Newsletter - Methanex Trinidad Limited

Issue #6: 2013 in Review

On the cover Plant Operator, Lianna Alexander and Process Engineer, Jenna Boxill, test a hand-held data logger to register plant readings.

MOMENTUM is produced by Methanex Trinidad Limited and distributed to employees and selected external audiences.

MOMEnTUM strives to enhance communication with employees, our families and associates, in addition to recording our company’s progress.

Contact:

PO Box 723, Couva Post Office Maracaibo Drive Point Lisas industrial Estate, Point Lisas email: dsamaru@methanex.com

Editorial Review Team:

Lester Boodhoo

Mushtaq Mohammed

Anthony narine

Charles Percy

Deborah Samaru

Writers:

Sherese Chee Mook

Deborah Samaru

Design & Production: The ArtBank Limited

Photography: Create 3D Limited image Factory

nigel nisbet

Page 6 - Courtesy AmCham

Page 6 - Courtesy Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago

Printing:

ScripJ Printers Limited

MOMENTUM is composed of opinions and ideas of persons featured. All information in this publication is verified to the best of the authors’ and publisher’s ability. No responsibility can be accepted for loss arising from decisions based on this material. Where opinions are expressed, it is that of the authors. Reproduction, in whole or in part, requires written permission from Methanex Trinidad Limited.

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PREsIDEnT ’s PERsPECTIvE

• kEEPing OUR EyES On Th E visiON

sTakEhOlDER EngagEmEnT

• cEO MEETs STAkEhOLDERS

• DiALOgUE WiTh Th E ENERgy Mi N isTRy

• STREngTh Ening RELATiONships

• VALUABLE cONvERsATiONs

DEvElOPI ng Ou R PEOPlE

• iMPROVED TOOL FOR pERfORMANcE MANAgEMENT

• pETROski LLs: EnABLing COMPETEnCy-BASED LEAR ning

• ATTRACTing TALEnT AT WOW

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REsPOnsI blE CaRE

• RECOgniTiOn FOR RObUsT Rc sysTEMs

• sTOW AssUREs COnTRACTORS’ hSE SySTEMS

• h UMAn FACTORS EMPhASizE bEhAviOUR

• STEPPing UP TO Th E WELLNEss chALLENgE

RElIabI lITy

• UPgRADing TiTAN

• OPERATiOnS’ pRidE

• M-bARc: A BLUEPR inT FOR RELiABi LiTy

COmmun ITy

• TOUchi Ng LivEs POSiTiVELy

• APPREC iATiOn FOR OUR cAp

• TRAin EES TRAnSFORM autisM pLace

• C h R iSTMAS C h EER FOR Th E ELdERLy

• SUPPORTing MUsic EdUcATiON

EmPlOyEE EngagEmEnT

• RELAxing WiTh cLU b MELAE

• PhOTO gALLERy

Keeping our eyes on the Vision Thinking in 3D –Dream, Design, Deliver

Leadership gets the behaviour it exhibits and tolerates. this has been my management philosophy and is steered by the view that we are all leaders who need to develop that leadership mettle. the republic of singapore’s first prime Minister, Lee Kuan yew called on the citizens of singapore to develop 3D thinking – that is, to Dream, Design and Deliver. i believe personal leadership is integral to developing that 3D thinking, and although we may be relatively stronger in one dimension than another, too often we may have an idea but never walk the route to delivery.

Our Vision Statement reads: “By 2015, we will be globally recognized as the leader in the methanol industry, while nurturing our community, protecting our environment and caring for our employees.”

For the Methanex Trinidad Vision to come alive, we need everyone to be closely aligned in defining and developing their 3D role. We are therefore continuously challenged to consider, “What new and innovative channels to bring to the table? What value can my contributions add? how do i manage a project and execute to completion?” Building on our successful profile, our Vision Statement, indicative of continuous improvement, compels us to persistently measure and manage our performance in our four key pillars: Reliability, Responsible Care, Value Creation and People Development. Although the list is not exhaustive, some of the actions and activities we have undertaken in 2013 to reflect this 3D thrust are highlighted.

