WBHO WEST AFRICA
Leaving a lasting local legacy
W B H O
W E S T
A F R I C A
MINING
2
WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM
M I N I N G
&
R E S O U R C E S
for West Africa
WBHO West Africa’s Managing Director, Peter Raw discusses the Company’s growing presence in Ghana and the wider region Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton
WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM
3
CUSTOMER SERVICE Quality customer service and professionalism from the Company’s commercial agents. RELIABILITY Reliable and speedy order processing (invoice and delivery) FLEXIBILITY Flexible with payment methods and forward sales INSTALLATION Free mobile silos (35 and 70 tonnes) can be installed on large construction sites
Kissosso Municipality of Matoto BP 3835 Conakry Republic of Guinea T: +224 660 23 24 25 E: communications@guineeindustries.com
DELIVERY IN BULK Bulk delivery of all types of cement DISTRIBUTION NETWORK An extensive distribution network covering the entire national territory
www.guineeindustries.com
W B H O
W E S T
A F R I C A
rowing a company’s revenue by a factor of eight in a completely new market is no mean feat. Add in the local challenges and nuances associated with establishing mining operations in African nations and WBHO West Africa’s achievements since 2005 appear all the more noteworthy. A subsidiary of South African multidisciplined construction firm WBHO, WBHO West Africa formed through a $7 million contract win for mining giant Newmont in Ghana. Fast forward to 2018, and the Company is now turning over close to $60 million thanks to successful projects both in Ghana and the wider region. Central to this longevity has been the establishment of relationships that place the development of local communities and populations at its core, built around the upskilling of locals and investment in surrounding infrastructure.
6
WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM
Managing Director Peter Raw has witnessed this legacy building firsthand since the beginning. Against a challenging regional backdrop, Raw explains that WBHO has managed to drive positive economic and social benefit in Ghana and beyond. “The construction industry in West Africa is currently highly stressed. This in my mind is driven by a combination of factors like the stability of the country for investment, availability of “cash” for further development as well as a fluctuating commodity prices. “However, a key strength of ours which has allowed us to be successful is development of our people. We have built up relations with local communities and this has led to employees being with us in the long term.”
Strong foundations
WBHO’s evolution in West Africa has been focused on its core provision of civil and earthworks construction
C
reated in 1988, The Guinea Industries Group has been over the years a major player in the construction industry in the Republic of Guinea.
The Group has currently two different factories: Guinee Industries Toles • Annual production capacity: 50,000 tonnes • Market share: 50 percent • Number of employees: 250 • ProductsS:
- Transluicidal roofing sheets - Tiles roofing sheet - Sand blasted prepainted roofing sheet - Prepainted roofing sheet - BAC aluzinc roofing sheet - Channel bars Guinee Industries Ciments • Annual production capacity: 1,400,000 tonnes
Guinee Industries Group, because of its reputation of a company with a strong quality-oriented culture, has become the main supplier (more than 70 percent market share) of the major infrastructure and mining projects, including hydroelectric dams, roads and bridges, mine construction and extensions. Our Major Clients: WBHO, Stefanutti Stocks, SOGEASATOM (Vinci Group) COBAD (Rusal Group), China Harbour and Engineering Company (CHEC), Shanghai Construction Group, China Water and Energy (CWE), CGC, Guinea Bauxite Company (CBG), Guicopres Group. Certification: Our Company has been recently certified: • Environmental Management (AFAQ ISO 14001-2015)
• Market share: 40 percent
• Health and Security Management (OHSAS 18001-2007)
• Number of employees: 550
• Quality (ISO 9001-2015)
• Products:
-
CPA - CEM I 42.5 R CPJ – CEM II/A 42.5 N CPJ – CEM II/B 32.5 N CHF - CEM III/A 42.5 N CHF – CEM III/B 32.5 N T +224 660 23 24 25 E communications@guineeindustries.com www.guineeindustries.com
BLC: • Drilling and blasting (bench/open pit) services • Machinery rental (excavators, loaders, ADT’s) • Distributorships for wear parts and HARDOX™️ • Machining workshop BLC: Yorokoguiah Dubreka Guinea Republic PO Box 5737 Conakry T: +224 628 41 93 17 E: blastico@yahoo.fr MAG: Boké GuineA RepuBlic T: +224 662 44 93 93 e: magboke@yahoo.com MAG: • Largest aggregate quarry in Boké region (dolerite) • Supplying international construction & mining companies • Large buffer stock • Ability to produce any gradation requested
