SCO INTERNAL NEWS | No. 15

Year 2 • June 2014 • No. 15

www.sco-group.com

In the middle of last month, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia were befallen by an unprecedented natural disaster caused by continuous and heavy rains and flooding of rivers Bosnia, Sava, Drina, Sana and Vrbas which flowed out of their beds.

Areas of central and northern Bosnia and Herzegovina have suffered incalculable material damage, and the towns which have been worst affected by the floods are Maglaj, Doboj, Šamac, Bijeljina and its environs, and of course the area of Brčko District.

The floods triggered activation of numerous landslides, destruction of residential buildings, interruption of road traffic, as well as demolition of some bridges. The total damage is estimated at several billion KM. About 1.3 million people in BiH have been either directly or indirectly affected by the consequences of flooding.

The largest river in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sava, flooded after several embankments burst, and on Friday 16 May 2014 the river reached 891 cm, which is its highest level recorded, ever since the measuring began.

Since the beginning of the crisis with the surge of flood waves, the only factory to produce edible oil in Bosnia and Herzegovina BIMAL and the only sugar refinery STUDEN-AGRANA have been actively collaborating with the Civil Protection Department of Brčko District on minimizing the impact of the Sava River on the town and the surrounding areas.

In cooperation with the Department of Civil Protection of Brčko District, companies BIMAL and STUDEN- AGRANA Sugar Refinery have provided crucial assistance in the most critical moments for this part of the country. 1,000-kilogram Big Bags, originally used to transport sugar, were packed with sand and used to close ruptured dams and large quantities of drinking water which, at the time of the crisis, was the greatest problem for the affected area, were delivered in BIMAL’s 10-liter canisters normally used for oil.

Of course, the employees of all our companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina experienced and monitored the entire crisis and the state of emergency in the country, and now we bring you our colleagues’ true stories from the flood crisis which is the largest natural disaster to hit the Balkans in more than 100 years.

Brčko a day before Brka and Sava flowed out of their beds | Photo: Almir Džanović Panoramic view of Brčko before the flooding of river Sava | Photo: Almir Džanović

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Our colleagues are also facing the consequences of floods STUDEN & CO Holding in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a very large enterprise and therefore it is not surprising that some of our colleagues are, unfortunately, among those who have had to deal with the physical consequences of the floods.

According to the data we have collected, the number of those who, at the time of the flooding, were forced to temporarily leave their apartments and houses for their own safety is 14 employees from BIMAL, MINGOS COFFEE and STUDEN-AGRANA Sugar Refinery.

Company STUDEN & CO Holding and its employees have already started taking necessary joint efforts to fulfill the moral task of helping out their colleagues to repair damage to their houses and buildings.

Floods in Vučilovac | Photo: Almir Džanović

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Rescue operation in Vučilovac | Photo: Almir Džanović

A picture speaks a thousand words The rescue our goods at the Port of Brčko | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

Since the state of emergency was declared in the Brčko District in the evening hours on Wednesday, 14 May 2014, Brčko residents felt a constant tension due to the uncertainty of development of crisis with the river’s rising water level.

Brčko District’s Department of Public Security issued an appeal to all citizens of the District who are able to do so to join the action to assist the stricken population and help in the defense against floods in the area of Brčko District as the Sava River’s level was on the constant rise since that day.

Blood Donation In the critical moments of the flood crisis in Brčko, our colleagues Gligor Pejkić and Milan Ninić from BIMAL's bottling plant reported to Interne novine's editorial staff as blood donation volunteers, if anybody was in need of this kind of help.

Also, during the operation of last month's emergency blood donation campaign, our colleagues Jasmin Zahirović from BIMAL's Maintenance Service and colleague Bahrudin Krajnović from STUDEN & CO AREX volunteered to donate blood.

Going out in the field in this time of high risk requires great selflessness and courage of each individual. Safety and lives of our citizens in the most affected areas were left to fate, because dam-building operations and evacuation of the affected population involved a large number of District residents, including a significant number of our colleagues.

We are certain that among volunteers there were far more colleagues of ours than it is known to the editing staff and, on behalf of all those who have helped in the field in one way or another, we thank you from our hearts.

Some of our colleagues spoke about the difficult days of the evacuation of the population from the flooded areas in their guest appearance on RTV HIT. You can watch the full footage on special edition of TV show “HIT nedeljom” on YouTube under the title SPECIJALNA EMISIJA - AUTO KLUB 4X4, I RONILAČKI KLUB NEMO VELIKI DOPRINOS U BORBI PROTIV POPLAVA.

We have recorded all colleagues' names on the list of voluntary blood donors, and we take this opportunity to remind other colleagues that, if they want to volunteer to donate blood, they can report to Interne novine's editorial staff.