Talent recruitment and management are valuable drivers in refreshing ideas and retooling skills. Methanex Trinidad’s participation in UWi’s World of Work Fair in March 2013 continues to be an effective opportunity for the company to connect with the best available talent and identify potential candidates for our Vacation internship and graduates-in-Training (giT) programs. Each year we look forward to this direct interface to engage with UWi students and graduates, even as we continuously align our business needs with candidates’ submissions.

As a career developmental tool, Methanex Trinidad engaged Petroskills in August 2013 to develop a competence management and assurance system, as well as the software technology to support the delivery and reporting of competency-based solutions. Building on the work developed by Methanex new zealand, the impetus of this system lies in enabling productive conversations around an individual’s career development plans and organizational needs, based on the discipline and stage in the career.

Some teams have proven their resourcefulness and through their actions, have endorsed personal leadership and 3D thinking. An example is the PR i DE initiative – Personal Responsibility in Delivering Excellence – which was launched at the Operations Department’s team-builder in August 2013. The PR i DE message affirms that personal excellence is a necessary facet to upholding world class excellence. Each individual’s strengths and contributions represent the lifeblood to achieving operational excellence.

The manufacturing experience and intellectual muscle we have developed from our Turnarounds on the Atlas and Titan Plants represent a broader shift in our capabilities. Despite scheduling and labour challenges, the Titan Turnaround completed in October 2013 was a progressive experience that has improved plant reliability, validated our organizational mandate and tested the rigor of our systems and processes. notwithstanding the unprecedented level of simultaneous Turnaround activity on the Point Lisas industrial Estate which stretched resource availability, the Titan Turnaround was completed at a budgeted cost of USD 33 million, recorded 1280 jobs, spanned 390,540 man-hours and resulted in zero lost-time injuries.

Our successful RC 14001 re-certification in October 2013 also endorses our Responsible Care Management System and our Responsible Care initiatives in process safety. External feedback from RC auditors communicated the high engagement and awareness levels of site personnel and we actively continue to develop and improve our RC Management System to consistently ensure wellness, preparedness and safe product stewardship.

Our Vision Statement characterizes a desired outcome and it should and must stretch our organization’s capabilities. The congruency of our goals and strategic initiatives are important dimensions in determining our alignment with our Vision Statement. having completed the commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 03, 2010, in november 2013, a mixed team of specialists from Methanex Trinidad and Vancouver, in conjunction with stakeholders from Methanol holdings (Trinidad) Limited (MhTL), Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago (PETROTR in) and the national Petroleum Marketing Company (n P), presented the findings of the methanol fuel blending study to the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs. i am therefore thrilled by the collaborative thrust of our employees and external energy partners, and we are also encouraged by global developments in the methanol fuel economy which is convincingly represented in China and developing a presence in Australia, israel and new zealand.

Throughout 2013, Club Melae, an employee-led group, has been instrumental in rallying employee support, mobilizing resources and executing events in support of employee engagement. The network of support from all departments is demonstrative of teamwork and positive employee relationships. Via this channel, employees are emboldened to own an initiative and deliver to completion, whilst providing a meaningful outlet to socialize, even as they develop and improve their project management and leadership skills.

As we look ahead to framing our strategic plans and site management processes, i believe that there is strength to be derived from keeping sight of the bigger picture. i encourage all employees and contractors to stay the course we have charted, and always seek out opportunities for improvement.

CEO MEETS STAkEhOLDERS

On his first official visit as president and ceo of Methanex corporation, John Floren met with government, industry stakeholders and employees on June 10 – 11. John and charles percy met with trinidad and tobago’s Minister of energy and energy affairs, Minister of Finance and presidents of Bp trinidad and tobago LLc (joint venture partner in the atlas plant and

the country’s largest natural gas producer) and the national gas company.

These meetings were important in understanding stakeholders’ views about natural gas supply and the outlook for downstream petrochemical producers, including Methanex Trinidad, whose production targets continue to be impacted by intermittent gas curtailments. Methanex reiterated its desire to continue dialogue and help find solutions to the curtailments.

John also engaged the site’s management team and employees in discussion on the business strategy and objectives and global methanol outlook. Joining the Operations team in the Common Control Centre for his first Café with John session in Trinidad, he engaged in group and informal chats on various topics, including current affairs and sports. Through these and other networking sessions, he is connecting with employees at all Methanex locations around the world.