SAC: • Largest aggregate quarry in Guinea (granite) • 1,000 sqm spare parts warehouse • Fully equipped 1,000 sqm workshop: welding, machining (lathes, drilling, milling)
SAC: Yorokoguiah Dubreka Guinea Republic PO Box 5737 Conakry T: +224 664 35 35 30 +224 624 86 35 84 E: alameconakry@yahoo.fr
AMG: Tercet Dubreka Guinea Republic AMG: • Aggregate quarry (granite) • Supplying international construction & mining companies • Large buffer stock • Ability to produce any gradation requested
PO Box 5737 Conakry T: +224 669 63 88 88 E: amgguinea@gmail.com
W B H O
W E S T
A F R I C A
“Depending on the territory we are working in, we always like to have a strong core team of WBHO people, plant and equipment that we structure the contract around” services, chiefly to privately-owned clients in the mining industry. This covers construction of tailings dams, water dams, roads and terraces, drainage, heavy civil works and pipelines. Raw goes on to explain several factors that have contributed to WBHO successfully overcoming the remote challenges it faced. “Over the years of service in Africa, WBHO has developed a great team that are focused on our service
10
delivery and customer needs on the projects,” he says. “We have built up a knowledge of the challenges of working in remote African countries. With this experience, we have managed to develop our teams to adjust to these ever-changing environments. As anyone who has worked in these remote locations in foreign countries knows, every day has its surprises and how we overcome these challenges sets us apart from the rest.
WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM
WHBO covers construction of tailings dams, water dams, roads and terraces, drainage, heavy civil works and pipelines
“In order to combat the challenges of working remotely, we have invested heavily in the plant and equipment available to the teams on the ground so that we can rely on our own means during construction. Depending on the territory we are working in, we always like to have a strong core team of WBHO people, plant and equipment that we structure the contract around.” Further underpinning WBHO’s work is its ISO accreditation covering safety, quality and environmental bases, alongside key support from their structures in Ghana and other West African countries, as well as its parent company in South Africa. “At all times this support is only a phone call away with both resource support, technical support as well as financial support to make sure we can overcome any challenge thrown at us,” Raw adds.
AMG & Partners established itself in Guinea in the year 2000. To date, the Group in Guinea consists of four affiliates: three aggregate quarries (SAC, AMG & MAG) and a mining services company (BLC). The quarry business has grown to be one of the largest aggregates suppliers in the country, participating in the development of the nation’s roads, infrastructure and mining industry. Expanding over 100 hectares of land, the Group’s facilities include: • Warehouse for spare parts. • Yard and wash bay for machines. • Servicing warehouse: garage for electrical and mechanical repairs, a section for hydraulic repairs (pump rebuilds, hydraulic cylinder repairs, hose crimping machines, • Workshop: machining equipment to manufacture and repair parts and a section for welding wear parts and GET tools repair and reinforcement. The Group’s quarries over the years have supplied: • International construction companies: SOGEA-SATOM & Eurovia (Parent: Vinci Construction), ASTALDI S.p.A, Groupe CSE (Compagnie Sahélienne d’Entreprises, WBHO Guinea. • Mining companies: RUSAL and CBG (Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée).
BLC is one of the few companies that operate MMU trucks and adopt emulsion blasting. Its expertise in laying out safe and effective drilling and firing plans has been exhibited. The most recent blasting project in 2017 for Alufer’s bauxite mine, involved extracting armor rock for the causeway and port. BLC’s excavators and dump trucks have participated in the construction of the Kaleta dam, overburden removal at Vale’s iron ore mine in N’Zerekore and the construction of a highway in Senegal with Groupe CSE. BLC’s fleet counts excavators, articulated dump trucks, dozers, drill-rigs, an MMU, bulldozer and a grader. Additionally, the Group has the ability to supply wear parts for quarrying equipment. The partnership with WBHO has involved all of the Group’s entities: • Aggregates have been supplied by SAC, AMG and MAG to WBHO’s entity responsible for the construction of housing for mining company GAC in the regions of Kamsar and Tinguilinta • BLC supplied plant for the construction of a 20km haul road for Alufer bauxite mine in the region of Bel Air.
• Local construction companies: GUICOPRESS.
Leveraging high expertise from the owners and professionals, the Group is well renowned for its high quality products and unmatched service with a zero Harm policy.
