal means to initiate the greener transition, while respecting an economically viable way of working.”

June of 2021 saw CMB.TECH present its multimodal hydrogen refueling station in Antwerp, and also introduced its first hydrogen truck, which the company tested with Van Moer Logistics in December 2021.

Thanks to its dual fuel technology, the truck has several advantages over 40 | EME Outlook issue 47

other hydrogen trucks. The truck type has a longer range, is cheaper to buy and has no loss of cargo space on the trailer.

The dual fuel hydrogen truck can add hydrogen as a fuel in its converted diesel engine to consume less diesel and reduce CO2 by up to 80 percent. If necessary, the engine can also run completely on diesel, making it a flexible system and diesel use a secondary solution if required.

In addition to CO2, NOX emissions are also reduced by up to 70 percent, but given the very ecological aftertreatment on new diesel engines; this also results in a reduction in AdBlue (diesel exhaust fluid) consumption.

By using the existing diesel engine and drive train, the investment cost of this truck can be reduced to one third of an alternative zero-emission option. With a full tank of hydrogen, the truck has a range of 1,000 kilometres (km) and if necessary, the truck can continue to run on diesel for another 3,000 km.

After the test phase of 12 months, it will be determined how the

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VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

technology developed by CMB.TECH can be further rolled out in the 500 truck Van Moer Logistics fleet.

SCALING UP SOLUTIONS Beyond the dual-fuel trucking solution, Van Moer Logistics is planning to grow through the expansion of its current sites and locations.

“Our ambition is also to continue to expand, not only through acquisitions but also through organic growth. To this end, we mainly listen to the needs of our customers. Currently, we are concentrating on further expansion of our 27 existing locations, including Belgium, Germany and Romania.”

42 | EME Outlook issue 47

For example, at Van Moer Logistics’s site in Zwijndrecht (Belgium), a BREEAM certified ADR (dangerous goods) warehouse with five filling lines is being built. The new complex of 7,500 m2 will be integrated within the company’s current Seveso site.

“The ultramodern, fully automated filling lines have an annual capacity of 100,000 tonnes and will mainly repackage tank containers into drums or IBCs (intermediate bulk containers),” Van Moer tells us. “The filling installation was developed with the highest safety and environmental standards in mind and will handle hazardous,

non-hazardous and strongly odorous chemicals.

“Work will start at the beginning of August with the aim of commissioning the filling facility in January 2023. The entire complex will be completed in April 2023 in order to further expand the adjacent storage activities.”

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE Van Moer Logistics recognises the importance of people and the communities that they operate within.

Earlier this year, the Van Moer Academy was launched. By centralising existing training initiatives, expanding them and looking for the right partners both

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

in-house and externally, the company aims to commit to a culture of lifelong learning.

“The academy is there for bluecollar workers, white-collar workers and managers alike,” Van Moer informs us. “The onboarding process and the guidance of new employees within Van Moer Logistics will also receive special attention. Extra people will be recruited to further develop the academy, and it is made up of a physical and online learning platform.

“We are increasing our driver coaching when it comes to safe and ecological driving through a monthly driving report, as well as ensuring that our drivers each have a personal

development plan in place to make sure that they are aiming for their own personal goals in the company.”

Moving ahead, Van Moer Logistics’ focus is set on the aforementioned expansion of company infrastructure through acquisitions and growth.

On top of this, sustainability remains a critical aspect of the present and future, with Van Moer Logistics aiming to streamline its operations in line with much-needed support towards environmental health and consideration.

OVER THREE DECADES OF LOGISTICS Since childhood, Jo Van Moer had

always been fascinated by industry vehicles, such as those used in his father’s ground and demolition company. At the age of 18, Jo completed his technical training as a welder, and thereafter bought a few dilapidated trucks that he singlehandedly converted into one solid vehicle. Van Moer was allowed to use them for a neighbouring transport company. However, securing the necessary return loads and earnings proved to be much more difficult than expected.

The turning point came when Jo met Anne Verstraeten, his future wife, in the Antwerp port area. Both soon formed a close couple and in 1990 EME Outlook issue 47 | 43

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

they started working together on their careers in the transport sector.

Using only a telephone, Anne looked for transport assignments which Jo carried out. Such a working method would now be business suicide, but almost three decades ago, this tactic still worked.

Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that the earnings did not correspond to the hard work that Anne and Jo invested in their transport company. At that tricky moment, Jo’s father Hector Van Moer donated half of a 2.5-hectare industrial site in the Pas-de-Calais (France) to his two sons. Jo had a 3,400 m2 warehouse built on his land with the intention of renting it out. Anne wrote to companies in the Antwerp forwarding sector.

Almost immediately, the

44 | EME Outlook issue 47

enterprising couple received positive reactions from interested companies who, because of the traffic congestion, wanted to locate their logistics activities just outside the overcrowded port area.

This was when the ball started rolling for the enterprising couple. In 1993, they opened a new warehouse in Temse (Belgium) of around 7,500 m2, and just three years later the very first warehouse in the port of Antwerp (Kallo) was a reality. Through the latter building, a train connection was built to facilitate the handling of large paper and steel trades.

GLOBAL CHALLENGES Through hard work and a dose of luck the company was saved, and the name Van Moer Logistics became known far beyond the

Antwerp region. Thanks to strategic acquisitions of other transport companies, Van Moer Logistics’ fleet numbered approximately 50 trucks.

For the young company, a successful time had begun; this was until the 2008 worldwide financial crisis erupted. At the same time, the brand-new head office in the Port of Antwerp, an investment of 25 million Euros, was put into operation.

Orders fell by more than 40 percent, around 30 lorries were left idle on the company premises and warehousing activities came to a standstill - the economic crisis had arrived.

After the initial burst of growth, the company was in dire straits. The manager was at a loss what to do and considered all possible avenues.

After days and nights of careful

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

crisis largely unscathed.

IN THE CLEAR

consideration, Jo and Anne made a brave decision to gamble. They invested all their personal financial resources and sold their private house in an attempt to get the company back on its feet.

After a while, the tide slowly turned, volumes recovered somewhat, and Van Moer Logistics came through the

In 2011, intermodal activities took off thanks to the opening of the inland container terminal in the Brussels region and new storage facilities were opened in Antwerp and Ghent. The distribution department in Brussels was further developed.

With an additional acquisition, a shipping department was added to the Van Moer Logistics portfolio. As of 2012, the company experienced an annual growth of more than 10 percent. It was around this time that Jo decided to install a management team in order to further develop all activities.

In 2016, the logistics service provider noticed the impact of the enormous traffic load on society and the environment, and because of this, it switched to the next gear in the field of intermodal transport.

In addition to the already active container terminal region of Brussels, WeBarge was established as a subsidiary of Van Moer Logistics.

WeBarge manages and operates inland waterway vessels to transport goods by water to their final destination. Today, WeBarge owns nine barges and five push boats. They sail on the axes Antwerp - Brussels, Antwerp – Grobbendonk, and Antwerp - Leuven.

In three decades Van Moer Logistics evolved from transporter to provider of all logistic activities.

VAN MOER LOGISTICS Tel: +32 3 254 09 09 info@vanmoer.com https://vanmoer.com EME Outlook issue 47 | 45

Part of the Yamaha Motor Group, Inha Works has a renowned presence in the Nordic marine market. We talk future investment and keeping business afloat with Vice President of Operations, Tomi Juhola Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Ryan Gray

PREMIUM MARINE PERFORMANCE T

he European recreational boating industry is big business.

In the wake of the COVID19 pandemic, the industry has proved its resiliency, thanks to the leisure boom for staycations and populations delegating funds to home improvements, boats included. As a result, many boat manufacturers are 46 | EME Outlook issue 47

enjoying unprecedented customer demand and record sales.

With a market-leading position across the Nordics and the wider European landscape, Inha Works (Inha) stands as part of the iconic Yamaha Motor Group (Yamaha).

Originally acquired by Yamaha in 2016, Inha onboarded the Yamarin

and Cross brands alongside the classic Buster brand in 2017, effectively positioning the company as a strong leader in the Nordic marine market.

“We produce aluminium boats, alu-hybrid boats, and full glass fibre boats,” introduces Tomi Juhola, Vice President of Operations.

INHA WORKS MANUFACTURING

From its manufacturing base in the Finnish town of Ähtäri, Inha counts over 180 employees. While half of Inha’s manufacturing works are undertaken here at the company’s flagship factory, the other half is sourced to sub-contractor operations at Fenix Marine in Valkeakoski (Finland), and Ślepsk Shipyard in Poland.

“Our client base is mostly throughout the Nordics, but we sell across Europe. Now, as our main markets are demanding more, we

basically find ourselves limited by our capacity.

“It’s a happy problem that we are facing right now,” Juhola shares confidently.

A LEGACY OF MANUFACTURING PROWESS Bolstered by an esteemed legacy and rich brand heritage, this year Inha commemorated its 181st year in operation. Meanwhile in the same year, Buster celebrated its 45th anniversary. Buster’s roots go a bit

further to 1955 and the first Kello aluminium boats.

Although metal has been worked on the site of Inha’s factory for over two centuries, its origins were far from the boats it excels at today. Indeed, when the company was originally granted permission by the local governor to manufacture iron on the banks of the Inhanjoki River, a steel foundry, horseshoe workshop and bolt and rivet workshop ensued.

“The original manufacturing done here involved totally different kinds EME Outlook issue 47 | 47

of goods – we were working with iron, making horseshoes, rail fasteners and that sort of thing. This historic factor still gives the company a kind of atmosphere,” he tells us.

Boat manufacturing didn’t commence here in earnest until the 20th century, following the introduction of aluminium into boat production in 1955. Fast forward to today, and the historic black iron mill dating to the original foundry village of Ähtäri now stands as the equipment hall for the largest models of Buster boats – the very latest in aluminium boat manufacturing.

In the same way that Inha’s industrial 48 | EME Outlook issue 47

activity never started with boats, Juhola too charted a course into the industry from totally different waters.

“My background is not traditional in a manufacturing sense,” he shares. “My experience is in software development, with a Masters of Science in Tech and Software Engineering.”

In addition to this, Juhola brings to the company a strong financial background in consulting before a longing to put his name to something real led him to the pursuit of creating something tangible.

“I wondered into boating by chance, and for some reason or another I’m still here!” he quips.

Inha is preceded by a strong brand recognition and a reputation that lends the company a competitive advantage as a manufacturer of renowned and celebrated products.

“The brands that we have are very well-known throughout the Nordics – this brand awareness is a strong plus for us,” shares Juhola. Indeed, in the Nordics, the Buster name is instantly synonymous with aluminium boats.

Although all three brands are united under the Inha Works name, each brings a unique difference to the company, with varying strengths and specialities that create a diverse portfolio.

INHA WORKS MANUFACTURING

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EME Outlook issue 47 | 49

INHA WORKS MANUFACTURING

“There is significant scale to what we produce. The boats start from three metres to up to 10 metres long, while in terms of horsepower (HP) ranges from two HP for the Buster Mini, to 600 HP for the Buster Phantom,” he outlines.

Nevertheless, Juhola, and by extension Inha, are fully cognisant of the need to keep pace with a demanding and ever-evolving market where innovation is expected.

“You can’t rest on your laurels and expect the brand heritage to do all the work. On the contrary, we always

have to be on the front edge as we are the top dog in aluminium boats which also brings a lot of pressure.”

In a highly receptive market, there is no shortage of brand enthusiasts for the company to refer to for feedback, which is constantly used as a means to propel improvement.

“From a marketing point of view, we try to be in contact as much as possible with both our dealers and our end users, to get their feedback and see what they want and what we can do differently.

Conectra Conectra has more than 30 years of experience with high quality complicated sewing operations and product development.

Our field of activity: among many others, upholstery, cruise liner interior, boat cushions.

Co-operation with Inha works products started over 10 years ago, with single model seat covers and has extended to several models, complete with cushion sets, both in Buster and Yamaha brands.

Conectra and Inha Works share the same passion for high quality and seamless product chain from models to production orders.

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50 | EME Outlook issue 47

INHA WORKS MANUFACTURING

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EME Outlook issue 47 | 51

INHA WORKS MANUFACTURING

“ E V E R Y T H I N G T H AT W E D O , W E H AV E T O H AV E T H E N U M B E R S B E H I N D I T, T O E N S U R E T H AT W E R E M A I N P R O F I TA B L E A N D C A N CO N T I N U E TO D E L I V E R O N O U R I M P R OV E M E N TS ” – T O M I J U H O L A , V P O P E R AT I O N S , I N H A W O R K S

“This is something we try to be active “For the productive element, we in. Luckily, boats are a hobby people use a lot of simulation and calculation are interested in and passionate about based on 3-D models,” Juhola explains. so it’s quite easy to get feedback from “When we get a step further into end users.” the project, we usually try to create a virtual reality model of the boat so FUTURE RENEWAL that we can get a tangible feeling of The technological strengths how it will be.” witnessed by Juhola’s own career Whilst IoT and connectivity has path are reflected in the innovation grown as a trend over the past few incorporated by the factory and the years, at Inha this is nothing new. company today, harnessing a high Indeed, the company has been condegree of technology throughout the nected and leveraging these technolomanufacturing process. This is most gies since 2016 with the majority of its evident in the project development vessels boasting connected infotainstage of new models. ment systems as a standard equipment.

52 | EME Outlook issue 47

INHA WORKS MANUFACTURING

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EME Outlook issue 47 | 53

INHA WORKS BRANDS BUSTER BOATS – The largest and industry-leading Northern European designer and manufacturer of aluminium powerboats.

YAMARIN – A brand born from the desire to create the optimal boat for the best outboard motor by Yamaha. Yamarin boats are especially suited to the demanding Nordic conditions and are embraced by boaters who appreciate quality.

CROSS - For years, Cross has been a highly valued boat brand with products that combine reliability, comfort and timeless style. The brand’s quality is also strongly associated to Yamaha, which helped in making Cross a popular boat brand in Scandinavia.

54 | EME Outlook issue 47

INHA WORKS MANUFACTURING

“This is an interesting nuance for us, that we perhaps don’t utilise fully,” he muses. “However, it gives us a lot of potential – for instance the possibility to control and manage new boats entirely remotely. This also adds significant value on the customer side.”

A major focus for Inha looking ahead is the renewal of its existing operations, fuelled by significant investment.

“For the last couple of years, we have been trying to systematically renew the factory equipment with investment in robots, welding robots, and an automated panel bender which does a lot of things that the manual workforce can’t do,” Juhola explains.

In addition to this, Inha has its sights set on new welding machines that will gather critical data from the actual work required. This will measure the extremely labour-intensive task of building aluminium boats, which is mostly done manually. Such data will be used to identify any problems, and

areas for further improvement.

With the overriding aim of increasing the throughput of its Finland factory, Juhola highlights the company’s upcoming €1.5 million investment into a cutting-edge fibre laser.

“This is an extremely rare thing in Europe – for whatever reason most of these large lasers are in Finland. This will enable us to undertake a lot more work in-house.

“As we get new toys like this in, we are also looking into our current production layout with the intention of renewing it completely. This is to maximise the throughput from that new machinery.

“Over the next two years, these will be our two main points of focus,” he tells us.

In the face of such exciting developments, Inha continues to float the fine line between significant investment whilst safeguarding profitability.

“In everything that we do, we need to have the numbers behind it, to

ensure that we remain profitable and can continue to deliver on our improvements.”

Aside from the outlined renewal, these improvements concern the hull production of Buster and Cross boats, and the forecasted production increase of glass fibre vessels.

“I would hope that in a year or two we will have a clear new direction for this. We are working on this now with plenty of investment to come,” Juhola concludes.

Bolstered by an extensive portfolio and a concrete brand reputation, Inha will continue to chart a promising future in European waters for centuries to come.

INHA WORKS www.busterboats.com www.cross.boats www.yamarin.com EME Outlook issue 47 | 55

ECO F R I E N D LY FA S H I O N Imprima Group is weaving sustainability into the textiles sector.