Rescue operation in Krepšić | Photo: Mirko Šarić

Filling big bag's with sand to close the burst embankment in Kopanice near Orašje | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

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Help campaign of BIMAL and Public Utility Komunalno - filling canisters with drinking water for affected areas | Photo: Mirza Krako

Humanitarian aid from BIMAL and STUDEN- AGRANA Sugar Refinery The aid that our production companies BIMAL and STUDEN- AGRANA Sugar Refinery provided to the local community during the natural disaster first included provision of key packaging materials i.e. Big Bags to be filled with sand and canisters for drinking water, followed by aid in food.

On Monday, 19 May 2014, our convoys started supplying the most stricken areas of the wider environment primarily with water and basic foodstuffs, that is, oil and sugar.

During the work week, our colleagues shipped vans full of drinking water and our products to the Red Cross premises in the areas of Brčko, Doboj, Šamac, Modriča and Maglaj. The scenes they witnessed there were, as they say, the saddest they ever saw.

Mirza Omerhodžić delivered donations to Šamac and Modriča and what he saw there was, as he said, nothing but disaster.

Colleague Mirza Krako was also one of the drivers who delivered donations, and he gave the following graphic description of a scene he saw in Doboj to Interne novine, "It looks like there is no life there whatsoever. Everything is under silt and mud, and military rifles supervise the Red Cross warehouses. "

Delivery of drinking water in Donji Žabar | Photo: Mirza Krako

Amel Zajić stated that the scene that he saw in Maglaj was impossible to articulate. "This disaster cannot be described in words, it must be seen," said our colleague Amel in a statement to Interne novine.

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Doboj after flooding | Photo: Ognjen Pezerović

"It looks like there is no life there whatsoever. Everything is under silt and mud, and military rifles supervise the Red Cross warehouses."

Our humanitarion aid convoy to Doboj | Photo: Mirza Krako

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Rescue operation to save our goods In only half day i.e. from the afternoon of Thursday, 15 May 2014 to the morning hours of Friday, 16 May 2014, the water level of the Sava River rose by nearly 1.5 meters.

Preparing for the rescue of sugar from the Port of Brčko | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

The operation of extraction and rescue of our goods i.e. sugar and protein meal from the warehouse, which is located in the port of Brčko, started in the early morning hours on Friday, May 16 2014, as the surge of the Sava River persistently continued.

As for protein meal, most of the merchandise was rescued. This was not the case with sugar, however. Though our colleagues put in inexhaustible efforts to relocate and save the goods, the force of the Sava River was stronger than human efforts and Port of Brčko, together with large amounts of sugar, was eventually flooded.

As soon as the access to warehouses at the Port of Brčko became possible, our colleagues continued to carry out and relocate the remaining quantities of undamaged goods. In spite of these efforts, most of the goods in the warehouse was unfortunately destroyed.

The damage is extensive and all the colleagues who worked on the rescue of goods knew that what they were in fact trying to save were our jobs and our future. Our Board has noted and especially appreciated every effort and commitment of our employees, especially in these difficult times.

What the day-long rescue of our goods on Friday that continued until 23:00 hrs in the evening looked like can best be seen from the accompanying photos.

Sorting undamaged sugar | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

Colleagues prepare access to undamaged sugar | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

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Loading undamaged sugar | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

Last efforts to protect the sugar | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

Cleaning sugar solution | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

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Port of Brčko the day after | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

Air view of flooded Port of Brčko | Photo: Almir Džanović

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STUDEN & CO Logistics staff | Photo: Interne novine Editorial Staff

STUDEN & CO Logistics temporary staying in BIMAL facilities The only one of our companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina that had to be relocated due to the floods is STUDEN & CO Logistics Brčko.

All technical equipment was rescued from the premises STUDEN & CO Logistics, which is located within the Port of Brčko and moved to BIMAL. Our colleagues in the Logistics will have to work from BIMAL’s premises for some time to come, and they are staying in a makeshift office in the prefabricated administrative offices.

We wish our colleagues a pleasant stay in BIMAL and we hope that their original premises will soon be ready for use.

Colleagues from Logistics in premises in BIMAL | Photo: Interne novine Editorial Staff

Floods in Port of Brčko hit premises of STUDEN & CO Logistics | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

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Burst embankment in Kopanice near Orašje | Photo: Almir Džanović

Help is arriving from all sides

River Brka flowed out of its bed | Photo:Almir Džanović

Help for the flooded areas in our country has been arriving from all sides, both from our partners from abroad and from the STUDEN & CO Holding outside Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On behalf of the entire AGRANA Group which includes segments of Sugar, Fruits and Starches, our partner AGRANA launched a fundraising campaign called "Mutual Aid" for the flood victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The campaign runs until 13 June, and the funds are collected through a special bank account to which AGRANA employees can directly deposit funds.