The Group’s rocks have been used at several landfill and pier projects (Petit Bateau, Noom Hotel) and its aggregates are laid out on the Coyah highway, the road leading to Bel Air beach, a highway in Senegal and the concrete foundations of the Kakimbo towers complex.
The Group highly contributes to the social and economic development of the local communities, though the construction of schools, mosques and hospitals, as well as the sponsorship of local soccer teams and prioritising employment: individuals and subcontractors.
Blastico BLC has shown great success since its inception in 2005, though its involvement in several mining projects. Its drill rigs have been adopted at the Kaleta dam (Client: CWE) and at Bel Air (Client: Alufer).
To date, AMG & Partners is well established in several countries on the African continent, including Malawi, Zambia and Ivory Coast.
W B H O
W E S T
A F R I C A
B APPAH ELECTRICALS LTD
B
Appah Electricals Ltd (BAE) is an electrical engineering and contracting company that provides premier electrical services for building projects. The Company, since its inception in 1996, has experienced steady and continuous growth and has become synonymous with quality electrical works in Ghana and other African countries. Aside the provision of electrical services, the Company also supplies and distributes quality yet affordable electrical products, undertakes electrical installations as well as maintenance services. The firm has accreditation for the distribution of several leading brands and is the distributor of Schneider Electric in Ghana.
Springboard
WBHO West Africa’s first project in Ghana is testament to its legacy building ethos, demonstrated by the fact it still provides numerous ongoing construction services for Newmont at its Ahafo mine. Located in the Sefwi Volcanic Belt in the central-southern region of the country, Ahafo is a surface gold mining operation which produces 349,000 ounces a year and employs 2,500 staff and contractors, making it a vital socioeconomic driver in the
12
area. The site is also undergoing an expansion phase on the surface and underground, set for completion early next year, another project WBHO has been tasked with working on. Described by Raw as a springboard into the region, the Company has not looked back, picking up further work for Newmont as the earthworks and infrastructure contractor on its Akyem project, another gold mine which began commercial production in 2013. “Outside of the work WBHO does for Newmont, the presence in Ghana also opened the door to various other opportunities in the mining arena, most notably the construction of the Iduapriem Gold Mine’s tailings dam for Anglo Gold Ashanti,” Raw continues. “We were also more recently involved in the construction of the greenfield development of the Asanko Mine.” WBHO’s expertise has also been utilised on general building projects in Ghana through our Building Devision, while in the country’s capital, Accra, it has established a fully functioning regional office which supports operations nationally and regionally.
WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM
Over the years, BAE has undertaken several major projects in the building and construction industry in Ghana, completing projects for the likes of Standard Chartered (head office), West Hills Mall, Protea Hotel and Nestle Ghana (New Milling Factory). BAE has received many awards for its quality works – underpinning the Company’s success has been the commitment to its core values of honesty, quality, teamwork, respect, fairness and total client satisfaction. Our range of electrical installation services includes: • Electrical and electronic engineering services • Voice and data installations • Fire alarm installation • Power generator installation Head Office T +233 302 770178 / 2770155 F +233 302 768376 E sec@bappahelectricals.com No. 7 Patrice Lumumba Close, Airport Residential Area, Accra, Ghana Showroom T +233 302 782787 Fax: +233 302 78278 E osu@bappahelectricals.com No. 23 Nyaniba Estate, Osu- Blorgodor Road, Osu Accra, Ghana
www.bappahelectricals.com
www.bappahelectricals.com
W B H O
W E S T
A F R I C A
RANA MOTORS & METAL WORKS ENG. CO. LTD.
R
ana Motors & Metal Works Eng. Co. Ltd. was incorporated 40 years ago in Ghana by the Chairman Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Odaymat. It is a diverse business group having interests in manufacturing & distribution. Goodyear & KIA Motors are flag ship brands of its automotive division.
“We also have a strong core of expats from the likes of South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe who in turn have helped us develop a strong core of Ghanaians over the years”
from the likes of South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe who in turn have helped us develop a strong core of Ghanaians over the years. “Developing this team has allowed us to be a step ahead of competitors, for example other South African companies which may not have that local knowledge base. It is a key strength of ours.” In terms of training, WBHO provides extensive in-house programmes covering skills and health and safety, including schemes of various levels conducted from its parent company’s Lasting legacy head office in Johannesburg. Much The strong foundations and learning also materialises on the job, springboard Raw refers to is the with the Company maintaining a product of a team made up of highly experienced expats and a vibrant pool healthy balance between practical and theoretical education. of well-trained regional employees. Mentorship is another important Indeed, it is WBHO’s people which Raw aspect of employee personal believes differentiates the Company from other operators in the region. development highlighted by Raw, who describes how senior staff often pass “We have a lot of people who have down their knowledge and experience been working with us on numerous to those motivated to make it to the projects through the years,” he says. “We also have a strong core of expats top.