Group CEO, Federico Benevolo, tells us about this dedicated follower of eco fashion Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Ben Weaver

IMPRIMA GROUP MANUFACTURING

Imprima Group is committed to research and innovation, and wants to improve its processes in a sustainable way.”

Fashion by definition is everchanging, and for Imprima Group (Imprima) and Group CEO, Federico Benevolo, eco fashion is not just the latest trendy, seasonal look.

Based in Como, recognised internationally as one of the world’s most important fashion industry hubs, Imprima was born to be a zero-impact worldwide textile company.

“Our goal is not only to evolve as a company, but to be a true gamechanger within the Italian textiles sector,” affirms Benevolo.

Imprima has become a prominent brand in the market and is amongst the major European textile players, with refined printed fabrics and trendy garments manufactured by more than 550 employees across two production sites in Bulgarograsso and Lonate Pozzolo.

Fashion accounts for around 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions due to its energy-intensive methods of production and long, complex supply chains, which make it difficult to account for all the emissions produced by clothing and textiles – not to mention how clothing is transported and disposed of when it is no longer wanted by the consumer.

Innovations that support the more circular and sustainable production of textiles are also yet to be adopted at scale by many manufacturers, who often lack the capital and knowledge to invest in and scale up their processes with sustainable technologies.

But there are ways to reduce the impact our wardrobes have on the climate. Environmental sustainability is undeniably a topic of substantial importance to Imprima, in order to develop the company’s production activities and to ensure a continuous improvement in the quality of life of future generations.

EME Outlook issue 47 | 57

IMPRIMA GROUP MANUFACTURING

Isocarbo SRL ISOCARBO, founded in 1923, is approaching its first centenary of activity. Today, as then, customer service and evolving product ranges are continuously adapting customers’, markets and regulations’ needs.

Federico Benevolo, Group CEO

SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS Imprima is aware that an ecological and sustainable business orientation, as well as achieving its environmental performance objectives, leads not only to a better level of business, but above all the creation of long-lasting values.

In this regard, the company is committed to adopting an Environmental Management System (EMS) that is compliant with ISO 14001, which helps organisations to improve their environmental performance through the more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste.

Imprima’s EMS guarantees the prevention of pollution and meets the requirements of customers as well as relevant interested parties, pursued by seeking to continuously improve its environmental performance and customer expectations in terms of sustainability.

58 | EME Outlook issue 47

Fashion and design are in the company’s stylish DNA, but what really makes Imprima a true fashionista is its continuous commitment to sustainability, as well as new technologies, process innovations, and employee training.

Imprima’s dedicated teams and state-of-the-art equipment have played a leading role in the research and development of new technologies, the improvement of existing ones, as well as the application of fabrics, especially those classified as eco-friendly.

EMBRACING SUSTAINABILITY During 2021, the company developed several plans as it aims to become a net-zero company as soon as possible.

“One of our main projects involves the installation of a photovoltaic and cogeneration system, which will allow Imprima to dispose of clean energy to support its industrial processes,” Benevolo informs us.

“The project has already started for the plant in Bulgarograsso and will be ready by the end of the year, in order to start in 2023 with the possibility of

Isocarbo decided to relaunch itself in 2013 with the birth of the Isonik® Division dedicated to research, development, in-house manufacturing, and worldwide marketing of digital printing inks for the main technologies available today, ready to anticipate and follow any further development. Today, Isocarbo offers Disperse, Sublimation, Reactive, Acid and Pigment digital inks of recent introduction. Without forgetting the relative fabric preparations and post-treatments able to reach the best technical standards required by the market. Isocarbo is the only European manufacturer able to offer a complete gamut of inks for all textile printing production processes.

At the same time the traditional printing and dyeing technologies are served by Kemik® Division with its Disperse dyes, specific and optimised for each fiber and for each type of blend, Reactive, Acids, Premetallized Acids, Cationic and Direct dyes. Also, for traditional textile sectors, the range is completed by a wide series of auxiliaries for pre-treatment, dyeing, finishing.

Isocarbo’s basis for further future growth are the recent developed products, the constant commitment of our R&D laboratories in guaranteeing the proper technical assistance for every type of issue, an ever-growing team of engineers, technicians, experts, and technical-sales officers to support customers and last but not least a further expansion of the production capacities of the Isonik® and Kemik® lines already in progress.

IMPRIMA GROUP MANUFACTURING

exploiting resources while protecting the environment.”

When you deal with fashion, you have to be smart, and Imprima has brilliant, high-tech solutions in the field of sustainability, putting consumption control first with products that reduce their impact on the environment.

Water is one resource in particular where Imprima is reducing costs and limiting consumption. Each production unit, for example, is provided with discharged water recovery systems, reducing the company’s reliance on existing water supply sources and halving the amount of wastewater transferred to treatment plants.

Discharged water recovery system

60 | EME Outlook issue 47

“ O U R M I S S I O N I S T O R E D U C E WAT E R C O N S U M P T I O N B Y 10 PERCENT PER YEAR FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, AND T E C H N O L O G I E S S U C H A S WAT E R - F R E E P R I N T I N G W I L L P L AY A F U N D A M E N TA L R O L E I N A C C O M P L I S H I N G T H I S G O A L ” – F E D E R I CO B E N E VO LO, G R O U P C E O, I M P R I M A G R O U P

Imprima is also developing waterless printing, as it continues to embrace sustainability in its manufacturing processes.

Waterless printing is an offset lithographic textile printing process that eliminates the water or dampening system used in conventional printing.

Unlike conventional presses, waterless offset presses do not use a dampening solution to clear the press of ink.

“One of our biggest goals is waterless printing. It involves both technological and chemical development, and the implementation

of this production technique will be most impactful,” says Benevolo.

“Our mission is to reduce water consumption by 10 percent per year for the next three years, and technologies such as water-free printing will play a fundamental role in accomplishing this goal.”

MOROCCAN ENDEAVOURS Imprima eliminates or reduces the use of harmful substances where possible, by using technically effective alternatives to improve existing production processes.

The development of a new site in Morocco, a strategic area of growth for Imprima, will enhance the company’s industrial production control processes on its journey to becoming a worldwide supplier.

“The peculiarity of this factory is that the processing of the fabric is carried right up to the creation of the finished garment,” Benevolo explains.

“This allows Imprima to maintain high production quality standards until the very end of the manufacturing process, which is a great value-added asset.”

EME Outlook issue 47 | 61

Certainly, the opportunities provided by Imprima’s Moroccan endeavours are essential to the dissemination of sustainability and excellence, principles that are ensured by the company’s stringent QHSE (quality, health, safety, and environment) work.

The new plant will incorporate sustainable operations, and an agreement signed with Bosch will help to develop the facility and make it even more sustainable, characterised by the most prestigious product and process certifications.

“Imprima Platform Morocco (IPM) has recently obtained ISO 9001 certification, which authorises the presence of a quality management system capable of proving effectiveness and efficiency in the realisation of the production and the provision of the service,” outlines Benevolo.

At IPM, a joint venture based in the Tangier Free Trade Zone in Morocco, quality is assured every step of the way through guaranteed transparency, responsible sourcing, and sustainable cooperation.

“For the coming months, the goal will be to implement everything necessary to obtain other important certifications such as ISO 14001, achieved in 2021 by the Bulgarograsso plant and set to be obtained in 2022 by the plant in Lonate Pozzolo.”

IMPRIMA GROUP – AT A GLANCE MISSION – To be the benchmark partner in the global market, able to offer creative, innovative, and sustainable solutions and textile products whilst generating value for stakeholders.

VISION – To become a worldwide textiles company with zero impact.

VALUES – Belonging – Trust – Excellence – Respect – Integrity – Sustainability

62 | EME Outlook issue 47

IMPRIMA GROUP MANUFACTURING

“ O U R G O A L I S N O T O N LY T O E V O LV E A S A C O M PA N Y, B U T T O B E A T R U E G A M E C H A N G E R W I T H I N T H E I TA L I A N T E X T I L E S S E C T O R ” – F E D E R I CO B E N E VO LO, G R O U P C E O, I M P R I M A G R O U P

TRACEABILITY IS KEY Sustainable changes are being made to Imprima’s supply chain, including the move towards more traceable companies, especially in China.

Founded in 2016, Imprima is young at heart but at the same time full of expertise, and with the experience gained over recent years, the company has come to realise the importance of the traceability of raw materials purchased.

The Far East, and China in particular, is one of Imprima’s main sourcing regions, however in order to maintain product sustainability and quality, it is essential that all purchases are properly certified and comply with the required production standards.

“The traceability of materials plays an essential role in this process, not only because the customers demands

that the principles of responsible production are always respected, but also because the objective of reducing Imprima’s environmental impact would not be achievable without worrying about the origins of the products,” Benevolo emphasises.

“This is not only a matter of the quality of the raw materials, but also of social and environmental responsibility.”

With the support of leading international companies, Imprima aims to become ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliant, and has carried out a specific corporate plan to achieve this objective by drafting a sustainability report.

OPTIMISED PRODUCTION There is no doubt that Imprima is a

truly thoughtful and heartfelt partner within the fashion industry, one that considers respect not only for nature but also the health of employees and consumers as essential.

Imprima’s goal for the year ahead is first and foremost to get the photovoltaic and cogeneration plants up and running, in order to optimise the production and use of energy resources.

The company also remains striven to obtain certifications such as ISO 45001 and ISO 50001 for both production plants, presenting its annual sustainability report to maintain high credibility for its commitment to this important sphere.

“Thanks to continuous investment and incessant research, the group will identify and implement production techniques that optimise the use of energy resources and materials.”

IMPRIMA GROUP Tel: +39 0316876425 carlotta.braggion@imprima.group www.imprima.group EME Outlook issue 47 | 63

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

64 | EME Outlook issue 47

VEHICLE FOR CHANGE Driven by innovation, engineered to perfection.

We speak to the executive team at Commercial Vehicle Group about diversifying the future of manufacturing Writer: Jack Salter Project Manager: David Knott

We find a way.”

Problem-solving is in the DNA of Commercial Vehicle Group (CVG) and energises every aspect of how it does business, from the people it hires to the products it makes.

Headquartered in New Albany, Ohio, CVG partners with companies leading the way in global commercial vehicles, technology integration, electric vehicle innovation and warehouse automation. With a strong worldwide presence that includes 39 locations across 10 countries, CVG is finding a way to solve the industry’s toughest problems.

EME Outlook issue 47 | 65

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

“Historically, we followed the legacy commercial vehicle manufacturers so that we were right where they needed us to be,” says Rich Tajer, Enterprise CCO and President of the Electrical Group. “The pioneering spirit that CVG was built upon has helped sustain growth over the years while allowing us to confidently move into complementary markets to safeguard our future.”

Since it was formed in 2000, CVG has experienced significant growth and is poised to further strategically expand operations across the globe. While the company remains focused on the design, development and continuous improvement of its core products, it has also positioned itself to move into high-demand growth markets.

CVG BRANDS AND CAPABILITIES – AT A GLANCE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS CVG is a leading manufacturer of custom wire harnesses, control panels, electromechanical assemblies, and cable assemblies for the electric vehicle market, automated warehouse market and more.

WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION CVG’s capabilities in this space are rapidly expanding and currently include upper transitions and belt drives, pneumatics, palletising and crating solutions, control panels and electromechanical integration.

VEHICLE SOLUTIONS: SEATING BRANDS NATIONAL SEATING – Premier seating solution for North American motor coach, school bus, and truck applications.

BOSTROM SEATING – Specialists in comfort and innovation since 1935, offering a range of stylish seating options.

KAB SEATING – Manufacturing and supplying comfortable, practical work seats for a variety of industrial vehicles.

STRATOS SEATING – Australia’s leading supplier of automotive aftermarket and industrial seating, light truck and 4WD suspension seating, and specialised seating.

PLASTIC MANUFACTURING BRANDS ADVANCTEK – Creating value in plastics manufacturing through injection molding, RIM, compression moulding, and thermoforming solutions.

FINISHTEK – Providing high-quality finishes for painting and hydrographic applications.

PARTS AND COMPONENTS BRANDS MOTO MIRROR – Known for decades as the premier mirror solution for trucks.

SPRAGUE DEVICES – Application-specific windshield wiper and washer systems for the commercial vehicle markets.

ROADWATCH – Road surface temperature sensors that use state-of-the-art measuring technology.

66 | EME Outlook issue 47

Chief Enterprises Chief is not your average distributor of electromechanical components.

Over the past 30 years they have served as the critical link between component manufacturer and tier suppliers through four vital functions: logistics, engineering, power distribution expertise, and their integral relationship with Bosch Powertrain Systems.

Logistics: With centralized locations in Chicago and Chihuahua, MX are able to react quickly, supplying 7,000+ SKUs worldwide. They have formed and nurtured strategic vendor partnerships with 10 key suppliers, providing services including customer service, forecasting and warehousing; all of which reduce lead times and increase customers’ speed to market. They also have the capability to source a variety of essential components through 125+ vendors worldwide.

Engineering: Chief has an on-staff team of degreed engineers that yield innovative solutions including specialty wire harnesses, assemblies, mechanical and electrical modifications, 3D prototyping, custom tooled parts, and much more. They are trained by product line and have extensive systems knowledge.

Power Distribution Expertise: As an experienced manufacturer’s representative of power distribution modules for multiple decades they saw firsthand, in demand needs, that were not being met in the industry.

With their inhouse engineering, they designed and manufactured their own line of IP67 sealed power distribution modules, fuse and relay holders, known as the BRIC family.

Authorized Distributor of Bosch Components: Chief is the sole North American distributor of Bosch Connector components handling all logistics, customer service, engineering, and quality support for the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Parts Specialist.

Solutions Driven.

Our mission is to provide superior design, engineering, and distribution solutions for today's electro-mechanical component needs and tomorrow's technological advances.

Services: • • • • • • • • •

Warehousing & Distribution of electro-mechanical components Sole North American Distributor of Bosch Connector Parts Electrical & mechanical modifications of components Small speciality wire harnesses & assemblies Engineering & Technical Services 3D Printed Prototyping Custom Tooled Parts Gluing & Potting Kits, Laser Marking, Labeling

sales@chiefent.com | 1-800-831-7294 | www.chiefent.com

ENTERPRISES

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

Although CVG made a name for itself in the commercial and heavyduty trucking industry, the company has recently seen substantial growth in the electric vehicle market and is ramping up production for its automated warehousing customers. CVG still offers the range of commercial vehicle solutions that it became known for, but also specialises in automated warehouse solutions and robotic assemblies, electric vehicle assemblies, and plastic moulded parts across a range of industries.

“We’ve had a broad spectrum of capabilities that apply to multiple markets for many years, but more recently, we’ve expanded on this, and aligned ourselves with industries more heavily focused on technology and the environment,” Tajer says. “As a result, we are changing our customer mix, value proposition, and the way we play in the market. One of our primary focuses is electrical system design, which will enable the vehicles and products of the future for our EV customers.”

Expansion into key industries is one of CVG’s strategic initiatives, along with core business growth and the strengthening of product design and innovation capabilities. CVG is rapidly moving into new markets and the company is well-positioned to handle this momentum to ensure stability, guided by one of its core values: meaningful growth.

NEED FOR SPEED The state of manufacturing is ever-changing as new technologies and global priorities emerge, so organisations must be adaptable and fast-moving to keep up. CVG has already shown its agility by pivoting to high growth industries and is further preparing for the future by injecting the organisation with a breadth of talent while investing in innovation.

“We are bringing very talented, capable people into the organisation, both from within the manufacturing industry and from other industries, who provide technical aptitude as well as other skillsets that round out what we are able to offer,” Tajer tells us.

Optimas You can’t possibly be ready for anything… or can you?

Every step of the supply chain has risk right now. That’s why industry leaders like Commercial Vehicle Group are elevating efficiency with Optimas Solutions and finding the fewer steps, the better.

Through regionalized sourcing and onshoring, including our in-house manufacturing, they reduce risk.

With our tech-enabled inventory management and replenishment programs, combined with advanced demand planning and forecasting software, they optimize inventory.

Leveraging our best-in-class transportation and logistics applications, they enhance operations.