Our longtime partner AMBROSIA from Slovenia has also allocated significant amount of aid for flood victims.

Partner VFI (Vereinigten Fettwarenindustrie) from Wells has sent 18,000 kg of flour which, with our co-ordination, has been successfully shipped and delivered to the Red Cross in Brčko.

Cash donations came from colleagues who work in our company's headquarters i.e. the seat of STUDEN & CO Holding in Vienna, as well as from our colleagues in Dubai who, in cooperation with the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Dubai, are actively working to motivate all business partners and the general public to raise funds for donations for the flooded areas.

Words of support have arrived from Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo and other countries in which our companies operate.

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Humanitarian telephone numbers to support flood victims

BH Telecom 090 291 032 (donate 2,00 KM)

HT Mostar 092 890 830 (donate 1,80 KM)

M:Tel 1458 (donate 1,00 KM) Brčko downtown flooded by the Sava River | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

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Port of Brčko on Thurstday evening | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

Port of Brčko complete deluge | Photo: Herwig Schwihla

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Lucky winner of an exotic trip to Brazil drawn

ći neće!

pobje Uz malo sreće Brazil

The public drawing of the raffle “BIMAL, AGRAGOLD and MINGOS COFFEE Take You To Brazil“ was held on 29 May 2014 at 09:00 am in the cafe of CEROL gas station. The draw was attended by the representatives of our companies that enabled this grand raffle, as well as the local media that recorded this draw with their cameras and tape recorders.

With raffle BIMAL, AGRAGOLD and MINGOS COFFEE Take You To Brazil, we wanted to reward our customers for loyalty and trust they give to our high quality domestic products.

WINNERS PRIZE:

The lucky winner of the main prize is Pavle Sandić, a six year old boy from Banja Luka, who has, as we had learned that day, along with his entire family played in many raffles for Brazil with only one goal, to win a trip to Brazil for a family member Sergej Adamović, 19 year old boy. We are pleased that BIMAL, AGRAGOLD and MINGOS COFFEE were the ones who fulfilled Segej’s dream, who is traveling to Brazil with adult family member.

1st prize: A trip to Brazil: full travel arrangement for two persons for the time period from June 10 to June 19.

PAVLE SANDIĆ, Banja Luka

All in all, the atmosphere of cheer prevailed at CEROL and everyone who attended public drawing has shared the happiness that our brands brought to families Sandić and Adamović.

2nd prize: LCD TV HAZIM ZUKIĆ, Šatorovići, Brčko distrikt 3rd prize: jerseys and scarves

NUR MUJAKOVIĆ, Teočak – jersey DUŠANKA ŽDERO, Istočna Ilidža, Sarajevo – jersey KENAN TIHIĆ, Tuzla – jersey ALMA HADŽIĆ, Tuzla – jersey SANELA KAVAZOVIĆ, Brčko – jersey ELVIS BEĆIROVIĆ, Tuzla – scarf HAZEMA JAKUPOVIĆ, Bihać – scarf MILINKO MUTABDŽIJA, Istočno Sarajevo – scarf DINO ALIBAŠIĆ, Hrasnica – scarf MATEA GORIČKIĆ, Boće – scarf VERA ŽRAJIĆ, Trebinje – scarf ZINAJIDA SAJDOVIĆ, Brčko – scarf ARMIN OMEROVIĆ, Glogošnica-Jablanica – scarf MIRJANA FRANJIĆ, Tuzla – scarf EDIN OMERAGIĆ, Gradačac – scarf MEDINA GARIĆ, Banja Luka – scarf ZRINKA ROŠIĆ, Cazin – scarf NERMINA ŠAKO, Gračanica, Brčko – scarf NEVRESA ĐONLIĆ, Brčko – scarf RAZIJA STEFANOVIĆ, Brčko – scarf

Internal newspaper of Agro-industrial complex Brčko | Bijeljinska br. 9, 76100 Brčko distrikt, BiH | Publisher: Corporate Communications | Phone: + 387 49 233 315 | Fax: + 387 49 220 932 | Editorial office email: internenovine@sco-group.com | Photography: Herwig Schwihla, Ognjen Plavšić, Milan Dragičević, Dejan Đurković, Ognjen Pezerović, Almir Džanović, archive | Design: Ambrosia d.o.o., Slovenija | Print: Unagraf d.o.o, Srbija | Distribution: Internal newspaper is distributed to the employees of Holding | Circulation: 500 primjeraka