14
WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM
The Company has established supply & maintenance infrastructure for mining tyres across West Africa, and has presence in Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Nigeria and is known as West Africa Tire Service Limited (WATS Ltd) in these countries. Rana Motors Group today is a reliable supplier for Mining Tyres and is associated with most major mining companies and mining contractors in West Africa through supply and/or service contractors. WATS’s Off The Road Goodyear Tyre Distribution Agreement, established with Goodyear about 15 years ago, has brought immense value to the mining companies and contractors in West Africa. It was the first tire company in West Africa to stock mining tyres locally in West Africa and provide mining clients with ‘just in time’ stocks. In addition, WATS offers Earth Moving Tyre Consultancy & Management services to its clients, by which the customer gets the most suited tyre which would provide them with value returns for money invested on tyre resources. WATS also has a strategic tie-up with REMA Tip Top, the leading mining tyre repair specialists in the world which has brought further value to the mining clients. With a clear vision from its management, WATS professional team has – together with Goodyear - relieved many mining operations in West Africa of the challenges they face on the mining tyre front.
W B H O
W E S T
A F R I C A
WBHO provides key infrastructure to local communities
Aside upskilling local populaces, WBHO also contributes to community life through various physical projects, such as providing key link roads, schools and infrastructure in and around the areas covered by its commercial activities.
Beyond Ghana
WBHO’s longevity in Ghana has paved the way for it to move into other West African countries. The most significant example comes in Sierra Leone, where the Company was involved in building a railway for African Minerals Limited, connecting its iron ore resource to vital trade links on the coast. What began as a conceptual haul road build soon turned into a rail project in order to navigate some of the challenging terrain covering the route. The contract extended to include delivery of a rail car dumper at the port and wagon repair workshop, among other contracts.
16
WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM
“To be successful in West Africa you have to build up your relevant skills locally as well as build in the expertise of how to run business, and we have been able to do that and leave a legacy”
Successful operations in Sierra Leone opened doors in Guinea, where WBHO built a haul road for another iron ore client, a miner with operations in the Forecariah region of the country. A further three contracts followed in Guinea, the most recent involving a bauxite mine for Alufer which was commissioned in August 2018. Raw explains: “Towards the end of 2016 we were awarded a major infrastructure works project for this mine. It has been a very successful project and mining operations have already commenced with the loading of the first bauxite ore for shipment in early August. This project was completed without a lost time injury and on time, despite the various challenges we have faced in terms of operating in the country, such as climatic conditions and community disruptions. “We have learned a great deal and are now well-placed to carry out further work in Guinea. The team has
M I N I N G
&
R E S O U R C E S
ATLANTIC SERVICES
Guinee
CAR RENTAL
Avenue William Tubman Phone: +224 621 07 87 71 Email: mouctar.diallo@atlanticservicesguinee.net www.atlanticservicesguinee.net
WBHO building a key link road
done an amazing job on what has been a tough assignment in a difficult environment.” Burkina Faso is another country
where WBHO has broken ground, this time involving a civil construction contract for Semafo on its new Natougou gold mine. Further tenders
in the country have followed, and Raw believes the Company can replicate the success it has seen in Ghana to date. And it is continuing exploration of new markets, especially in the southern area of West Africa, that represents a key priority for Raw in coming years. Built around its established core of mining construction experience, WBHO looks set to leave a lasting legacy beyond Ghana. Raw concludes: “We will continue to chase projects in the region, while always looking at expansion not only into new countries, but while drawing on our knowledge in the mining sector, expanding into other sectors as well. “To be successful in West Africa you have to build up your relevant skills locally as well as build in the expertise of how to run business, and we have been able to do that and leave a legacy. We want to be welcomed back with open arms when we return.”
WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM
17
53 Andries Street Wynberg Sandton South Africa Tel: +27 11 321 7200 wbho@wbho.co.za www.wbho.co.za
www.outlookpublishing.com