Rapt attention of employees during Café with John.

CEO John Floren chats with Plant Operators.

DiALO gUE WiTh Th E En ERgy MiniSTRy

the Ministry of energy and energy affairs hosted this year’s annual technical Meeting (atM) between the Ministry and Methanex trinidad at its port of spain office on november 08, giving more of the Ministry’s personnel an opportunity to participate. the conversation focused on issues impacting Methanex in trinidad including the outlook for natural gas supply, a review of our responsible care and reliability performance and initiatives, including the 2013 titan turnaround as well as a finance overview, methanol markets update and projections for methanol growth globally. representatives of the Ministry of Finance (inland revenue) and the environmental Management authority continued to participate in this session.

The ATM was preceded by a presentation on the Methanol Fuel Blending Feasibility Study which has been completed according to the terms of the MOU. Jeron Chin, Process Team Lead (Trinidad) and Jason Chesko, Senior Manager, Fuels (Vancouver, Canada) led the presentation which highlighted methanol fuel blending initiatives in several countries, environmental benefits and opportunities for blended fuels in the Caribbean region. They were supported by Technical Team members from Methanol holdings (Trinidad) Limited, national Petroleum Marketing Company (gasoline retailer) and PETROTR in (gasoline producer). The goal is to continue discussions with the Ministry in advancing this initiative.

sTRENgTh EN i Ng R ELATiOnShi PS

Methanex Trinidad continued to be associated with two leading local conferences through sponsorship, facilitating presenters and panellists from Methanex and other global organizations, and attendance by employees as development opportunities. Our Platinum sponsorship of the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago’s 2013 Energy Conference and gold sponsorship of the American Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago’s (AmCham) hSE Conference were opportunities to strengthen relationships, and build new ones, as both events attract internationally recognised speakers and delegates from several countries.

Howard Seto, Manager, Environmental Affairs (Methanex Corporation) presented at AmCham’s HSE Conference on Sustainability Reporting and Accountability.

Moko Jumbies (Carnival characters on stilts) display our company’s logo above guests at the Energy Chamber’s cocktail reception.

VALUABLE COnVERSATiOnS

in furthering our stakeholder engagement, two sessions were held in 2013 to listen and learn from community teams. in June, representatives from 10 vendor/contractor companies (one of whom had to be a resident of point Lisas and environs) and members of our community advisory panel, gave valuable feedback on concerns related to the point Lisas estate’s emergency preparedness and response, in addition to recommendations for improving community communication prior to turnarounds. the visit also allowed information sharing on our responsible care culture and initiatives, process safety and emergency management plans, including a worst-case scenario using modelling software. a site tour sparked much interest among the team.

On July 23, CEOs, Managing Directors and Supervisors of 11 service providers for the Titan Turnaround met with members of the Site Management and Turnaround Teams to collaborate on achieving a successful outcome. Full participation and open dialogue with useful recommendations paved the way for taking pre-emptive action and addressing concerns in a timely manner.

Like the previous session in June, this was an excellent opportunity for face-to-face dialogue and getting to know the people who make decisions that impact our business.

Fence line community team toured our methanol production facility.

Dialogue with Turnaround contractors.

iMPROVED TOOL FOR pER fORMANc E M ANAgEMENT

IMpact, Methanex’s performance planning and development framework, is a global initiative that defines Methanex’s approach to fostering a high performance culture. consisting of three components – Discuss, Develop and Deliver – the iMpact process aims to enhance organizational performance, foster career conversations, promote accountability and reinforce our core values.

Re-designed and re-branded in 2013, from its predecessor E-POS, iMPACT provides a common understanding and approach to performance planning and development. in this regard, it ascribes a shared responsibility between employees and managers or supervisors to support career development and take ownership of performance and development goals and objectives. Adrian Vincent, human Resources Advisor and onsite Subject Matter Expert for iMPACT online – explains the intrinsic value of this framework.

Why is it relevant?