Through our in-house engineering expertise and world-class ISOcertified quality labs, they elevate product quality.

CVG isn’t hoping things will get better.

They are finding a better way. They’re making a confident choice in Optimas for availability, stability and quality in today’s unprecedented times.

And you can, too.

EME OUTLOOK: HOW IS CVG LEADING THE GAME IN THE EV MARKET? RICH TAJER, ENTERPRISE CCO AND PRESIDENT OF THE ELECTRICAL GROUP: “We’ve been targeting customers that need to move fast, focusing on those that respect or require our value proposition.

We then align with them and strategically move forward together. There are a lot of new entrants and a lot of laggards in this space that need help, people that are trying to come from behind and go fast, and that’s where we can really excel with our speed and engineering capabilities.

“We’re looking for those niches everywhere in the marketplace. We’re not planning to be the primary EV solution for the entire automotive market, but we’re looking to play in the middle space where our value and expertise will give our customers a competitive edge. We want to work with customers that value what we bring to the market.”

With over 9B parts, from 150,000 SKUs supplied to over 5,000 customers globally, Optimas is committed to simplifying and strengthening your supply chain for fasteners, C-Class components and consumable products.

With 1,500 teammates worldwide, delivering resilient supply chain solutions to industry leaders like CVG, Optimas customers are ready for anything.

Optimas is a leading global industrial manufacturer and distributor of fasteners and C-Class components that provides supply chain solutions for producers looking to increase productivity and profits.

To learn more, please visit international.optimas.com or email business.development@optimas.com.

www.optimas.com

68 | EME Outlook issue 47

EFFICIENCY

UP! Optimas is proud to provide hundreds of parts directly to CVG production lines so they can efficiently manufacture their products and deliver on customer promises.

— Mike Tuffy, President, Optimas International

international.optimas.com

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

Senoplast Senoplast is a globally recognized producer of high quality extruded plastic sheets for a wide variety of applications. Senoplast is a leader in the production of multilayer co-extruded senosan®️ plastic sheets and films for use in the thermoforming process. Distribution of its products takes place from three production locations in Austria, México and China which enable a quick and efficient supply for customers worldwide. And each geographic region is supported locally by sales, customer service and technical teams.

The applications for senosan®️ plastic sheets are used in many markets and products including: agricultural and commercial vehicles, heavy and light trucks, electrical vehicles, and extend all the way to sanitary, travel and leisure, white goods and furniture.

Most of these applications call for high performance resins and a very high surface quality.

“We have the entrepreneurial spirit of a startup, but the experience of a global organisation which gives us a unique edge. We’re particularly excited about expanding our presence in markets that are rooted in environmental sustainability and technology, and we’re unleashing that energy into the rest of the organisation.”

One of CVG’s recent successes has been in digital wiring boards.

These LCD screens replace traditional harness boards, and several can be strung together for larger harnesses.

Securing cables and wires and protecting them from wear and tear, wire harnesses are provided for a variety of industrial applications by CVG, whose electronic wire harness assemblies are integrated with its electrical distribution systems to provide user control over multiple operational functions and features.

CVG has already experienced the benefits of the innovative digital wiring boards on a global scale.

70 | EME Outlook issue 47

“Our digital wiring boards have been one of our key enablers for improving speed to market,” Tajer explains. “The ability to move quickly is an integral part of our value proposition because it enables our customers to beat their competition to market and differentiate themselves with their new ideas.”

While speed is one crucial factor in helping customers succeed, CVG’s design and engineering capabilities provides its customers with even greater advantage in the market.

“We do so much more than creating parts to spec, although we can do that too; our real value comes to play when we can ideate, design and engineer alongside our customers to ensure that they are striking the right balance between materials, technology and function,” says Tajer. “It could be part of our current mix of products or something new entirely – our capabilities are extensive and we’re able to bring our expertise to many different markets.”

Senosan®️ multi-layer co-extruded plastic sheets and films may include any of the following resins: ABS, PMMA, ABS/PMMA, ABS/ASA, ABS/PC-Blend + PMMA, TPO, ABS/ TPU, TPR and PC. The multi-layer constructions are engineered to meet the demand of the end-use application.

The business relationship with Commercial Vehicles Group and Senoplast has grown over the last three years, and this is a result of the shared efforts of the technical and product development teams between both companies. We look forward to the continued relationship and the opportunity to satisfy the material needs of CVG through our Senosan®️ product lines. We can see a bright future of partnership and opportunities ahead.

www.senoplast.com

We are your commercial vehicle or an important part of it.

Commercial vehicles, trucks, bus, rail Applications for the mobile world of tomorrow Senoplast produces high performance plastic sheets and films under the brand names of senosan® and senotop® for thermoforming applications in automotive, commercial vehicle and other related industries.

Product development according to customer specifications The demand for individualisation, new drive train technologies and special purpose vehicles reduces the annual quantities per model for automotive and other original equipment manufacturers. Since tooling investment is comparatively low, this trend makes thermoforming an increasingly interesting production technology. Quality leadership and many years of automotive experience make Senoplast the logical partner for new vehicle concepts in thermoforming.

The sum of product features speaks for senosan® Many of the major automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturers rely on senosan® and senotop® brand plastic sheets and films which have a broad range of applications in the automotive industry and related branches. senosan® and senotop® products stand out with their unique variety of colors and huge range of surface designs.

UV-stability, high impact resistance, high temperature stability, recyclability and excellent thermoforming behaviour are the main reasons why automotive customers choose Senoplast products.

Senoplast S.A. de C.V. · Parque Industrial Querétaro, Av. La Noria No. 123 C.P. 76220 Santa Rosa Jáuregui, Qro., México Tel.: +52 442 192 46 00 · Fax: +52 442 215 93 49 · mexico-office@senoplast.com Senoplast USA · 75 Executive Drive, Suite 129, Aurora, IL 60504, USA Phone: +1 / 630 / 898 / 0731 · customers-us-ca@senoplast.com

www.senoplast.com ·

Senoplast

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

Swiss Technologies Swiss Technologies has a commitment to EXCELLENCE in Precision Machined Parts.

Swiss Tech has over 150 years of combined experience in screw machine and Swiss machining.

We are dedicated to delivering the highest quality machined parts with zero defects on time, every time.

We specialize in creating intricate Swiss and screw machine parts using Swiss Escomatics, Swiss Star CNC’S, HAAS CNC, Mazak CNC’S, Fanuc EDM, Davenports, Warner Swasey, New Britain, and Acme Gridley Multi Spindles.

CVG CORE VALUES CVG is united by its five core values: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT – CVG is committed to getting better every day, both individually and collectively.

INTEGRITY – Building trust and long-lasting relationships with customers, vendors and coworkers.

TEAMWORK – Encouraging input from all stakeholders, demonstrating respect for others’ ideas, and sharing credit for successes that the team achieves.

SENSE OF URGENCY – Working smarter and finding ways to rid itself of activities that add little value, thereby making room to focus on what does matter dayto-day.

INNOVATION – Product innovation is a primary focus of CVG and one of the main reasons that it has become an industry leader.

72 | EME Outlook issue 47

CVG manufactures efficient, dependable and optimised cable assembly products for a wide variety of applications and will soon launch high-voltage distribution boxes and a revolutionary new seat for the entire industry.

Regardless of the product, CVG leverages state-of-theart manufacturing capabilities to consistently delivery higher efficiencies and throughput, collaborating with customers to develop tested, reliable and expertly engineered solutions that stand the test of time.

We serve a variety of customers in the following fields: Automotive & Heavy Truck, Medical, Electronics, Consumer Products, Gas & Hydraulic Industry, Gun, Knife and some Defense Industries.

We are open 24/5 for most needs and 24/7 for emergency needs.

We produce medium to high volume parts. Typical production runs are 5,000 to five million of any one part number or family of parts.

We turn most metals and plastics.

Sizes from 0.019 inches to three inches OD to 18 inches long, with holes as small as 0.010 inches.

We are ISO Certified using sophisticated measuring with lot traceability on all orders.

Visit our website below and look at what Swiss Tech has to offer.

ULTIMATE FLEXIBILITY More than a manufacturer, CVG provides design and development, coupled with engineering capabilities, experience and scale to help customers across the product development life cycle. This allows the engineering team to anchor largescale engineering programmes, while the company’s software platforms help OEMs and suppliers design electrical systems and save significant time and money.

T 865-560-1011 www.swisstechinc.net

TEC H N O L O G IES

PRECISION MACHINED PARTS

TM

SWISS TECHNOLOGIES CAPABILITIES • EDM MACHINING • Machine Processes: Contour Turning, Form Turning, Taper Turning, Straight Turning • Threading: Internal and External • Drilling, Slotting, Knurling, Milling, and Broaching • Materials: Alloy Steels, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Stainless Steel, Plastic, PEEK, Nylon And Delron

ADVANCED TURNING EQUIPMENT FOR ALL YOUR PRECISION MACHINING NEEDS

• Types of Turning Machines: Swiss Star CNC’s and Lathes, Escomatic Wire Machines, Mazak CNC’s, HAAS CNC, Nexturn Swiss CNC, Multi Spindles (New Britian’s, Acme Gridleys, Warner Swasey and Davenports) • Secondary Services Available: Heat Treating, Plating, Deburring, Tumbling and Polishing • Part diameters: (0.508 mm) 0.020” to (76.2 mm) 3” Lengths to 18” • Tolerances: +/- 0.0003” (Depending on part configuration) • Inspection: ISO CERTIFIED • Production Volume: Prototyping for Production ( Medium to High Volumes) up to 5 Million per part number • In House Quoting with RUSH SERVICES AVAILABLE

Phone: 865 560 1011 Email: info@swisstechinc.net www.swisstechinc.net

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

RECMAR Products RECMAR Products is the leading provider of curtain track systems and drapery hardware to heavy truck manufacturers and other Tier 1 suppliers in the US, Mexico, and Australia.

Our company also supplies many aircraft, boat/ship, and RV manufacturers with curtain track components and interior trim extrusions, including multiple US defense contractors.

For over 35 years, RECMAR Products has collaborated with most of the US heavy truck brands and interior cab Tier 1 suppliers. We offer consultations during the cab design phase as new models are developed, and quickly bring production on-line to deliver custom curtain hardware solutions.

A wide range of manufacturing processes provide nearly unlimited cost and design options, bolstered by CVG’s engineering expertise which includes processes such as pre-launch inspections, routing consultations, document changes or improvements, and customisation of wiring systems.

This variety of processes and expertise provide the ultimate level of flexibility in terms of cost, design, lead time and styling options. As such, CVG can mix and match any combination of its engineering offerings to suit the needs of clients.

“We become part of their programme teams – we understand the engineering they need to do and the standards they need to meet,” Tajer states. “We embed our engineers into the customers’ teams, meaning we take that product development weight off of them, develop it, test it and launch it.”

It means that from the initial concept to the finished product, customers keep coming back to CVG for design, manufacturing and value-added assembly services. With years of experience in demanding applications, CVG quickly analyses the challenges at hand and develops solutions best fit 74 | EME Outlook issue 47

for each application.

“We’re making a difference for customers with our products and our people, and we’re trying to have fun while doing it. If we’re not having fun, we’re not doing it right,” emphasises Tajer.

As well as working together with customers, CVG collaborates with key suppliers to identify and implement saving opportunities for total cost improvement.

CVG’s supplier partnerships deliver results that increase value for everyone, and create a mechanism to encourage and foster mutually beneficial ideas and shared goals.

It is this exchange of ideas that provides CVG with the opportunity to improve margins for its partners, who can expect greater profitability through shared savings and the continual improvement of delivered products.

Likewise, CVG is committed to sustainability as it continuously finds new ways to improve its products and processes. The company believes that it cannot thrive without meeting the needs of employees and customers, giving back to the community, and minimising its

We offer a wide range of existing track systems that can be integrated into cab designs, including hardware for windshield wrap-around curtains, divider curtains, and window coverings. RECMAR Products also manufactures more snap tape for the heavy truck industry than any other supplier in the country. Whether it’s a new track design or customization of existing track systems, RECMAR Products is the premier choice.

RECMAR Products also supplies interior trim extrusions and other extruded and injection molded components. We can provide tooling or utilize existing injection molds for production. Our capabilities include injection molding, CNC bending, CNC routing, sonic welding, punching, riveting, drilling, custom snap tape, and component assembly.

RECMAR Products is IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 certified and has been recognized as a PACCAR 10 PPM and 50 PPM supplier 14 different years.

Quality is our top priority.

www.recmar.com

SUPPLYING THE HEAVY TRUCK OEM MARKET FOR OVER 40 YEARS • Curtain Track Systems • Snap Tape • Custom Injection Molding & Extrusion • Track Customization • Bending • Routing • Punching/Drilling • Assembly • Interior Extrusions & Trim • Heavy Truck & Bus • Aircraft • RV • Boat/Marine • Military

+1 (713) 944-4885 service@recmar.com

www.recmar.com IATF 16949 Certified

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

negative environmental impact.

For this reason, CVG strives daily to improve the company and explore progressive ideas, while building a company that its people, shareholders and global community are proud to be a part of. As commercial vehicle companies add electric vehicles to their fleets with the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality and a lower impact on climate change, CVG is there to support that goal with state-of-theart technology and equipment.

STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY A company culture where people from all walks of life can connect and feel welcome continues to be cultivated by CVG. CVG is committed to providing a safe work environment that celebrates different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints. CVG is also building an inclusive community diverse in age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation and more, and elevating its understanding of diversity and inclusion through training, workshops and honest conversations.

“We are committed to our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

We know that the strength of our company comes from the diversity of our employees and the regions that we operate in because it gives us a broad range of ideas which makes us all stronger,” says Kristin Mathers, Chief Human Resources Officer at CVG. The business case for diversity and inclusion is stronger than ever.

Companies that value diversity are widely believed to experience greater levels of both operational and financial success, courtesy of a greater capacity to solve problems and reduce bias. The most diverse companies are now more likely than ever to outperform less diverse companies when it comes to profitability.

DEI is therefore proven to drive business performance and innovation, 76 | EME Outlook issue 47

as not only do companies with a more diverse workforce experience increased productivity, but they have been shown to have a competitive advantage in the industry.

As a global company, CVG strives to create a workplace that is reflective of the communities where it lives and works, recognising the need for an environment where all backgrounds and perspectives are respected, and everyone can work to the best of their ability.

CVG’s shared diversity mission is to build and sustain a diverse workforce, and to advance a global culture of acceptance and inclusion.

“We are a globally diverse company; of the 7,500 employees at CVG, about 80 percent are located outside of the US. While we’re proud of that, we recognize the need to do more to ensure that everyone feels included regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or other life choices they make.” Mathers affirms.

“While every person in the organization needs to act on DEI

initiatives for this to succeed, it’s the responsibility of the leadership team to demonstrate their commitment and play an active role in moving the needle,” she continues. “We’re injecting DEI measures across the system, but leadership is taking it a step further with initiatives like our DEI Counsel where people can share ideas and we can really create change across the entire organisation. It’s tangible actions like this that will lead us to a stronger company, more integrated communities, and more fulfilled teams and individuals.”

WOMEN IN MANUFACTURING In the manufacturing Manufacturing, DEI is often focused on women because the industry has been historically male-dominated. Fewer than one in three manufacturing professionals today are female, despite the fact that women make up nearly half of the overall workforce in the US. Women are also more likely to leave the manufacturing industry than their

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

KYODA PLASTICS LIMITED 1407 SHAWSON DRIVE, MISSISSAUGA, ON CANADA L4W 1C4 T 905.670.7222

Proud to be a trusted supplier to CVG

KYODAPLASTICS.COM

1407 Shawson Drive, MISSISSAUGA, ON, L4W 1C4 CANADA Phone: - 905-670-7222 | Email: joda@kyodaplastics.com kyodaplastics.com

Contact Us : dbr.engg@lucastvs.co.in , oe@lucastvs.co.in

EME Outlook issue 47 | 77

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

male counterparts, perhaps owing to a number of factors such as a lack of work-life balance and flexible working arrangements.

