Quattro Zambia

27 YEARS OF TRANSPORT EXCELLENCE IN ZAMBIA

QUATTRO ZAMBIA

Transporting ZAMBIA Graham Wright, Managing Director of Quattro Zambia, discusses expansion and employee empowerment within the country’s leading personnel transport service provider Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Lewis Bush

2 | Africa Outlook issue 89

TRANSPORT

Z

ambia is a wonderful country with many resources, one of which is the good nature of its people, as well as the stable working environment,” opens Graham Wright, Managing Director of Quattro Zambia.

Indeed, it is Zambia’s wealth of resources that accounts for the dominance of the country’s mining sector as a pillar of the national economy, contributing around 12 percent and 75 percent of GDP and exports respectively. Zambia is the seventh largest producer of copper in the world, and is home to the world’s largest emerald mine, producing around 20 percent of the world’s emeralds. Mining contributes to 77 percent of total export value, and 27 percent of government revenues within the country.

The very backbone of these extractive industries is the stable network of personnel and transport required in order to service the mines.

This is where Quattro Zambia come to the fore as a leading personnel transport provider.

With over 27 years of experience in the field, Quattro has grown simultaneously with the advent of Zambia’s mining industry.

“We incorporated Quattro Company Limited, a family business, in 1991 with a view to expand our existing motor vehicle spares market and adding on product lines.

Amongst others, these included associated hardware items, domestic refrigeration spares, and to a greater degree, motor vehicle spares and accessories,” Wright explains.

From these humble beginnings, Quattro focused their energies on procuring a fleet of vehicles to enable them to secure and fulfil various contracts with the country’s leading mines.

“In 1995 we expanded our business to import used motor vehicles from Japan and Dubai. In 1998, Quattro had a small stock of Hiace minibuses and was approached to subcontract on partial personnel transport at

Africa Outlook issue 89 | 3

Mining lubrication and services

The benefits offered by Total

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WHAT TO EXPECT PARTNERSHIPS Total is a leading supplier of fuel and lubricants to the mining industry in Zambia. This is possible because of the overwhelming support from mining companies and contractors. Quattro Company Limited is one among many other mining contractors who has supported Total over the years.

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HSEQ VALUES Total Zambia operates its depots and sites with the highest safety standards providing a safe workplace for all workers. This has been made possible by continuous safety training to its staff and stakeholders. Our PATROM transportation programs ensures petroleum products are transported safely.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT Our customers have appreciated technical support that has added value to their operations. On-site technical support by an integrated network of local, regional and international experts.

QUATTRO ZAMBIA Chambeshi Metals. As time went by, Quattro was allocated more and more routes, purchasing bigger and newer buses,” Wright explains.

What followed was a succession of ever-increasing contracts with some of Zambia’s biggest producers of minerals. Chambeshi Metals Plc, a copper and cobalt metal producer, went on to give Quattro complete control for the running of their personnel transport contract as a subcontractor to Truckmed Ltd.

OVERVIEW: QUATTRO ZAMBIA SERVICES • Professional personnel transport • Ambulance services • Specialised vehicle services (breakdown vehicles, honeysuckers, cherry-pickers etc) • Trucking (heavy haulage, local and international) LOCATIONS • Personal bus operations Kitwe • Trucking operations Kitwe • AEL Mufulira transport operations • KCM Chingola personnel transport • Solwezi workshop servicing Kansanshi Mine personnel transport • Lumwana workshop servicing Barrick Lumwana personnel transport • Kalumbila workshop servicing Kalumbila Mine personnel transport NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 1,162

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Graham Wright, Managing Director of Quattro Zambia

“ALTHOUGH BUSINESS IS DOWN, WE SEE MANY OPPORTUNITIES AS MOST BUSINESSES GEARUP FOR A RETURN TO NORMALITY. THE NATURE OF THE WORK IS EXCITING AND PERSONALLY FULFILLING” “At the time, 15 vehicles were allocated to this contract and 400 personnel transported daily,” he adds.

This number ballooned significantly with Quattro’s subsequent contract in 2002, servicing the Mopani Mines in Kitwe by transporting 1,000 staff a day. This personnel transport contract was renewed every two years until 2014. To this day, Quattro still fulfil their contract with the Kansanshi Mine PLC and First Quantum Mining Zambia in Solwezi, which was initially agreed in 2005. Currently, this contract necessitates a significant 162 vehicles to transport a workforce of 5,000 every day.