At our last engagement survey, performance management ranked as an area that needed improvement. Re-designed and launched for the 2013 performance cycle, the iMPACT framework is an improved performance assessment tool that

better differentiates competencies and measures performance. Based on information keyed in to iMPACT online, the system will assess behavioural competencies, goals and delivered outcomes, then generate a score that delivers a performance rating based on a scale from 1 to 5.

How is it applied in Methanex Trinidad?

As an online performance management tool, it enables employees and supervisors to collectively determine what needs to be accomplished. As supervisors and direct reports generate goals for the year, each party can re-visit and update the status of these goals at biannual interim reviews and annual close-out sessions. A benefit of this system rests on its personalization as both the supervisor and direct reports can calibrate goals during career discussions and update or remove accordingly.

What is HR’s role in supporting IMPACT?

Our role is to bolster awareness, ensure compliance and deliver mechanisms that continuously support improvement. We are currently delivering iMPACT training sessions to remind employees about the system updates and to introduce the new online forms.

Adrian Vincent, Human Resources Advisor (left), is providing IMPACT guidance to employees like Josiah Ragbir, Senior Technical Procurement Officer.

Petroskills competency solutions, a north american company, is a competency-based training provider for the oil and gas industry. in early 2013, Methanex corporation joined the petroskills alliance, an initiative formed between petroskills and oil and gas companies aimed at creating detailed skill and competency maps in support of the career development of energy industry professionals, and delivering learning and development programs to reliably build those competencies.

EnABLing cOMpETENcy-bAsEd LEAR ning

on undertaking training without a long-term personal commitment. he stressed, “Methanex Trinidad is focused on building and maintaining a competent workforce, in the face of meeting organizational challenges. The system is primarily a developmental tool. it is not a performance management tool. The linkage exists in enabling meaningful career conversations around individuals’ career development and organizational needs.”

in August 2013, Methanex Trinidad engaged PetroSkills to develop a competence management and assurance system, and to provide software technology to help manage the delivery and reporting of competency-based solutions. Building on the work undertaken by Methanex new zealand, this initiative afforded the provision of both content and assurance in defining competency maps and profiles that identify work processes, competencies and tasks, in tandem with theoretical (knowledge) and practical (capability) components required. it also took into account competence development and competence assurance according to the discipline and relative to the career stage.

As a corporate initiative, Methanex new zealand was the first site to partner with PetroSkills, with a focus on the Manufacturing team. Anthony narine, Senior human Resources Advisor, member of the global Competency Assurance Team (gCAT) and project lead for the Methanex Trinidad site, articulated the vision of all employees being personally responsible and fully engaged in the process of competence assurance and competency-based learning, and a de-emphasis

The project’s overarching goals are focused on creating a system to define the competencies required for the job, identifying knowledge and capability components that support attainment of the competencies and re-certifying (where applicable) to maintain relevancy. Through its delivery, it can also reduce the subjectivity that can, at times, accompany the assessment of an individual’s developmental need.

Several milestones have already been achieved. Supported by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and site leadership commitment, Anthony is encouraged by the level of enthusiasm and remains committed to enabling and sharing knowledge across the Methanex sites – with geismar (Louisiana) being recently added. he affirmed, “Methanex Trinidad is the second manufacturing site to engage PetroSkills and although we are currently focused on two teams – Operations and Finance – the process will be iterative to include other teams in 2014.”

in aligning competencies with work processes, promoting continuous learning, renewed selfcommitment and site leadership support, Methanex Trinidad is on track to developing and sustaining a top quartile workforce and consequently its reliability.

Anthony Narine, Senior Human Resources Advisor and Lisa Pariagh, Supervisor, Financial Reporting & Tax are focused on competency mapping.

ATTRACTing TALEnT AT WOW

methanex trinidad’s involvement in uWi’s World of Work Fair, or WoW as it is more commonly referenced, represents a significant opportunity for the company to engage with uWi students and graduates. as a recruitment tool, it is the company’s first point of contact to meet and identify potential vacation interns and candidates for our graduates-in-training (git ) program.