CVG is a proud member of Women in Manufacturing (WIM). WIM is the only national and global trade association dedicated to providing year-round support to women who have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry, working to empower female workers and strengthen the manufacturing.

“While the manufacturing industry is known to be very male-dominated, CVG has done a tremendous job to ensure that women are represented in our facilities around the world, with nearly equal representation.

Our real opportunity for growth is at the leadership level, where it’s very difficult to acquire female talent,” says Mathers.

While smart technology has facilitated the automation and digitisation of manufacturing processes, and thereby increased female participation, the manufacturing still lags in terms of gender diversity.

“There is plenty of female talent out there, but it’s up to us at CVG, and the manufacturing industry as a whole, to create the kind of careers that provide people with a good life; sure, part of that is competitive pay, but it’s also job security, benefits, flexibility and a sense of belonging and purpose.”

Manufacturing is an industry that is constantly innovating, and varied perspectives allow companies such as CVG to remain at the forefront of their manufacturing.

A recent report by McKinsey found that companies in the top quartile of gender diversity on executive teams were 25 percent more likely to experience above-average profitability than peer companies in the fourth quartile.

Moreover, it found that companies with more than 30 percent female representation on their executive 78 | EME Outlook issue 47

teams are significantly more likely to outperform those with a lower percentage of women in executive roles.

“We, as women, won’t typically raise our hand unless we know we are 100 percent capable of doing the job.

We need to get to a place where we are comfortable with 80 percent, so we are given the opportunity to show what we’re really capable of.”

Mathers joined CVG in September 2021, but she has already observed positive change at the company, after some restructuring that occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What I’ve seen is the ability of the company, even in a demanding manufacturing environment, to remain flexible. We have a lot of essential workers that need to work at a physical location, but we can do our part to ensure that we encourage flexibility where possible for current workers and those coming in. This doesn’t always mean work from home; it could mean flexible hours, part-time work or other ways of working differently in our manufacturing plants if they need it,” Mathers notes.

“Culturally, we are now more accepting of remote and flexible working, and we ask all of our employees what they need from us to be successful, be it work environment or otherwise. We are figuring out what that balance is for us to ensure that everybody feels respected, engaged and happy.”

Creating an inclusive community takes teamwork, and CVG knows firsthand how innovative a diverse team can be as it helps to shape the future of transportation.

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP Phone: (614) 289-5360 Jason.Gray@cvgrp.com www.cvgrp.com

Part Hunters Part Hunters, a distributor supporting the hectic and constantly evolving supply chain for commercial, industrial, automotive, and aerospace markets connecting OEMs, CMs, and EMS companies to allocated, long lead-time, or obsolete electronics and electromechanical components.

We understand that customers such as CVG require more than a supplier; but a strategic partnership and extension of their purchasing and quality group to stay competitive in their marketplace.

Leveraging 20+ years of Fortune 500 company’s asset management for R.O.I on E&O with custom supply chain programs.

No part is out of our scope!

www.parthunters.com

Superior Die, Tool and Machine As one of CVG’s intragal supply partners, Superior takes our commitment to customer service and dependability to the next level.

We understand what it means to deliver the right part, at the right time, every time.

Superior has built our reputation on over 100 years of service to our customers, supported by skilled tool & die makers, trained productions inspectors and discplined production professionals.

We take on the parts that most stamping companies would avoid.

We make lemonade out of lemons, that just what we do, that a Superior Experience.

www.superior-dietool.com

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE GROUP MANUFACTURING

Meeting the demands of OEMs and contract manufacturers PartHunters is an independent U.S. based distributor specializing in obsolete, hard to find, and long lead time industrial and commercial electronic components.

We are primarily focused on meeting the demands of OEMs and contract manufacturers. With access to millions of parts worldwide, Part Hunters will immediately locate available parts through our extensive resource network.

1-727-939-4824 ext. 109 | tony@parthunters.com www.parthunters.com

WWW.SUPERIOR-DIETOOL.COM

As one of CVG’s integral supply partners, Superior takes our commitment to customer service and dependability to the next level.

We understand what it means to deliver the right part, at the right time, every time.

Superior has built our reputation over 108 years of service to our customers, supported by skilled tool & die makers, trained production inspectors and disciplined production/engineering professionals.

We take on the parts that most stamping companies would avoid. With 36 presses located in 2 facilities, from 250 to 2000 tons, robotic, progressive or manual, there isn’t much we can’t accommodate.

We make lemonade out of lemons, that’s just what we do.

Think big, we do.

Headquarters: Superior Die, Tool and Machine, LCC, 2301 Fairwood Ave, Columbus, OH 43207

EME Outlook issue 47 | 79

SHI TECHNOLOGY

HYBRID EVERYTHING In the era of remote and hybrid working patterns, SHI is empowering organisations to adapt to changing business models and workplace strategies. Donavan Hutchinson, Managing Director of SHI UK, tells us how Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Marvin Iseghehi

The future is hybrid.”

With so many businesses now adopting cloud-based technologies and hybrid working models, security should be a key focus for every organisation according to Donavan Hutchinson, Managing Director of SHI UK. Indeed, since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the number of phishing and firmware attacks, and ransomware has become increasingly problematic for many companies.

“Recent predictions suggest that once people settle into their new working routines, there will be an increase in remote workers of more than 300 percent compared to prepandemic levels,” Hutchinson reveals.

“With this in mind, many more people are working in a hybrid environment using both corporate

Donavan Hutchinson heads-up SHI UK – a global provider of technology solutions, established in 1989 and today serving more than 15,000 organisations of all shapes and sizes

and home networks. This specifically has presented a larger problem for many organisations with more devices now being connected to corporate networks, leading to a change in how they manage security as a whole and ensure the protection of their core data.”

More than just the tools and software applications being deployed on a client’s network, security goes far beyond that, with training requirements for all employees and the health and management of devices on and off the network also taken into consideration.

Security is therefore essential, and SHI International Corporation (SHI) has been working with many clients to help safeguard their digital infrastructure, given the number of solutions available to help monitor and protect organisations’ hybrid and remote setups.

EME Outlook issue 47 | 81

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Your GoTo. Making IT Easy, anywhere

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tools to communicate, connect, support, and t GoTo, we believe your most important secure their workforces. But that alone isn’t asset is your time. Whether you’re enough — loud and clear our users said they spending it on a big work project or need simplicity and ease of use. planning your next great family adventure, your time matters. Nothing bothers us more than technology that steals time: whether it’s glitchy meetings, patchy remote access, unhelpful support, or a tool that’s so counterintuitive, it feels like more work to use it. SPACE ALLOCATED TO GOTO That’s why we relaunched LogMeIn as GoTo in February this year.

We built the new GoTo by listening to our nearly 1 million customers and the challenges they face.

We analysed the behaviours of over a billion users joining meetings and webinars, and half a billion connections on our remote access and support tools. What we heard is that SMBs need

84 | EME Outlook issue 47

GoTo is about empowering you to get work done anywhere, at any time.

We set out to unify our products and hone our vision. With the only IT management & support and communications portfolio that’s easy to use and even easier to deploy. Anchored by one app, one admin system, and a hyperfocus on security and reliability, we’ve launched two flagship products — GoTo Connect and GoTo Resolve.

Our flexible-work software is purposefully built so everyone can make the most of the time they have. In addition to our products, we also made GoTo easier to find, easier to understand, and easier to do business with.

Your GoTo. Making IT Easy, anywhere

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No matter where in the world your employees are, we’ve got you covered. We ensure that business continues without disruption while your devices stay up and running and your employees continue to connect with one another and your customers. We are the only company that can say that. No one else can both support and connect SMBs with near 100% up-time performance, 24/7 dedicated support, and a first of its kind, zero trust approach to security.

GoTo is about empowering you to get work done anywhere, at any time. Our portfolio gives you the tools to allow your employees to get work done on their own terms: from taking business calls on the go, to hosting virtual gatherings or webinars, to troubleshooting laptops and devices. No matter where in the world your employees are, we’ve got you covered. We ensure that business continues without disruption while your devices stay up and running and your employees continue to connect with one another and your customers. We are the only company that can say that. No one else can both support and connect SMBs with near 100% up-time performance, 24/7 dedicated support, and a first of its kind, zero trust approach to security.

We want our technology to be seamless and fade into our the technology background. you can focus on into We want to So be seamless and fade getting work done on what really the background.

Soand you moving can focus ontogetting work done andSimply moving on to what really matters.

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We asset setis your out unify our products and hone time.to Whether you’re spending it on a big work project or planning your our vision.

With the only IT management & next great family adventure, your time matters.

Nothing bothers us more than technology that support and communications portfolio that’s steals time: whether it’s glitchy meetings, patchy remote access, unhelpful support, or a tool that’s so easy to use and even counterintuitive, it feels like more work to use it. easier to deploy. t GoTo, we believe your most important

That’s why we relaunched LogMeIn as GoTo in February this year.

We built the new GoTo by listening to our nearly 1 GoTo is customers about empowering you to get work million and the challenges they face. We done anywhere, at any time.

Oura portfolio gives analysed the behaviours of over billion users joining you the tools allow your get meetings andto webinars, andemployees half a billiontoconnections on our remote access and support tools.

What we work done on their own terms: from taking heard is that need to communicate, business callsSMBs on the go,tools to hosting virtual connect, support, and secure their workforces. But gatherings or webinars, to troubleshooting that alone isn’t enough — loud and clear our users laptops and devices. said they need simplicity and ease of use.

We set out to unify our products and hone our vision. With the only IT management & support and communications portfolio that’s easy to use and even easier to deploy. Anchored by one app, one admin system, and a hyperfocus on security and reliability, we’ve launched two flagship products — GoTo Connect and GoTo Resolve. Our flexible-work software is purposefully built so everyone can make the most of the time they have. In addition to our products, we also made GoTo easier to find, easier to understand, and easier to do business with.

It’s time to discover your new GoTo. It’s time to discover your new GoTo. – Jamie Domenici, Chief Marketing Officer at GoTo Jamie Domenici, Chief Marketing Officer at GoTo Contact your SHI account manager today to find out more about how GoTo can help Make IT easy, anywhere.

Contact your SHI account manager today to find out more about how GoTo can help Make IT easy, anywhere.

E partner.requests@goto.com | goto.com www.goto.com

“Multi-factor authentication is one of the focuses we are seeing for many organisations, amongst significant investments in new technologies being deployed to help secure their infrastructure,” notes Hutchinson.

A global provider of technology solutions, SHI was established in 1989 and today serves more than 15,000 organisations of all shapes and sizes, including some of the world’s largest multinational companies, supporting them as they address, acquire, and adopt new technologies.

Throughout that time, SHI has remained private and under the leadership of Thai Lee, making it the largest Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) in the US. Guided by the current ownership for more than three decades, steady growth has allowed SHI to transform itself into a $12 billion global provider 86 | EME Outlook issue 47

of technology products and services.

This growth has been a direct result of SHI’s highly skilled and tenured sales force, backed by a dedicated team of software volume licensing experts, hardware procurement specialists, and certified IT service professionals.

The company is headquartered in New Jersey with several offices across the US, with local presence

in territories such as the UK, France, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia.

“Our plans for international growth include significantly increasing our presence in Europe by the end of 2022,” Hutchinson confirms.

PERSONAL SERVICE Whilst SHI’s portfolio of solutions is incredibly broad, with more

“ W E ’ R E O F T E N S E E N BY C U STO M E R S A S H AV I N G T H E R E A C H O F A G L O B A L S O LU T I O N S P R OV I D E R , B U T W I T H T H E L E V E L O F E X P E R T I S E T H E Y H AV E P R E V I O U S LY O N LY B E E N A B L E T O G E T F R O M L O C A L T E C H N O LO G Y PA R T N E R S ” – D O N AVA N H U T C H I N S O N , M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R , S H I U K

SHI TECHNOLOGY

than 10,000 vendor partners, the outcomes delivered to customers are all aligned with four key pillars: Infrastructure (data centre, cloud, networking), End User and Collaboration, Cybersecurity, and IT Optimisation.

Despite having more than 5,000 colleagues around the world, and the sheer scope of the company’s technical expertise, a key differentiator for SHI customers is the very personal service they receive.

“We like to think of ourselves as being “ridiculously helpful” to our customers, ensuring that they get exactly what they need in order to achieve their desired outcomes,” Hutchinson emphasises.

“We’re often seen by customers as having the reach of a global solutions provider, but with the level of expertise they have previously only been able to get from local

technology partners.”

Being privately owned allows SHI to be more self-determined in its investments, and the company currently has two exciting initiatives in Europe which will bring significant value to SHI’s local customers.

Firstly, SHI is building out state-ofthe-art Integration Centres in both the UK and the Netherlands, combining warehousing, configuration and deployment facilities.

SHI Integration Centres are home to specialist teams for data centre and end user computing, so no matter whether shipping new equipment to thousands of home-based workers or setting up a new internal data centre, SHI has the skills and tools to make light work of unique requirements.

Both centres will be operational by late 2022, and will complement SHI’s existing facilities in the US, France, and Singapore.

EME OUTLOOK: WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE TECH INDUSTRY AT THE MOMENT? DONAVAN HUTCHINSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR: “The industry continues to be exciting but also ever evolving. With the changes in how businesses operate from pre-pandemic models to more hybrid working solutions, this has had a major impact on the way that organisations communicate as a whole.

“With continued investment in technology to enable businesses to continue operating, this has led to a skills shortage and created an opportunity for more people to enter the technology market from other industries.

“Whilst there have been challenges in the market with regards to component and chip set shortages, it has resulted in more software-based solutions and organisations surfacing to find creative ways to collaborate and keep businesses secure and productive.

“As the world has been forced to evolve, technology has become even more important, and it’s exciting to see people embracing technology and wanting to get involved. The industry is now creating more and more opportunities, and is very buoyant given that businesses need to invest in order to keep their businesses operating.”

The second initiative is continued investment in local expertise, a great example of which is the team behind SHI’s recent regional Cisco Gold Certification.

“SHI has been a major Cisco partner in the US for many years and now, thanks to significant investment, we can offer that same level of expertise to our customers across Europe,” shares Hutchinson.

At SHI’s Customer Innovation Centre (CIC), meanwhile, technological breakthroughs both large and small can be achieved with guidance from the company’s solution architects and engineers.

Providing customers with the means to disrupt their industry, the CIC has on-demand access to soughtafter technical advice and real-world wisdom, to help identify, adopt, and implement the right technology investments quickly with lower costs and risks.

EFFICIENT SUPPLY CHAIN A major advantage of working with SHI is the company’s ability to accelerate customers’ time to value, by sourcing hardware faster than its competitors.

One of the ways that SHI does this is by not having one single supply chain, but in effect multiple options for most major vendors.

“SHI is a major partner globally for most vendors, which means that our customers benefit from the attention and prioritisation that demands,” Hutchinson tells us.

“Combining our Integration Centres with warehousing facilities owned by distribution partners gives SHI a highly effective and efficient supply chain for customers around the world.”

It is SHI’s philosophy of longterm partnerships with legacy and emerging IT suppliers that has transformed the company into an industry-leading complete IT solutions provider.

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SHI TECHNOLOGY

EME OUTLOOK: COULD YOU PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT INTO YOUR CAREER TO DATE? DONAVAN HUTCHINSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR: “My entry into the technology industry started around 20 years ago, at which point I had no experience in the sector.

“Having joined an international value-added reseller (VAR), I was trained and developed in a sales role which ultimately kick-started my journey within the industry. Since then, I have worked with several organisations to either set up international collaboration programmes or to create new businesses for US-based VARs, to extend their capability and reach into the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market.

“Having set up businesses from scratch to become successful organisations, led acquisitions, created operational efficiencies within existing organisations, and worked across many departments throughout my career, my skills have continued to develop.

“Although the last two decades have been spent in the tech space, my ultimate goal is to eventually have my own RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) facility.”

“SHI has long-term partners of all types, whether it’s our own staff, customers, or suppliers. Longevity is very much a core value, meaning we value a continued relationship over short-term gain. Again, being privately owned helps as it affords us the luxury of thinking longer term.”