“Kalumbila Minerals Ltd, a subsidiary of FQMZ, signed Quattro on to service personnel transport contracts in 2012, drawing on the strong performance by Quattro at their Kansanshi mine business.

Current vehicles allocated to this contract total 218, transporting 4,250 staff daily,” Wright informs us.

This marked Quattro’s largest contract yet. Consequently, Quattro has amassed an impressive roster of clients, representing the best names across Zambia’s mining industry.

These include Barrick, First Quantum Minerals Ltd, AEL Mining Services and the Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to

A major player With our production, supply chain and commercial presence in more than 150 countries, we deliver a full range of lubricants to meet your mining requirements.

Support and partnership Thanks to local technical presence, we provide a high level of service to optimize your

Total cost of Ownership.

References & OEMs Total Lubrifiants cooperates with equipment manufacturers to create high-technology products for optimal performance and protection of your machinery.

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energy efficiency Quality and environment

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Total Industry Solutions

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QUATTRO ZAMBIA

TRUCKMEC To provide heavy earthmoving machinery to the ever increasing mining / construction industry in Zambia at a reasonable rate and provide a reliable service to all our clients. We have been in the business for over 20 years and have grown considerably since.

Our professional team is dedicated to offer to the best service possible, and this customer related approach and our team experience will ensure that you are provided the best service efficiently and successfully.

Values • SAFETY • INTEGRITY • RESPECT • RELIABILITY • EXCELLENCE

www.truckmec.com

name a few. Presently, Quattro are serving a contract with KCM with an allocation of 35 vehicles and 2,000 personnel transported daily. They also continue to serve a contract which commenced in 2006 with Equinox (Exploration), and Lumwana Mining.

Quattro serviced all mine and sub-contractor personnel transport requirements. Since Equinox sold the mine to Barrick/Lumwana, the contract has continued with 118 buses transporting 1,250 personnel a day.

Now, with seven fully equipped branches strategically located, spanning the central African Copperbelt, Quattro have transported over 28 million people since inception.

This growth has enabled Quattro to divert and expand its areas of service into the private sector, extending essential transport services to the communities surrounding the mines where they operate.

“We provide free bus services for outlying schools in the Kalumbila 8 | Africa Outlook issue 89

mining area,” Wright explains. Quattro has also donated buses to various organisations, mainly orphanages and schools in the Kalumbila-Solwezi areas.

Aside from this, in April 2011, Quattro were contracted to transport explosives for AEL across the county and to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The fleet itself has also diversified to include a successful trucking and haulage division, launched in 2010. This division of the company transports both locally and internationally. Enjoying significant growth over the past decade, the trucking services now has an excess of 75 units serving a wide range of requirements.

The majority of Quattro’s fleet is composed of 65-seater buses, followed by smaller 38-seater buses, ambulances, recovery trucks and skip and refuse vehicles. Quattro have also since acquired 40-foot refrigerated

Girder Engineering To Offer a one stop service and quality product to the entire industry in Zambia at competitive prices.

We pride ourselves to be the leading steel provider in Zambia, mainly to the mining and construction industries.

We strive to provide quality and affordable construction services to the ever changing market.

Values • Be passionate • Have integrity • Think creatively • Respect people • Excellence

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TRANSPORT

SPECIALISTS IN MECHANICAL WORK, HEAVY HAULAGE, EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT AND CRANES

Manager +260 968265427 | Operations Director +260 966991235 | Managing Director +260 966990060 4169 Prescott Road, Kitwe, Zambia | info@truckmec.co.zm | www.truckmec.co.zm

STRUCTURAL FABRICATORS, ERECTORS, MACHINISTS, CIVIL CONTRACTORS & SPECIALISTS IN: SUPPLIERS OF ALL TYPES OF STEEL.

Freetown Road, P.O. Box 22483, Kitwe, Zambia enquiry@girderengineering.co.zm Tel +260-212-221808 | Fax +260-212-221068 Cell +260-966-780059 | +260-966-990060 Email girder@iconnect.zm

Africa Outlook issue 89 | 9

QUATTRO ZAMBIA trailers, tipper trailers and low-bed trailers amongst others. Highly trained mechanics are essential to the fleet’s upkeep and smooth operation.