The WOW Recruitment Fair – hosted by The University of the West indies (St. Augustine Campus) for eight consecutive years – traditionally occurs in March each year and spans a 2-day period. Widely represented by a host of companies and an ever increasing number of participants, Methanex Trinidad benefits from the occasion to reach out to students and promote the company brand.

human Resources Advisor, Adrian Vincent, points out, “this channel has provided Methanex Trinidad with a direct interface with young and interested

prospects, through which we have recruited over 72 giTS and vacation interns…. in fact, almost all giTs can claim to have spoken to representatives of Methanex Trinidad at this Fair over our 8-year presence.”

As the overall volume of responses from students continues to increase, Adrian remains focused on the value of aligning business needs with potential candidates’ submissions, and affirms that, “a critical component of our success stems from matching business needs with the best candidates.” he continues, “most importantly, the quality of our involvement at UWi’s World of Work represents a collaborative effort with other departments including Public Affairs, Operations and Technical. We also include existing giTs to our pool of representatives tasked with engaging students and fielding questions at the WOW Fair.”

highly engaging and fully participative, UWi’s World of Work Fair has proven to be an effective tool in connecting with the best available talent.

Kelly Charles, Process Safety Engineer, helped in conveying the Methanex experience to visitors.

R ECO gniTiOn FOR RObUsT Rc sysTEMs

rc 14001 is an international responsible care (rc) standard that combines the elements of the american chemistry council’s (acc) responsible care initiative with those of the iso 14001, environmental Management system. rc 14001 enables a company to obtain through an application and audit process, a certification that its management system conforms to both the iso 14001 standard and acc’s responsible care codes. rc 14001 re-certification audits are due every three years whilst surveillance audits which focus on specific components of the rc system are conducted on an annual basis. Methanex trinidad first pursued rc 14001 certification in 2007 and was re-certified in 2010.

in October 2013, two auditors from Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance conducted our site’s RC 14001 re-certification audit. Following three days of auditing our Responsible Care Management System, interviewing site personnel, reviewing procedures and visiting the Plants, our site was successfully recommended for RC 14001 re-certification.

Renata Tam, Responsible Care Supervisor and leader of our RC 14001 internal audit team, lauded the high engagement and awareness of site personnel. She credited a multi-disciplinary approach and explained, “our Responsible Care Management System forms part of our continuous improvement cycle and we continue to have strong commitment from the top of the organization. All audit findings are submitted to the relevant departments for action, and each year our Site Management

Team reviews our RC Management System, including progress updates of our RC goals and targets, any significant incidents as well as ways that we can continue to improve our RC systems.” As Renata expanded, “maintaining RC certification means that at a minimum, we have robust systems in place and remain committed to improving our RC standard, through internal audits, identifying gaps and taking corrective actions to close those gaps. These internal audits are done using trained RC auditors.”

Our RC initiatives and commitment to continuous improvement reinforce our Responsible Care ethic and our strong Responsible Care Management System. Congratulations to all site personnel on achieving RC 14001 re-certification.

sTOW ASSURES

COnTRACTORS’

hSE SySTEMS

the safe to Work (stoW) program is a joint initiative of the energy chamber of trinidad and tobago, downstream companies represented by the point Lisas energy association (pLea) and upstream companies of the association of upstream operators of trinidad and tobago (auott ). its purpose is two-fold: (1) to establish an independent system for certifying contractors’ health, safety and environment (hse) management systems in the energy sector and (2) to create a standardized platform that uniformly assesses minimum hse requirements for prequalifying contractors.

The STOW certification program which establishes common hSE requirements for the pre-qualification of contractors is applicable across all companies signed on to the STOW Charter (upstream and downstream).

From 2011 to early 2013, Methanex Trinidad has participated on the STOW implementation Board, tasked with the implementation of STOW and sustaining the initiative in the energy industry. in accordance with the STOW process, contracting

companies are certified according to the level of risk of service they perform on the respective energy company’s site. having integrated STOW into our contractor management process, all onsite vendors categorized in the high risk segment of contractors, were mandated to be STOW-certified by January 01, 2013. indicative of Methanex Trinidad’s commitment to STOW certification, high risk vendors not satisfying the requirement were temporarily suspended from the approved contractor listing, and re-instated upon successful completion of STOW certification.