In the last five years, SHI has improved its value proposition to both partners and customers, having invested in new areas such as transformation and optimisation services.

“This means that we are no longer just an effective way to procure technology, but also a key enabler that ensures it’s the right technology, deployed in the right way, and continually optimised in terms of performance and cost,” Hutchinson explains.

Preserving the environment and fostering a sustainable future are also crucial principles of SHI’s overall 90 | EME Outlook issue 47

business strategy. Incorporating environmentally-friendly initiatives – whether internally or alongside their partners – the company is striving to minimise the amount of yearly technology waste and maximise its impact towards a greener planet.

DIVERSE VOICES Diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) is integral to SHI and has been since inception. As you would expect for the US’ largest MWBE, the company is passionate about supporting DEI. This commitment is evidenced in SHI’s support for employee resource groups (ERGs) such as Women in SHI (WiSH), EMBRACE, and the Black Culture Collective. Through the ERGs and other initiatives, SHI is also actively involved in supporting local community causes.

“SHI promotes DEI both internally and externally by raising awareness through all online platforms,” states

Hutchinson, for whom DEI and employee engagement within the technology industry has been a key focus over the last 20 years.

“I’m heavily involved in SHI’s DEI efforts internationally, a member of our WiSH board, and Chairman of EMBRACE, which is focused on the LGBTQ+ communities both within and outside of SHI but also an advocate for all key communities and ERGs within the business.”

Hutchinson believes strongly in fostering a workplace that allows everyone to be the best version of themselves, and ensuring that SHI provides opportunities for all employees to develop and grow internally.

SHI’s recruitment efforts, and focus on DEI, have allowed it to create a strong company culture that transcends the whole organisation.

In the UK specifically, the focus on DEI has resulted in a fairly even split between male and female employees at SHI, a unique attribute in the IT industry. In 2021, the company was awarded the Gender Parity award from CRN UK for its DEI efforts, and focus on driving more women into the technology sector through hiring programmes.

“Our focus on DEI also extends to supplier diversity, and helping to track and manage diversity spend across all categories in which we sell,” Hutchinson adds.

Fuelled by DEI, SHI will continue to steadily grow by supporting the evolving technology needs of its customers, whether that’s through new Integration Centres, building out expertise for key vendors in local markets, or creating a local presence where customers need it most.

Tel: +44 (0) 1908 300 370 info@shi.com Uk.SHI.com

When recycling is wrong: why we reuse passwords when we know we shouldn’t.

its importance or are being lazy,” explains chartered psychologist and professor of psychology at Bournemouth University, John McAlaney. “It’s often just the case people feel they have many other tasks that need to be done with limited resources.”

80 percent of data breaches are caused by weak, reused, or stolen passwords. With passwords having been with us since the dawn of computing, why haven’t we mastered them?

The number one rule, then, is to use different passwords – all the time, everywhere. “One should have a reputable password manager which will create complex, strong passwords and store them in an encrypted file,” says professor of cyber security at Ulster University, Kevin Curran. “You then only need to remember one master password, and the password manager will automatically take care of logging you into different sites with secure passwords.”

The nature of our digital lives necessitates that we create more complicated, unique combinations of letters, spaces, phrases, upper-case, lower-case, signs and symbols in order to access the services we rely on at home and at work. These are only growing: a recent study from LastPass shows 90 percent of people have as many as 50 online accounts. Given our time-pressed lives, is it any wonder that, even in 2022, the top five most common passwords leaked to the dark web were ‘123456’, ‘12345678’, ‘Qwerty’, ‘Password’, and ‘12345’?

Today, a single compromised account can easily create a disastrous domino effect where not only the original target suffers, but so do their contacts, suppliers, and everyone else in their wider network – in fact, recycled passwords are often the first point of entry into conducting a successful supply-chain attack. Financial and reputational damage can easily spiral out of control, and one stolen credential is all it might take.

However, password managers only work if individuals fully trust them to generate and safely store passwords – and users need to have them installed on every device they use to access their accounts, points out CIO of Endava, Helena Nimmo. LastPass’s business password manager, for example, protects all endpoints across the organisation, wherever employees work, with full control for IT over deployment and policies.

So, it’s up to organisations to implement safeguards, maintaining a balance between usability, security, and keeping the onus of responsibility away from weighing too heavily on the user.

But the idea that people are a ‘weak link’ in security is perhaps an unfair misnomer. If an individual is juggling a lot of tasks, they may not prioritise security. This “doesn’t mean they don’t understand

For more information, visit lastpass.com/business

DORMIO CONSTRUCTION

THE SUITE LIFE OF T H E H OT E L I N D U S T R Dormio offers a vast array of resorts and hotels in inspiring holiday destinations.

CEO, Don Van Schaik describes the premium services on offer Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Nicholas Kernan

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The holiday industry is the most beautiful industry to work in, because you get to see the most stunning places on earth and people are happy most of the time,” opens the impassioned CEO of Dormio, Don Van Schaik.

“To create new resorts and hotels is also beautiful because you are creating things for the future. It comes with the responsibility to make beautiful objects which fit into their surroundings so they will be appreciated in the long-term.”

EME Outlook issue 47 | 93

WE DESIGN YOUR STORY TO TELL ...

DESIGNED BY RH INTERIEURS

INTERIOR DESIGN get in touch info@rhinterieurs.nl or call us at +31 (0) 180- 390 970 www.rhinterieurs.nl

It is this unapologetic enthusiasm for creating a memorable and unique holiday experience for customers, that places Dormio at the forefront of the highly competitive tourism industry.

Dormio specialises in the rental, management and operation of resorts and hotels in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France and Spain.

The main focus of all its resorts and hotels is to provide visitors with the best holiday experience, a high level of service and excellent hospitality, in order to enjoy a wonderful, relaxing stay.

The locations of Dormio’s resorts and hotels are all totally unique and cater to many tastes of vacationing.

Whether you’re craving a sun-soaked beachside stay in the summer, a stunning escape to the French Alps in the winter, a bustling city break in your own country, or a more relaxing 96 | EME Outlook issue 47

A SELECTION OF DORMIO RESORTS DORMIO RESORT OBERTRAUN: A luxury resort in Austria, south-east of Salzburg. The hotel lies in a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site 300 metres from Lake Hallstatt and offers 82 luxurious chalets, ranging from two to 16 guests. The Obertraun complex has many facilities such as a swimming pool, a restaurant, a mini-market and reception.

DORMIO RESORT MAASTRICHT, THE NETHERLANDS: Here you will find various luxury apartments and holiday homes for two to 20 people, perfect for a superb holiday together. Just a 10-minute bicycle ride from the famous Vrijthof in Maastricht, you can enjoy your holiday at the most luxurious destination in Limburg.

DORMIO RESORT COSTA BLANCA BEACH AND SPA: In El Campello, in the Alicante area, directly located on the Mediterranean Sea in Spain, you’ll find Dormio Resort, Costa Blanca Beach and Spa. This four-star superior resort consists of 126 luxury four and six-person apartments with spacious terraces and high-quality facilities. You can also walk straight to Cala Lanuza from your apartment. In Dormio Resort Costa Blanca Beach and Spa, you can combine the relaxing beach life and luxury under the comfortable warmth of the Spanish sun.

Usually we don’t pay that much attention to our surroundings. Unless we go on a trip. Travelling through new environments makes us extra aware of the things around us.

Early explorers travelled all over the world to trade. They came back with new flavours, new colours, new scents, and above all: new ideas.

During a trip we encounter all kinds of inconveniences. By thinking about them and solving them, we gain surprising new insights. Insights we can only get while traveling.

All those experiences, smells, colours, tastes and stories turn into the ingredients for a new story.

Your story.

We are RH Interieurs.

We are specialists in telling stories through interior design.

We are happy to travel together with you. Deeply involved and with respect for nature and people, we would like to enter into a longterm partnership with you. On a journey in which we find solutions, discover new things and especially pay a lot of attention to the shapes and colours that tell your story.

We design and produce interior design and furnishings for holiday homes, hotels and offices. We prefer to accompany you from the very beginning: when the construction blue-prints are not even final yet.

From there we will search for the best solutions, colours and shapes.

Together we find the story that the design should tell and our design team will translate that into rooms, areas, entrances and the interior and the style elements in the finishing touch.

When developing a concept, we like to work together with our regular partners in the Netherlands and Europe. Durable, practical and of great quality.

In other words: we take travelling with you very seriously. The story we can tell at the end of the journey should be able to change people, touch them and make them take action. It’s your story. We can help you to tell it through design.

Creating a relaxing and comfortable stay That’s the goal of hospitality groups, to make you feel at home.

To meet the requirements of their guests, modern hospitality groups must incorporate connectivity capabilities that have become part of everyday life for most of their guests.

High-speed internet, televisions and displays that support multi-platform streaming and casting have become the norm. Supplying these services on a larger scale can pose implementation, maintenance, and cost challenges.

3Bplus B.V. Ohmstraat 52, 3335 LT Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands Email algemeen@3bplus.nl Phone +3178-2034021 www.3bplus.nl

Smart Cable Technology B.V. Hoogstad 259, 3131 KX Vlaardingen, the Netherlands Email info@smartcable.nl Phone +31 (0)10 2480630 www.smartcable.nl

LG Electronics Krijgsman 1, 1186 DM Amstelveen, the Netherlands E-mail b2b.benelux@lge.com Phone 020 456 3100 www.lgsolutions.nl

DORMIO CONSTRUCTION

Costa Blanca Resort

Costa Blanca Resort

Maastricht Herenhuis

Don Van Schaik

trip surrounded by nature, Dormio has a huge variety of choice on offer.

All Dormio’s resorts and hotels are built in the style of the country they are located in, so that clients really feel like you’re away from it all and engrossed in the holiday experience.

“I founded Dormio together with two older partners in 2001.

We started as a sole development company, developing parks in various countries in Europe for brands like Landal Greenparks and Centre Parcs.

Then, in 2010 I decided to start the management and rental activities.

Now, Dormio performs all these activities: development, sales of the individual units, and management and rental of the resorts and hotels,” explains Van Schaik.

“ O U R G O A L I S T O M A I N TA I N O U R H I G H Q U A L I T Y S E R V I C E I N A D I F F I C U LT C O N S T R U C T I O N M A R K E T. D O R M I O D O E S N ’ T A I M T O B E T H E B I G G E S T, B U T T H E B E S T I N THE BUSINESS”

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– D O N VA N S C H A I K , C E O , D O R M I O

“The construction business is much harder and more direct than many others. You want to get a certain quality within a certain deadline, and you want to pay as little as possible. The negotiations are harder and certainly in the current market circumstances, it isn’t easy to get things built, due to new environmental regulations, alongside heavy construction costs.

PREMIUM EXPERIENCE “The quality of our homes and the variety of accommodation in our resorts is what makes Dormio different compared to other developers in our sector. With our architects and engineers, we create resorts which don’t look like the traditional holiday parks with lots of the same houses,” explains Van Schaik.

Supplying exceptional guest satisfaction, long-term customer relationships and future-proof solutions for modern hospitality.

T

hrough a partnership with trusted telecoms and smart technology advisor 3BPlus and the renowned industry system integrator and support company, Smart Cable Technology (Smart Cable), LG directly addresses the need for a single entity, multi-supplier integrated connectivity solution in the hospitality market. This partnership focuses on providing customers with efficient, all-inone Hospitality TV solutions (both hotel and leisure resorts) that meet and exceed requirements in the long term.

A shared philosophy and approach are essential when providing exceptional service alongside partners. When it comes to connectivity, building a future-proof solution that addresses the customer’s immediate and future needs is vital for sustainability, both on a business level and a customer-provider relationship level. 3BPlus, LG and Smart Cable share this approach.

3BPlus works directly with the customer to define their needs and assess potential solutions. They act as a bridge between this customer and any suppliers, giving exceptional customer support.

Once a solution has been identified, Smart Cable handles the implementation of technical aspects, whether existing infrastructure or new networking installations. LG provides the customer with the displays and televisions that they need, in this case, Hotel TVs.

T +3178-2034021

|

Both 3BPlus and Smart Cable have extensive experience, making them ideal for directly addressing individual customer needs and requirements.

This level of flexibility is key to success and excellent service.

A complete solution may go beyond high-speed internet and integrated streaming services, including EV (Electric Vehicle) charging units, air conditioning units, or lighting systems. The networks that 3BPlus and Smart Cable present and install are inherently modular, meaning that if in the future, a customer requires added capabilities, a complete upgrade isn’t needed. This can save the customer money in the long term and forms a sustainable customer relationship built around continued service and support.

Jan Willem Blok, LG Electronics: “It is very important to do business with companies like 3BPlus and Smart Cable because they really know what they are doing.

Selling a Hotel TV or another product is not just about selling a box. It’s about providing a complete solution to the end-user.”

LG Information Display offers digital signage solutions for various business environments, like government, corporate, and leisure. While this partnership focuses on the hospitality Construction, particularly leisure resorts, the joint approach and its products can be applied anywhere.

E algemeen@3bplus.nl

|

www.3bplus.nl

DORMIO CONSTRUCTION

Quintes Originating in 2015/2016 in the beautiful Dormio Resort in Maastricht, REINDERS assurantiegroep has arranged the complete insurance package for Dormio as well as for the owners of the houses and apartments.

Last year, REINDERS assurantiegroep joined Quintes Verzekeren en Risicobeheer. This has effectively enabled us to easily offer more national coverage, whilst creating even more opportunities for our customers and our relations - as seen with Dormio Group. Since we are now represented all over the country, we can quickly provide a local advisor in case of an emergency. Despite the change to a new name, our service is still as diligent as before, and we still remain locally involved.

Our Quintes advisors are experts in insurance and risk management and truly care for our relations. We like to get to know our relations well, so that we can give them customized advice. Since mutual trust is the best basis for a long lasting relationship, we also think it is important that you get to know us! We are completely independent and can therefore always find the best insurance combination for you. We have our own Quintes managing general agent (MGA) and bourse company to offer optimal support for the larger risks.

We greatly value our relation with Dormio Group and look forward to continue to advise and help them in the future.

Hotel de Prins van Oranje

With this enthusiasm for variety and by creating types of houses which look like historical homes in the area, Dormio excels in the design of resorts which are pretty to visit and don’t look like projects, but instead resemble organic builds. This ensures a guaranteed level of business sustainability, not only due to the construction quality, but by keeping the array of properties interesting for tourists over a long period of time.

Dormio has curated a vast database which consists of over 25,000 potential buyers of holiday homes, 102 | EME Outlook issue 47

who follow the company, allowing them to easily reach large numbers of possible customers.

Refusing to stand still in the travel landscape, Dormio has an exciting slate of projects already in motion for the coming year, none more so than the ‘Dormio resort Veluwemeer’ initiative based in Holland. This project contains five different conceptual themes within one holiday park, across 300 holiday homes, both indoor and outdoor pools, children’s play areas and a variety of gastronomy and retail within the resort.

Quintes Verzekeren en Risicobeheer

www.quintes.nl

DORMIO CONSTRUCTION

Maastricht building

EME Outlook issue 47 | 103

DORMIO CONSTRUCTION

J.J. Darboven Alfredo Espresso is a coffee brand of coffee roaster J.J. Darboven Hamburg. Although Alfredo Espresso is roasted in Germany, it’s Italian to the core.

Passion meets Dolce Vita.

There are 7 Alfredo blends from 100 procent Arabica coffee up to a strong Italian espresso for an espresso or coffeespecialty with milk.

Enjoy the espresso moments!

Artist’s impression of Medemblik Dijkhuys

The site is situated just outside the Walibi Holland theme park and on the shore of one of the most attractive recreational areas in the entire nation, the Veluwemeer. This convenient location is also found in the heart of the Netherlands and is therefore very attractive for short stay vacations.

“We currently have two projects in Holland on the market: Dormio Resort Medemblik and Dormio Resort and Hotel de Hondsrug. With both of these projects we hope to start building in the fall of 2022. The project in Curacao, Dutch Antilles, is a future development we are also very excited about,” adds Van Schaik.