One of the attributes that are central to Quattro’s success is their supply chain operations, all of which are managed in house. Wright believes this to be nothing but advantageous for the company.

“The advantage is that we are in control of stock levels, not usually maintained in Zambia due to various economic factors. We procure our spares and materials from Dubai, UK, Japan, India, South Africa, and to a greater degree from local suppliers,” he informs us.

Expansion has also enabled Quattro to invest in the welfare of their staff, with significant investments being made in recent years into staff accommodation. At Quattro’s Kalumbila workshop, which currently houses 200 employees, expansion has been implemented to increase

QUATTRO ZAMBIA: ONGOING PROJECTS • Mwansoweto (Lumwana) employee accommodation for 120 • Kalumbila workshop extension & employee accommodation for 200 • Solwezi Roads rehabilitation project in conjunction with Kansanshi Mine • New trucking workshop and facilities in Kitwe

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facilities to accommodate 300 people as part of their programme for 2021. By building facilities that give staff the ability to reside closer to the mines, Quattro increases the efficiency to and from these locations. This in turn translates to savings across the cost of fuel, repairs and vehicle maintenance.

This 2021 programme will also entail construction of a new trucking workshop and facilities and expansion of the Kalumbila workshop. All projects for expansion are subject to the tenure of Quattro’s contract renewals.

Quattro are explicit about the value they place on their sizeable workforce and individual employees – whether that’s managers, drivers, mechanics, security or the administration team.

Indeed, Wright describes his employees as, “the pride of our company.”

“We have great management teams across all of our branches,” he adds.

TRANSPORT

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Africa Outlook issue 89 | 11

QUATTRO ZAMBIA

OUR VALUES QUALITY, PASSION COMMITMENT: “The foundation of what makes Quattro stand out is our belief that these values make our company great, the strength of all our people working together for a common goal.”

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Indeed, excellence is a key criterion for recruitment and many staff members have been head-hunted as experts in their domain. This is crucial in an industry where safety and reliability are paramount to Quattro’s reputation.

Quattro endeavour to empower their staff through regular training programmes and certification upgrades. They also offer company loans and vehicle upgrades, whilst monthly ‘lucky draw’ incentives and KPI achievement bonuses provide extra motivation.

This same humanitarian outlook

extends to Quattro’s place within the local communities where they operate, hearkening back to Wright’s opening sentiment regarding the good-natured people of the country he loves. The company demonstrates laudable social responsibility.

“Quattro has a proud record of supporting various orphanages,” Wright informs us. This has included regular support for the blind, handicapped, widows, orphans and albino organisations. The company also promote football and sport across communities as benefactors to local groups and tournaments,

TRANSPORT

alongside the aforementioned school transport and donations of vehicles for essential services.

When the pandemic struck the continent early in 2020, Quattro immediately sought to protect the wellbeing of their workforce and the workforce of their mining principals. This also extended to the local community, whereby Quattro organised a monthly oxygen tank donation to Kitwe Central Hospital for COVID-19 support.

“We have implemented all control measures as per Quattro and mine regulations. Obviously, this all comes at a cost in terms of material and

time,” Wright adds.

Sanitisation control, digital temperature readings before boarding a vehicle and regular fumigation and stringent sanitary cleaning on board, does not come cheap, alongside acquiring the necessary PPE for staff and drivers. Of course, this also meant minimising passenger numbers.

Nevertheless, Wright’s general outlook on the state of the industry within the context of the pandemic is optimistic, describing it as ‘promising’.

“Although business is down, we see many opportunities as most businesses gear-up for a return to

normality. The nature of work is exciting and personally fulfilling,” he muses.

By fulfilling the essential need for safe and efficient transportation, Quattro guarantees its future in Zambia, with a prevailing reputation for consistency and excellence.

QUATTRO ZAMBIA Tel: +260 212 210442 quattro@quattro.co.zm www.quattro.co.zm

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QUATTRO ZAMBIA 1356/7 Kafulafuta Rd. Heavy Industrial Area Kitwe, Zambia Box 22463 Tel: +260 212 210442 / +260 212 211145 quattro@quattro.co.zm www.quattro.co.zm

PRODUCED BY AFRICA OUTLOOK MAGAZINE