Flexibility is especially important to Dormio. To meet a customer’s holiday preferences, the options are flexible as to the number of days available to stay.

“A midweek, a long weekend or 10 days at your favourite holiday destination? Everything is possible!

This means you are not bound by fixed periods or arrival days,” he says.

INVESTING IN PEOPLE POWER “For Dormio it’s important to have reliable partners working on the projects. The construction partners we collaborate with vary depending on the country we are working in, for example in Holland we are working only with partners who possess a proven track record in their business.

This is the only way to ensure the 104 | EME Outlook issue 47

Alfredo Espresso of J.J. Darboven is a partner of the Dormio Group.

quality we are aiming for,” Van Schaik comments.

“We try to be an attractive company by giving our colleagues a lot of freedom. They can unfold their abilities as much as possible and because we have a great variety of types of colleagues (technical, creative, commercial, financial, developers) in house, we try to connect them together with internal events.

It’s this culture of inclusivity that helps create such a positive feeling across the many resorts, which is highly appreciated by the Dormio team, resulting in minimal staff turnover in general. With 350 people

employed all across Europe, including 65 in the main office in Arnhem, the company continues to grow in order to facilitate the popularity of the resorts and the booming business that Dormio continues to attract.

“Our goal is it to maintain our high-quality service in a difficult construction market. This also goes for the touristic part of the business, in improving services and achieving the highest possible Net Promoter Score (NPS) that we can get.

“Dormio doesn’t aim to be the biggest, but the best in the business,” Van Schaik concludes proudly.

Tel: +31 (0)26 353 7700 info@dormio.eu www.dormio.eu

DORMIO CONSTRUCTION

Passion meets Dolce Vita Original Italian espresso

Alfredo Espresso is a coffee brand of J.J. Darboven, partner of Dormio Group

www.darboven.nl

Making the difference.

Inventing the future with a human perspective

FURNITURE DESIGN REALISATION

Your partner in the broad hospitalitysector www.eiffageinfraestructuras.es

www.kajainteriors.com

EME Outlook issue 47 | 105

THE SUMMIT OF I TA L I A N D E S I G N Architecture exists as a rooted cultural thread in Italy.

We speak to Branko Zrnic, President of ATI Project, and talk about the relatively young company, its projects and explosive success in the sector Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Nicholas Kernan

ATI PROJECT CONSTRUCTION

A

rchitecture has been at the centre of Italian culture for thousands of years.

To witness this, one only has to look to the marvels of antiquity: the country’s Roman aqueducts, the grandeur of the Colosseum and the carved marble statues of gods and emperors.

Indeed, the Romans were the first civilisation to make use of concretelike materials widely across the construction of cities and settlements, and in line with this historic tie, architecture has remained a deeply rooted part of Italy’s identity through to the present era.

Today the sector is very competitive and constantly evolving, both in terms of territorial distribution and in terms of the required performance standards. This favours a company structure that is organised, flexible, open to innovation, and that uses a multidisciplinary approach calibrated on the needs of the projects.

“The Italian market is always interesting and stimulating to work in,” begins Branko Zrnic, President of ATI Project. “Many important public and private investments are ongoing at the moment, with very challenging deadlines and requirements in terms of social, environmental, and economic sustainability, as well as overall architectural quality and technological performance. We see this as our opportunity for further development.”

Having graduated in architecture and civil engineering in Pisa, Zrnic moved on to work in the field of sustainable integrated design, an area in which he has remained since 2007.

In 2011, Zrnic became a founding partner and President of ATI Project, an international company specialised in integrated design in architecture and engineering, and committed to the development of sustainable buildings with reduced environmental impact.

Forti Headquarters

EME Outlook issue 47 | 107

ATI Sport Day 2022

THE FASTEST GROWING DESIGN COMPANY ATI Project is a relatively young company operating in an historic industry.

“Our story has been ongoing for 11 years so far,” Zrnic tells us. “We specialise in integrated design, effectively covering all aspects of a project – from an architectural, structural and MEP (mechanical, engineering and plumbing) perspective. Our studio has grown exponentially in the past years, and is continuing to do so. As a result, we’ve been named ‘the fastest growing Italian design company’.

“We started as a team of two people in our Pisa office in 2011 – me as an architect and structural designer, and my partner Luca Serri as a plant engineer (mechanical and electrical), both specialising in bioclimatic and sustainable design.

Today, our team exceeds 300 professionals (both architects and engineers), across eight offices in six countries.”

ATI Project is based in Pisa and Milan (Italy), Belgrade (Serbia), Copenhagen 108 | EME Outlook issue 47

ATI PROJECT BEING RESPONSIBLE, BEYOND BUSINESS

practices of change through small

ATI Project’s corporate culture is built

the professionalism, ambition and

around the themes of sustainability

tenacity of those who, every day, make

and the spirit of sharing. ATI Project

a responsible commitment to building

is convinced that the commitment of

a better future, respecting people,

a company should not be confined

safety and the environment.

but constant widespread actions.

ATI Project’s philosophy presupposes

exclusively to business-related choices but should instead be integrated

Giving substance to its principles,

into everyday life and become the

creating a deep link between what it

representative of a broader and

achieves and what it believes in; this is

tangential vision, to stimulate good

the ethical commitment of ATI Project.

and Odense (Denmark), Geneva (Switzerland), Paris (France), and most recently, Tallinn (Estonia). The company manages all of its work using building information modelling (BIM), from the initial design phases until the final stages of constructive design and project management, and has an overall annual turnover exceeding €20 million in design services.

“Other than integrated design and project management, we are highly specialised in tender management

on an international level, where we give our support to construction companies in developing technical offers for works or design and build tenders,” Zrnic adds.

TOP TIER SERVICES ATI Project provides its clients a full suite of services supported by a team of multidisciplinary professionals bringing the best of Italian architecture to each client.

The company does not only promise

ATI PROJECT CONSTRUCTION

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quality but delivers it, a fact proven by its recent accolades.

“We moved from 103rd in the Top Italian Architecture and Design Firms in 2017, to third in 2021, making us one of the top five architecture firms in the country at the moment,” Zrnic tells us proudly. “Our design approach is characterised by a participation process with our client as well as posing maximum attention to sustainability aspects, from both environmental, social and economic point of view that are fundamental in all our projects. Our design team is our main strength – we fully cover all different design stages (preliminary, main, executive, constructive design, works supervision) in all disciplines (AR-ST-MEP).

“We are a young, cohesive, multidisciplinary and energetic team always ready to meet new challenges.

This has allowed us to approach and become experienced in a very wide range of activities and project

Nyt OUH University Hospital

typologies.

“We are also investing a lot into R&D, striving for innovation and improvement in every new day.

Furthermore, it is interesting to say that we changed our clients more than once in our short history: we started working on interior designs for private houses, so after a few years our clients were mostly real

estate investors. Then we started working for public clients in Italy, and focused on our internationalisation in the following years. Today we work for public and private clients, both Italian and international. We were very flexible and capable in managing these changes according to specific market conditions.”

According to Zrnic, through all EME Outlook issue 47 | 109

New Tallinn Hospital

of this, the secret to ATI Project’s success has always been its team, having grown with the company and continued to incorporate individual expertise as part of a greater whole.

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH ATI Project currently operates in a 50/50 split between Italy and the rest of the world. In light of this, international growth is a large part of the company’s future aims.

“The main countries we are currently working in and that are a part of our growth strategies are Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Estonia, Romania, and Serbia,” Zrnic explains. “We are also seeking to open a new office in the Middle East and looking forward to new opportunities and projects there.

“Our goal for the future is to be involved in a number of projects, but of relevant size and importance, with integrated involvement for all disciplines in all design stages.”

In Europe, ATI Project is working on the development of two major hospital projects in Denmark (New Odense University Hospital with JV (CMB and Itinera) and New Bispebjerg Hospital with Rizzani de Eccher as GC), as well as on the renovation of the UN office at Geneva, together with the JV (CMB + Italiana Costruzioni + CSC).

“These have been very exciting experiences and extremely complex 110 | EME Outlook issue 47

ATI PROJECT IN NUMBERS

100

adventures that turned us into a real international design company capable of exporting Italian design in other European countries, and assisting Italian General Contractors (GCs) in winning important tenders worldwide – in all three of these interventions, we have been involved alongside GCs during the tender phases, giving our maximum support in the development of the technical offers which were very challenging given the size and complexity of the interventions, and then continued working on the projects subsequently.

Furthermore, we have recently started working on another major hospital project - the New Tallinn Hospital in Estonia - and are very excited for being a part of this important intervention.”

MORE THAN

PLANS DOMESTIC AND ABROAD

YEARS OF ACTIVITY AND CONSTANT GROWTH SINCE 2011

11

A TEAM OF OVER

300

PROFESSIONALS

8

INTERNATIONAL OFFICES OVER

PROJECTS, COVERING OVER ONEMILLION SQUARE METRES

250

SUCCESSFUL interventions (each in a different stage). For each of them we’ve created dedicated front offices and have design teams with over 50 resources per project that have been involved in them for several years,” Zrnic continues.

“It was these three design

ATI Project is also undertaking infrastructure works in Italy, including the design of over 70 schools and educational institutions around the country.

“We are very proud of this. We’ve been working on these projects since our foundation, and have enjoyed each and every one of them,” Zrnic reflects. “It is incredibly rewarding to see how much we’ve learned and how much we have grown professionally through these experiences. Recently

ATI PROJECT CONSTRUCTION

Co-founder Luca Serri with Branko Zrnic

Dino Compagni School

Dino Compagni School

we have started a major involvement in public and private university project design, which we see as one of the main directions of further growth and development in this field.

“Education is of course just one of many sectors we have been working on in Italy - our studio has developed various project typologies, but

our focus remains on healthcare, educational, residential and office buildings. All of these interventions have a great social impact, not only for their direct users, but also for the communities where they are being built. We always have this in mind and give our best to design inclusive and inspiring environments, and through

participatory design processes.”

Moving ahead, ATI Project’s priorities are intertwined with its mission to start new stimulating and inspiring projects, both in Italy and in an international environment.

“Although we are a numerous team, we want to make sure we provide maximum quality in all our activities – we are looking through many new opportunities and possible interventions, and are starting to be more selective in terms of the typology and location of projects that we take part in.

“Our priority is working on relevant projects not only in terms of size or complexity but also for their social and environmental impact, in the strategically individuated countries, and being involved from the concept design stage. This type of involvement allows us to apply all our experience and values, as well as our expertise in integrated design. We always enjoy the initial participatory design phases that we develop and personalise with our clients, and that is very important in order to successfully respond to all project requirements and develop buildings that respond to all user’s needs.”

Tel: +39 050 578460 info@atiproject.com https://atiproject.com EME Outlook issue 47 | 111

WINDHOIST ENERGY & UTILITIES

WINDS OF CHANGE Wind turbine installations are a breeze for Windhoist, whose Managing Director, Euan Fenelon, highlights some key onshore and offshore projects Writer: Jack Salter Project Manager: Marvin Iseghehi

The wind energy industry is maturing. It’s much more commercially driven now than it has ever been before, and performance expectations are much higher in terms of quality and safety.”

Conscious of these heightened expectations, amid the global offshore wind boom, is the Managing Director of Windhoist, Euan Fenelon.

A leading wind turbine installation contractor, Windhoist offers heavy cranage, mechanical and electrical services to principal wind turbine suppliers in the market, including Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, Nordex, and more.

The Scottish company was established in 2005, after its founders identified the need for a UK-based mechanical and electrical installation turnkey supplier to the emerging wind 112 | EME Outlook issue 47

Hornsea offshore wind farm construction

industry.

Since then, Windhoist has delivered more than 11 gigawatts (GW) of capacity and invested in a number of key competencies, specifically to service the needs of the offshore wind sector. Today, it is part of The

Windlogix Group (Windlogix), where Fenelon is also Chief Operating Officer.

“There are three companies within Windlogix (Windhoist, Stowen, and Hexis). Windhoist is the crane and installation side of the group, in which

we do onshore and offshore wind farm installations,” he explains.

Windlogix’s modular concept allows the company to serve customers globally, whilst maintaining the same high levels of quality, HSE (health, safety and environment), and

schedule adherence.

Launched in March, the integration of the three businesses will deliver a “one stop shop” service delivery ethos to the on and offshore renewable market, meeting expectations from the construction, through operations

to the demobilisation phases of wind farm development.

With a wide spectrum of capabilities, the Windlogix model reduces interface risk for customers and adds value through synergies provided within the group.

EME Outlook issue 47 | 113

The Future Of Crane Operators

Services: Mobile And Crawler Crane Operators For assembly the wind turbines Assisting Crane Operators For loading and offloading the components Riggers Personnel for helping assembly main cranes as well helping loading and offloading wind turbine parts Truck Drivers Helping with relocation of the cranes on wind park Wind Turbine Technicians Assembly and maintenance the wind turbines Rope Access Technicians / IRATA Service of wind turbines and blades SPMT Operators Relocating heavy weights as bridges, offshore components with specialized equipment

Linnankatu 13a A 10, 20100 Turku T: +358 44 241 6552 E: markku.lehkonen@rentop.fi.

Rentop.fi

WINDHOIST ENERGY & UTILITIES

EME OUTLOOK: COULD YOU PROVIDE US WITH SOME INSIGHT INTO YOUR CAREER IN WIND ENERGY? “I joined Scottish Power in 2003 where I worked for 14 years in various roles, including power generation in a coalfired power station, before moving into the renewables industry.

“A role came up in safety operations for Iberdrola, where I headed up their offshore safety management programme working on offshore wind farms.

“I then moved to Natural Power as Director of Operations and Asset Management for four years, prior to joining Windhoist in 2021.”

COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT Windhoist has an advanced suite of heavy lift craneage. Operating a comprehensive and diverse fleet of heavy cranes generally specialised for the wind industry, the company provides services including one-off lifts and multi-unit contracts, giving an all-round, complete solution.

“We have five main cranes and a number of support cranes in the business that deliver support on and offshore,” outlines Fenelon.

“It can take up to 60 truckloads to move a Liebherr LG 1750, which is one of our biggest cranes, from one location to another.”

The LG 1750 is a heavy lifting, 116 | EME Outlook issue 47

lattice-tower mobile crane that combines the flexibility of a 750tonne crawler crane with the mobility of a fast-moving truck crane from the same load category. Four extremely rigid, folding arms of generous size make up the star pattern supports, dominating the appearance of the crane’s chassis.

“Highly competent staff are needed to drive these cranes because they are pretty complicated things. You can’t just drive them on the road straight away, you need special permits,” Fenelon continues.

“We have a core team that leads the installation of wind farms on

and offshore, as well as electrical/ mechanical personnel who deliver support to the sites, from full wind farm project management to supplying just one person to a project.”

By utilising its multi-disciplinary in-house teams, Windhoist works with customers to ensure they achieve their targets and gain maximum return on their investment. Likewise, the company also works closely with a number of local suppliers to support its operations.

“The good thing is that local people benefit from local supply chains, they benefit from the wind being there, so

R

entop was founded in 2018 and has now grown to an international company with over 245 lifting professionals. Our professionals consist of riggers, assist crane operators, truck drivers, wind turbine technicians, rope access technicians, SPMT operators, main crane operators and technicians with IRATA. You can always count on us for all your lifting personnel needs, no matter how big or small.

We are dedicated to professionalism, responsibility, and ensuring safety. Whether you need experienced professionals or extensive training, or project planning, management, and supervision – we are here to help!

When you need a skilled crane operator, we will provide the perfect operator for the right equipment, the right job, and of course, the right client.

Our operators have extensive experience in using various lifting equipment and working at all kinds of sites, both big and small. If you are not sure what kind of equipment or operator you need, it is our job to be sure and help you. Regardless of the extent of your personnel needs, do not hesitate to contact us.

Our professional operators are adept at handling a wide variety of equipment, from telehandlers to the largest cranes. We will provide you with a wellprepared and experienced team, no matter the size of the machinery.

We operate in metal, forestry, energy, and bio

industries, especially in wind turbine, mining, construction, and other manufacturing industries.

We value honesty, openness and solidarity. We pride ourselves on always being honest - to ourselves and to our customers and other affiliates.

We openly bring up all the facts that affect the safety as well as the quality and reliability of our services. We truly care for our employees and have various programmes and policies in place to assure our personnel’s overall wellbeing.

Our leading thought is that this will result in strong work ethic, great quality of our services, engaged employees and an attractive workplace.

Rentop Oy supported Windhoist on Nysater Wind Farm in Sweden. We supported our client from March until the beginning of December.

We have been asked to deliver professional main crane operators for assembling the wind turbines, assisting crane operators to support the project by offloading the wind turbines and cranes components. It was a huge role played by our riggers, who helped Windhoist with relocation of the main cranes between the turbines.

“The cooperation with Windhoist was extremely professional, friendly and open minded. Together we had one goal which we have achieved.”

– Markku Lehkonen, Managing Director of Rentop For more information and how we could assist you please contact us directly at markku.lehkonen@rentop.fi.

E markku.lehkonen@rentop.fi.

|

Rentop.fi

WINDHOIST ENERGY & UTILITIES

we’re quite keen to keep progressing with that kind of ethos.

“It also gets the local people on side when we’re on site because you become quite the focus when you’re building wind farms. It’s a highly visible process, so you want to get on well with local suppliers as well as local people,” emphasises Fenelon.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS Onshore, Windhoist is providing full project management at the Kennoxhead wind farm cluster in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Boasting an anticipated installed capacity of 174 megawatts (MW), the cluster is being built in two separate phases, with the first expected to enter commercial operation in 2022.

“We’re currently delivering projects in Scotland, Finland, Norway, Taiwan and Morocco, and we have done work all over the world.

“With 25 years of history in the industry, we have a lot of competent

people here that have been delivering many different types of wind turbines.

That in itself can be a challenge because every turbine you see nowadays is brand-new, there are new variations, but we have the experience to take on these new turbines having dealt with change before,” Fenelon tells us.

Elsewhere, Windhoist recently completed the pre-assembly of 165 wind turbines at Hornsea Two off the Yorkshire coast, powering well over 1.3 million homes with green electricity.

Hornsea Two is located adjacent to Hornsea One, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, where Windhoist also completed pre-assembly operations.

“The Hornsea Two pre-assembly was a very interesting process.

We had two large jack-up vessels constantly rotating, each collecting sets of four pre-assembled wind turbines ready for installation offshore,” reveals Fenelon.

WINDHOIST SERVICES – AT A GLANCE WIND TURBINE INSTALLATION PACKAGES – Part of the Windlogix group, the real strength of Windhoist is in its ability to provide a turnkey wind turbine installation package. These packages include a full contract lift cranage solution, with all lift studies, method statements, risk assessments and lift plans compiled by a dedicated team of engineers.

MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL SERVICES – Offering specialist mechanical/electrical services to the wind energy industry, Windhoist’s multi-disciplinary technicians are highly skilled and have vast experience working for major wind turbine manufacturers.

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING – Vital to avoid the unnecessary extra costs caused by wind farm downtime, Windhoist can help to reduce expenses by providing a comprehensive maintenance and servicing package.

WIND FARM DECOMMISSIONING – With the rapid development of wind turbine technology, there is an increasing demand for the decommissioning and dismantling of old, damaged or compromised wind turbines.

118 | EME Outlook issue 47

Safetech Consulting & Training Ltd In 2013, Safetech Consulting & Training Ltd. became the only approved Training Provider in Republic of Ireland to deliver accredited certification/cards to people working in the UK Construction Energy & Utilities.

Established in 2003 by Maria Sweeney, Safetech, an award winning company, has a team of 28 employees and over 80 trainers. This company has grown exponentially and delivers a large suite of training in Ireland and parts of the UK. Accreditations include IOSH, QQI, City & Guilds, CIEH, EUSR, CITB, CPCS, NOCN, PHECC, SQA, Irish Heart Foundation, RTITB, and NPORS. Safetech have centres in Dublin, Galway and Donegal and is currently seeking to set up a base in southern Ireland and in the UK.

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WINDHOIST ENERGY & UTILITIES

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EME Outlook issue 47 | 119

WINDHOIST ENERGY & UTILITIES

“ W E U N D E R S TA N D A L L D I F F E R E N T K I N D S OF CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS AND H OW TO D E L I V E R I N T H E M ” – E UA N F E N E LO N , M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R , W I N D H O I ST

COLD WEATHER EXPERIENCE Completed in harsh conditions, Windhoist’s huge experience in cold weather delivery was essential to the successful delivery of Nysater projects in Sweden.

Windhoist’s experience has been gained on some of the most difficult sites seen in Europe, with floated roads, steep inclines, and meagre wind abatements providing numerous challenges to the company’s crane operators and technicians.

Each site, no matter how difficult, “We effectively had two operations running, each with an LR1750 and LR1300 crane and full installation teams assembling the turbines 24/7, each servicing one of the two jack-up vessels.

“It was a considerable process which saw us deal with significant challenges, such as COVID-19, but we never missed the boat, were always on time, and our quality level was very high. Good collaboration with the client meant we managed to get over the line with very little health or safety issues.”

Windhoist also carried out wind turbine pre-assembly work for the 588 MW Beatrice offshore wind farm, the second largest in Scotland. Beatrice’s 84 wind turbines became fully operational in June 2019, providing enough wind-powered electricity for up to 450,000 homes.

“Beatrice, along with Hornsea One and Two, are the biggest offshore wind farms we’ve done. We also built one of the biggest onshore wind farms in Northern Europe, called Nysater in Sweden, comprising 114 turbines,” Fenelon highlights.

120 | EME Outlook issue 47

is perceived by Windhoist as part of a learning curve, to develop a strategy that maintains high standards of safety, performance and quality in what is a high-risk industry.

“One of the projects that we’re delivering is the second-most northerly wind farm in the world, 500 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, and that brings all sorts of challenges that we are very much used to in cold weather delivery,” says Fenelon.

“We’ve also delivered in the middle of Morocco, so we understand all different kinds of challenging environments and how to deliver in them.

“Obviously crane hire and the process of getting the turbines built is a highly time-dependent process, and you can only build in certain weather conditions, so we are always trying to find ways to help the client accelerate

their programme, get ahead of the game, or react to weather issues when they actually happen,” he continues.

Scale is a key driver of the offshore wind boom, as next-generation turbines will stand up to 250 metres tall and must be able to cope with some of the harshest conditions on the planet for more than 25 years.

Around 100 GW of offshore wind capacity is expected to be deployed globally by 2030, and whilst Europe has very much been at the forefront of this energy revolution, turbines are now being deployed in even deeper waters further from shore across the world, from Asia to the Americas.

Since its establishment, Windhoist has greatly expanded in terms of scope, geographical coverage, and employee numbers. Though the company is now recognised as the largest wind turbine installation contractor in the UK, with an increasing market share in Europe and beyond, further geographical expansion is set to breathe fresh air into the company’s world-leading offshore operations.

“We want to diversify our clients

and our geographies, those are the two big things,” Fenelon affirms.

“Everybody wants to build wind farms in the summer, especially in the Nordics where the winters are extremely harsh, so we’d like to diversify into winter work.

“We’ve got a number of main clients, but we really need to be in a bigger space, and that will come with geographical growth as well, where our clients are also working. It’s an important part of the Windlogix strategy and we’d like to be delivering the same level of quality service in new geographical areas over the coming years. This has already begun with our work in Taiwan but we are ambitious about pushing into new geographies.”

WINDHOIST Tel: +44 (0) 1 294 204 860 enquiries@windhoist.co.uk https://windlogix.com EME Outlook issue 47 | 121

TA I LO R - M A D E R E M OT E S I T E SOLUTIONS

CIS GROUP FOOD & DRINK

We sit down with the executive team at CIS Group, whose integrated services and solutions strive to improve on-site comfort and wellbeing Writer: Jack Salter Project Manager: Kyle Livingstone

LOCAL ENTITIES, INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS A single point of contact for tailormade solutions on the African continent.

Since 1992, this has been the defining role of CIS Group (CIS).

Constantly adapting to the most isolated environments, CIS has supported the remote offshore and onshore projects of major players in the fields of energy, mining, construction, and the armed forces for three decades.

With a total of 290 operating sites and 15,000 employees, CIS’ subsidiaries support extreme zone operations in 19 countries worldwide, 14 of which are in Africa, where it has been present for more than 28 years.

From large-scale mining projects in Mauritania to operations in the Katanga jungle, from oil platforms in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to oilfields in the Algerian desert, the group’s local companies are dedicated to providing quality, international-standard services to its clients.

Isolation, fast-paced work, and crowded conditions can compromise and complicate on-site lifestyles and living environments; as such, improving the quality of life for people on-site is CIS’ ambition for all four corners of Africa and the rest of the world.

52 percent of CIS’ revenue was generated in Africa in 2021, with more than 26 million meals provided across the continent. Catering has been EME Outlook issue 47 | 123

CIS GROUP FOOD & DRINK

Ferwerda Worldwide Meat Suppliers Ferwerda Worldwide Meat Suppliers is based in Rotterdam and owns a private coldstore (8000 m2) with 3000mt of stock. On a daily basis, we export to many African countries, all kinds of frozen meat, like beef, pork, lamb, mutton, chicken, poultry products and sausages.

We offer high quality products, imported from South America, Australia, New Zealand and many European countries. We also supply a whole frozen range of frozen items like fish, butter, vegetables, French fries, ice cream and pizzas.

Mauritania base

customs as well as international quality standards.

Working closely with clients to develop menus that are adapted to their residents, the chefs at CIS also prepare traditional dishes every month or during dedicated events, whilst through its health4you nutritional programme and colourcoding system, the group promotes balanced, healthy diets on-site.

Our salesmarkets worldwide include: ship supply, cruise vessels, remote site catering, import companies, offshore, peacekeeping & military forces (un) and hotels.

FIGHT AGAINST FOOD WASTE the core business of CIS from the very beginning, around which it has developed smart, innovative solutions for remote sites.

Bringing turnkey solutions to clients to optimise daily on-site management and improve the quality of life of residents, CIS optimises the supply chain and guarantees best practices in food safety.

“On-site mealtimes are convivial in their own right, and our chefs are the masters of this,” acclaims Eugène Badji, Executive Chef within CIS since 2006.

CIS’ catering teams do everything possible to develop recipes that combine conviviality, culinary expertise and nutritional balance, while respecting eating habits and 124 | EME Outlook issue 47

CIS addresses the environmental footprint that can arise from introducing community projects, through multiple initiatives and by encouraging conservation as part of a sustainable strategy.

“CIS deploys a connected scale solution through food waste monitoring, to limit food waste and better manage our kitchens,” says CIS Managing Director, Yannick Morillon.

“Out of a total of six scales installed on our sites, CIS was able to avoid 42 tonnes of food waste in 2021, the equivalent of 79,000 meals! With organisation, good tools and good products, you can perform miracles.”

Together with real expertise in accommodation services and facility and utility management, such as water/wastewater treatment and

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CIS GROUP FOOD & DRINK

multi-technical maintenance, the safety and comfort of residents is secured, as is the performance of on-site equipment.

CIS, whose activities in Eritrea are carried out at an isolated site on the Dahlak Archipelago, is a true showcase of the group’s full catering and facility management expertise.

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE Because CIS plays a central role in the wellbeing of thousands of workers around the world, the group is committed to operational excellence for all customers.

Health and safety is a fundamental principle for CIS, and the continuous pursuit of ‘zero incidents’ is therefore a top priority.

CIS Chad catering teams

126 | EME Outlook issue 47

2021 saw CIS Chad celebrate a record 16 years without a lost time injury (LTI) at the Komé 5 site, with more than 13.8 million hours of work completed without an LTI. CIS’ Mauritanian subsidiary also recently celebrated 10 million hours without an LTI in April 2022, thanks to the commitment of its teams to limit the risk of accidents.

INNOVATION AT THE HEART OF CIS’ STRATEGY Through its Innovation Committee, CIS integrates technological developments into its services to anticipate future needs and bring added value to its operations.

“The growth of CIS is based on our capacity for innovation, anticipation,

and adaptation to the future needs of our customers and residents,” notes Morillon.

It is CIS’ range of value-added services that differentiates the group, as it seeks to improve on-site quality of life, work with customers and partners on the living environment of the future, anticipate the energy transition, and reduce its environmental footprint.

Around its core business of catering and facility management, CIS has developed smart4you, a complete range of smart solutions to bring comfort and safety to residents, and contribute to the performance of customers through the daily management of their sites.

CIS in Congo

Culinary training

CIS in Malawi

“ O N - S I T E M E A LT I M E S A R E C O N V I V I A L I N T H E I R O W N R I G H T, A N D O U R C H E F S A R E THE MASTERS OF THIS” – EUGÈNE BADJI, EXECUTIVE CHEF SINCE 2006, CIS GROUP

“The solutions implemented by the group are based on the smart4you brand, which is built around the four pillars essential to life on-site: safety, wellbeing, monitoring, and performance.”

LOCAL CONTENT As CIS is usually one of the first organisations to establish a presence in the vicinity of major new industrial projects, the group always pays particular attention to the local area in all operations.

CIS is committed to sustainable

development, and has put in place policies and actions to advance the socio-economic and environmental prospects of local populations.

Over the years, CIS has been able to develop its operations in the DRC and diversify its client base. The DRC is the second-largest country on the African continent and is rich in natural resources, which is why it is considered by the group as having strategic importance and great potential.

“In 2021, CIS’ subsidiaries in DRC had more than 500 employees and 17

operations,” Andreas Michelis, Director of Subsidiaries in Congo, tells us.

By promoting local employment, CIS further contributes to local economic development in its countries of operation in Africa.

Over the past ten years, a policy of nationalising management positions has been implemented, enabling the group to achieve a 99 percent local employment rate.

In Chad, for instance, all management positions have been nationalised and all staff dedicated to the operations of CIS client, EEPCI (ExxonMobil), are Chadian nationals.

“Today, more than 99 percent of our staff are Chadian, and there is real pride in seeing compatriots hold management positions and deliver both qualitative and quantitative performance,” states Haroun Yaya Sabre, HR Director of CIS’ Chadian subsidiary.

EME Outlook issue 47 | 127

CIS GROUP FOOD & DRINK

Yannick Morillon in DRC

CIS supporting an orphanage in Chad

Virtual reality module in Burkina Faso

Training is also an essential tool for enhancing skills, enabling employees to improve their abilities, adapt to change, and foster their professional development. Last year, 71,000 hours of training was provided within CIS, up from 54,000 in 2020.

In addition, 11 African chefs from Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Senegal took part in a unique training course in France in 2019 with an experienced chef.

“This is a real opportunity for the evolution of the skills of our chefs in terms of culinary techniques, food safety and brigade management.

“Significant training programmes have enabled nationals to reach the 128 | EME Outlook issue 47

management positions they hold today. I am an example of this, after 18 years with CIS Chad,” Sabre adds.

To improve employees’ learning capabilities, CIS is implementing a virtual reality training project in its kitchens that will be gradually rolled out to its African subsidiaries in 2022-23.

SOCIAL PROJECTS Complementary to this, CIS is supporting local agricultural production by developing partnerships with local suppliers and creating cooperatives with local farmers.

In 2021, at the group’s Tasiast site in Mauritania where it has been

operating continuously for a decade, two thirds of purchases were made with local suppliers.

“Our Mauritanian subsidiary in particular obtains local flour from Grands Moulins de Mauritanie, and most of its meat comes from Mauritanian livestock (sheep and camels),” shares Morillon.

In Burkina Faso, meanwhile, CIS supports an agricultural farm that produces vegetables without pesticides or chemical fertilisers, purchasing 4,000 chickens per month from a local family business.

Agricultural groups are likewise supported by CIS in Mali, where the group incidentally contributed to a spraying campaign against Malaria in more than 10 villages in the town of Yanfolila.

An agricultural programme has also been set up in the industrial Arlit region of Niger, with a direct economic impact on the employment of 50 women and indirectly affecting more than 1,000 Nigeriens in the area, where a drip irrigation system has been installed to limit water consumption.

“Since September 2021, our Algerian subsidiary, Cieptal, has been implementing a local fruit and vegetable direct-to-farmer project where 45 tonnes of local fresh fruit and vegetables are delivered twice a

CIS GROUP FOOD & DRINK

“THE GROWTH OF CIS IS BASED ON O U R C A PAC I T Y F O R I N N O VAT I O N , A N T I C I P AT I O N , A N D A D A P TAT I O N T O T H E FUTURE NEEDS OF O U R C U STO M E R S AND RESIDENTS” – YA N N I C K M O R I L L O N , M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R , C I S GROUP

week, stored in a new warehouse in Algiers, and then transported to the site,” Morillon continues.

“Without intermediaries, Cieptal can better control the supply chain, as well as the quality and freshness of the goods to the satisfaction of its customers.

“Finally, the Mozambique First project encompasses all aspects of CIS’ local content and sustainable development initiatives in Mozambique. In order to be fully integrated in each country, we work in close collaboration with national and regional authorities, as well as with local entities, and encourage the employment of citizens from the populated areas near the project,” reveals CIS Mozambique Site Manager, Sérgio Moreira.

CIS’ sustainable development programme, ‘A Brighter Future’, was launched in 2018 in Chad, through which the group carries out social projects each year in villages close to its operating sites.

Support for orphanages, donations, village electrification, access to drinking water – the list of social actions goes on, carried out with the sole aim of improving the standard of living in local populations.

“CIS participates in many community support efforts through sponsorships and other means. We

CIS logistics team in Mozambique

are particularly committed to helping the most disadvantaged, and finances and supports orphanages in Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo and Niger,” Morillon confirms.

“In Burkina Faso, CIS purchases soap from a women’s association, allowing them to benefit from a monthly income. Last year, the group also helped to finance a soccer tournament in Darou Fall, Senegal to strengthen peace and social cohesion in the village.

Social and environmental concerns in the context of CIS’ activities, and

relations with stakeholders, have always been at the heart of the group’s priorities.

It is up to CIS to intensify this virtuous model, which will also enable the emergence of new drivers of sustainable growth.

CIS GROUP www.cis-integratedservices.com EME Outlook issue 47 | 129

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

What is your greatest success story of initiating change within your company?

Euan Fenelon Managing Director, Windhoist “Windhoist was acquired two and a half years ago by private equity firm Star Capital Partnership, and in that time has gone through massive change. This involved huge changes in operations, the ethos within the business, and in the delivery of quality to the client, and I think it has paid massive benefits. Our health and safety record and our quality records have improved markedly over the last 12 to 18 months, and internally we’ve modernised our systems and processes. We now have a number of digitised IT systems in the business, such that we can be slicker, get better data, and work on the data that we have to analyse what we’re doing.”

130 | EME Outlook issue 47

Branko Zrnic President, ATI Project “We believe that the commitment of a company should not be confined exclusively to business-related choices, and that the best way of creating a positive impact and initiating change is committing to stimulating good practices, which is what we do through small but constant widespread actions.

“Our corporate culture is built around the themes of sustainability and the spirit of sharing, that are also the purpose and basis of these actions; and we always encourage our entire team to not only be part of them, but also to help us in individuating and initiating new ones.

“We turned these practices into our own series of ATI Initiatives – starting from ‘Plant Your Tree’ through which we contribute to the reforestation: so far more than 2,200 trees have been planted in Africa and Asia, on over 1.5 hectares and resulting in more than 605 tonnes of captured

CO2; following with annual meetings of company volunteering and the ‘’Support a Child’’ initiative through which we have started long distance adoptions, contributing to children in disadvantaged areas of the world. This is also strongly related to our vision: ‘CreATIng a better reality’.”

Federico Benevolo Group CEO, Imprima Group “Our objective is to create a group capable of ensuring very high product standards for important production volumes.

This is only possible thanks to the fact that each company offers its own history to the group, generating value and uniqueness together with production responsibility and excellence.”

Are you a CEO or Director with a company story to tell?

Contact EME Outlook now!

Leading sustainable logistics in Belgium...

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

Van Moer Logistics is changing the face of European logistics. Founder and CEO, Jo Van Moer, discusses the latest developments in the space centred around helping people and the planet

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Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

VAN MOER LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN

the combination of our own barge terminals, barges, truck fleet for first and last mile and combined with water-bound warehouses,” Van Moer tells us.

“On top of this, our flexibility and manoeuvrability stand us apart in the sector. As a young family business, we have a very short decisionmaking process, and we continue to

VAN MOER LOGISTICS – PRIMARY SERVICES TRANSPORT AND DISTRIBUTION Offering a variety of transport services to fully support customer supply chains, creating an interchange within planning and operations. Van Moer Logistics’ customised service level will help customers to further develop their logistical operations.

WAREHOUSING AND VALUE-ADDED LOGISTICS

OPTIMISING OPERATIONS

Van Moer Logistics specialises in the storage and handling of various commodities. Providing storage for palletised and break bulk goods, the company strives to offer customers the best quality service at all times.

PORT AND INTERMODAL LOGISTICS

GREEN CARGO The economy is now running at full speed playing catch up. We have been seeing higher volumes in the port of Antwerp (Belgium) and there are now peak volumes coming in, with everything being stored here centrally for further distribution to Europe.

“Shippers are now storing more safety stocks in strategic locations such as Antwerp to ensure they can deliver on

LAND AND SEA

Van Moer Logistics always performs a thorough transport analysis in consultation with its customers, to advise them on the perfect multimodal alternative. This is how the company actively boosts the modal shift through inland waterways.

BULK AND TANK CONTAINER LOGISTICS

One-stop-shop depot providing a wide range of services concerning bulk and tank container logistics. Offering customers a complete service level within the same facility for optimal handling and storage efficiency.

time due to the major hiccups in the global supply chain.

As a result, we are also experiencing higher demands in storage, handling and even value-added logistics.”

The introductory statement from Jo Van Moer, founder and CEO of Van Moer Logistics, highlights the dramatic shift in pace for the European supply chain following the complete reopening of companies and kickstart of activity

across the continent.

Van Moer Logistics is a Belgian-based inter-European logistics giant that specialises in transport and distribution, warehousing and value-added logistics, port and intermodal logistics, and bulk and tank container logistics.

On top of this, the company’s supporting services include cargo forwarding, customs solutions (such as import/

invest. We can act quickly on market opportunities and follow the needs of our customers. It is often by following the needs of our customers that we launch new business developments and new locations that follow our clients, including abroad. We are also pioneers in sustainability, not only because of our unique approach to inland navigation, but also because of constant investment in the latest technologies and developments in our equipment and IT systems, which ensures a high-quality standard.”

As a multimodal logistics chain, Van Moer Logistics seeks to fully relieve its customers in their increasingly complex and circular supply chains.

In doing so, the company strives for a balance between economic, ecological and social considerations.

Van Moer Logistics is committed to collaborating with various partners to realise the multimodal shift collectively.

export declarations and inspections), on-site logistics, and lastly IT and automation (integrating and deploying systems to meet customer standards).

“Van Moer Logistics is a one-stop-shop; we offer the in-house logistics chain from A to Z, from forwarding to transport and storage. Our own assets within inland shipping are also very strong. We are unique thanks to

2 | EME Outlook issue 47

EME Outlook issue 47 | 3

Another 60 Scania trucks for Van Moer Logistics

A

fter 40 taking Scania trucks in the spring of last year, Van Moer Logistics is now ordering another 60 460 R Super A4X2NBs. These new vehicles fit perfectly into the sustainability strategy of the logistics player based in Zwijndrecht.

With some 500 of its own trucks, 480,000 m2 of warehouses, its own port terminals and equipment for transport by water and rail, Van Moer Logistics is one of the big names in the Supply Chain at Belgian, and by extension, also at European level. Van Moer is fully committed to sustainability, with, in addition to intermodal transportation, also efficient trucks that contribute to the necessary flexibility. The choice of these trucks partly determines the sustainability of the entire operation. And that is one of the reasons that the company works closely with Scania. “Scania has been a trusted supplier for us for many years.

It continues to optimise its trucks, with a view to sustainability and driving comfort,” states Jo Van Moer, CEO of Van Moer Logistics.

13-litre Super as the most sustainable power source Investing in trucks with the latest technologies is one of the ways in which Van Moer Logistics is committed to sustainability. It does so, not only by using alternative fuels such as natural gas which is used for 10% of the fleet, but also with the most modern powertrains. The decision to order 60 new 460 R trucks with the economical 13-litre Super powertrain is then a logical step. Jo Van Moer: “These models

emerged as the most sustainable and cost-efficient diesel truck. Moreover, Scania also offers an excellent service that has resulted in close cooperation for many years.”

The 60 new trucks will be used to replace older models, in order to make the fleet even greener.

Exponential growth of the fleet is out of the question, partly because it is difficult to find extra drivers. But the comfort and appearance of Scania also offer opportunities in that area, says Felien Van Oost, Marketing & Communication Manager at Van Moer: “We are increasingly focusing on Scania, because our own drivers are asking for the brand’s trucks. By also taking their preferences into account, we ensure satisfied employees, in addition to sustainability.” The Scania R cab has been designed with comfort and ergonomics in mind, thus optimizing drivers’ working conditions.

Growth strategy Thanks to partnerships for transport and logistics services with big names such as Umicore, Caterpillar, BASF and Delhaize, Van Moer Logistics is an important part of economic life in our country and beyond.

Van Moer wants to further strengthen this position in the coming years. An ambitious goal for which it entered into a participation last year with the industrial investment holding company Ackermans en Van Haaren. Scania is especially happy about being able to support this growth in a sustainable way.

www.scaniabe.com 6 | EME Outlook issue 47

6 | EME Outlook issue 47

www.scaniabe.com

Van Moer Logistics has told its story.

2 | EME Outlook issue 47

EME Outlook issue 47 | 3

locations such as Antwerp to ensure they can deliver on “Shippers are now storing more safety stocks in strategic centrally for further distribution to Europe. peak volumes coming in, with everything being stored here the port of Antwerp (Belgium) and there are now catch up. We have been seeing higher volumes in The economy is now running at full speed playing

complete reopening of companies and kickstart of activity shift in pace for the European supply chain following the and CEO of Van Moer Logistics, highlights the dramatic The introductory statement from Jo Van Moer, founder storage, handling and even value-added logistics.”

As a result, we are also experiencing higher demands in time due to the major hiccups in the global supply chain.

cargo forwarding, customs solutions (such as import/ On top of this, the company’s supporting services include intermodal logistics, and bulk and tank container logistics. warehousing and value-added logistics, port and logistics giant that specialises in transport and distribution, Van Moer Logistics is a Belgian-based inter-European across the continent.

GREEN CARGO

shipping are also very strong. We are unique thanks to to transport and storage. Our own assets within inland in-house logistics chain from A to Z, from forwarding “Van Moer Logistics is a one-stop-shop; we offer the systems to meet customer standards). and lastly IT and automation (integrating and deploying export declarations and inspections), on-site logistics,

LAND AND SEA

is then a logical step. Jo Van Moer: “These models trucks with the economical 13-litre Super powertrain powertrains. The decision to order 60 new 460 R for 10% of the fleet, but also with the most modern alternative fuels such as natural gas which is used to sustainability. It does so, not only by using of the ways in which Van Moer Logistics is committed Investing in trucks with the latest technologies is one 13-litre Super as the most sustainable power source

Moer, CEO of Van Moer Logistics. sustainability and driving comfort,” states Jo Van It continues to optimise its trucks, with a view to has been a trusted supplier for us for many years. that the company works closely with Scania. “Scania the entire operation. And that is one of the reasons these trucks partly determines the sustainability of contribute to the necessary flexibility. The choice of intermodal transportation, also efficient trucks that fully committed to sustainability, with, in addition to and by extension, also at European level. Van Moer is one of the big names in the Supply Chain at Belgian, for transport by water and rail, Van Moer Logistics is warehouses, its own port terminals and equipment With some 500 of its own trucks, 480,000 m2 of

support this growth in a sustainable way.

Haaren. Scania is especially happy about being able to investment holding company Ackermans en Van entered into a participation last year with the industrial in the coming years. An ambitious goal for which it Van Moer wants to further strengthen this position part of economic life in our country and beyond.

BASF and Delhaize, Van Moer Logistics is an important services with big names such as Umicore, Caterpillar, Thanks to partnerships for transport and logistics Growth strategy conditions. ergonomics in mind, thus optimizing drivers’ working Scania R cab has been designed with comfort and satisfied employees, in addition to sustainability.” The also taking their preferences into account, we ensure our own drivers are asking for the brand’s trucks. By “We are increasingly focusing on Scania, because Marketing & Communication Manager at Van Moer: opportunities in that area, says Felien Van Oost, the comfort and appearance of Scania also offer partly because it is difficult to find extra drivers. But Exponential growth of the fleet is out of the question, models, in order to make the fleet even greener.

The 60 new trucks will be used to replace older

Now, why not tell yours? Our bi-monthly magazine EME Outlook is essential reading for same facility for optimal handling and storage efficiency.

tank container logistics. Offering customers a complete service level within the One-stop-shop depot providing a wide range of services concerning bulk and BULK AND TANK CONTAINER LOGISTICS

how the company actively boosts the modal shift through inland waterways.

with its customers, to advise them on the perfect multimodal alternative. This is

collectively. to realise the multimodal shift collaborating with various partners Van Moer Logistics is committed to ecological and social considerations. for a balance between economic, In doing so, the company strives complex and circular supply chains. its customers in their increasingly Moer Logistics seeks to fully relieve As a multimodal logistics chain, Van

A

strategy of the logistics player based in Zwijndrecht. new vehicles fit perfectly into the sustainability another 60 460 R Super A4X2NBs. These last year, Van Moer Logistics is now ordering fter 40 taking Scania trucks in the spring of

many years.” service that has resulted in close cooperation for diesel truck. Moreover, Scania also offers an excellent emerged as the most sustainable and cost-efficient

business executives wanting to keep up with the latest in global news and trends affecting Van Moer Logistics always performs a thorough transport analysis in consultation PORT AND INTERMODAL LOGISTICS

company strives to offer customers the best quality service at all times.

commodities. Providing storage for palletised and break bulk goods, the Van Moer Logistics specialises in the storage and handling of various WAREHOUSING AND VALUE-ADDED LOGISTICS operations.

customised service level will help customers to further develop their logistical

OPTIMISING OPERATIONS

Another 60 Scania trucks for Van Moer Logistics

ensures a high-quality standard.” our equipment and IT systems, which technologies and developments in of constant investment in the latest inland navigation, but also because because of our unique approach to pioneers in sustainability, not only clients, including abroad. We are also and new locations that follow our launch new business developments the needs of our customers that we our customers. It is often by following opportunities and follow the needs of invest. We can act quickly on market

European and Middle Eastern businesses across all industries. creating an interchange within planning and operations. Van Moer Logistics’

Offering a variety of transport services to fully support customer supply chains, TRANSPORT AND DISTRIBUTION

VAN MOER LOGISTICS – PRIMARY SERVICES

tells us. water-bound warehouses,” Van Moer and last mile and combined with terminals, barges, truck fleet for first the combination of our own barge

making process, and we continue to we have a very short decisionsector. As a young family business, manoeuvrability stand us apart in the “On top of this, our flexibility and

Reaching an audience of over 395,000 readers, your company can take advantage of SUPPLY CHAIN VAN MOER LOGISTICS

exposure in EME Outlook with a FREE article and FREE digital brochure, as well as access to further digital and print-based marketing tools that could transform your business.

To share in this unrivalled opportunity, contact one of our project managers today!

Writer: Marcus Kääpä | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

around helping people and the planet developments in the space centred CEO, Jo Van Moer, discusses the latest of European logistics. Founder and Van Moer Logistics is changing the face

SUPPLY CHAIN VAN MOER LOGISTICS

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