David Martin, Manager, Materials commented on the intrinsic value of the STOW initiative as one that provides “a measure of quality assurance about a company’s hSE management system. Whilst STOW has significantly supplemented our efforts, it has also elevated contractors’ hSE awareness and systems.” STOW certification is a rigorous process and companies are certified for a fixed duration, making re-certification a necessary requirement. David affirms, “certification is a requirement for all contractors but the enforcement timeline of the requirement differs between high risk vendors and low risk vendors. The industry requirement for STOW certification of high risk contractors is December 31, 2013, and we will continue to deliver a series of consultation sessions with contractors to provide guidance and ensure compliance.”

Methanex Trinidad’s monitoring process is integral to supporting STOW’s effectiveness on our site. As David emphasizes, “the STOW certificate is like your RC passport, and although it may allow you entrance on our site, it is one component in our Responsible Care package.” in tandem with the Point Lisas Energy Association (PLEA) Contractor Passport system, he points out, “there are other site specific requirements to fulfill that may also be relevant to the provision of service and reflect the inherent risk involved in the activity.” As employees, contractors and companies, we all have a vested interest in continuously ensuring a safer work environment.

STOW-certified contractors bring quality assurance to HSE management systems.

hUMAn FACTORS EMPhASizE bEhAviOUR

it is an insightful approach to safety that is focused on behaviour, results, improvement and a Just culture. Methanex corporation is embracing the human Factors program, offered by the Keil centre (scotland), as part of its emphasis on continuous improvement in safety.

Defined as the “environmental, organizational and job factors, and human and individual characteristics which influence behaviour at work”, human Factors is based on the Centre’s Safety Culture Maturity ®1 Model that maps the path to safety excellence along five levels. The program will re-focus attention on behaviour, looking beneath the surface to understand why and how incidents occur. The ultimate objective is to keep people safe by improving safety performance, strengthening our communication systems and safety culture.

First introduced at Methanex, new zealand in 2007, the human Factors program is being extended to other manufacturing sites with a survey to establish a Maturity index baseline as the first step in the process. in 2012, Methanex Trinidad scored 3.6 on the Maturity index, with 96% employee response to the online survey managed by keil Centre. This puts us at the ‘involving’ stage (Level 3) on the Safety Culture Maturity Model and is similar to the 2009 BST survey result when another behaviour-based safety program – CORE (Critical Observations Reduce Exposure) – was being introduced at Methanex Trinidad.

Deonanan Jagdip, Senior Responsible Care Advisor and Team Lead for human Factors at the Trinidad site, explained how human Factors complements CORE. “Both programs use the A-B-C tool: Antecedent, Behaviour and Consequence. CORE is field specific and corrects behaviour in the field; human Factors goes beyond the field to understand the human elements that lead to incidents……to explain the why and how of incidents.”

in 2013, keil consultants conducted sessions onsite to share additional information, train an 8-person team on the human Factors Analysis Tool (h FAT) and supervise a 2-day workshop for the development of a health & Safety Behaviour Standard which will be rolled out as part of the next step activity. The human Factors Analysis Tool supports the program’s important ‘Just Culture’ feature that considers whether the behaviour that lead to incidents is intentional (leading to consequences) or non-intentional.

Deo noted that the next step will also include three extraction workshops for all employees, supervisors and managers using data on behaviours currently being displayed as the basis for discussion. Significantly, behaviour standards for each group will require agreement on an “i Will” and “i Will not” list of actions.

The work to follow in 2014/15 will include implementation of the h&S Standard, reviewing/ re-writing/deletion of procedures and a follow-up audit for feedback and ascertaining improvement in the Maturity index baseline.

STEPPing U P TO Th E WELLNEss c hALLENgE

the global corporate challenge (gcc), the world’s largest corporate health initiative, aims to increase fitness levels and promote teamwork within a friendly competitive framework. For the past three years, Methanex corporation has participated in the gcc event – the global pedometer challenge –which typically lasts for a period of sixteen weeks.

As an extension of Methanex’s health and Wellness initiative and supported by the global Occupational Safety and health (gOSh) team, the gCC steers participants to make 10,000 steps per day, the minimum standard set by the World health Organization to reduce the risks of disease.

individual participation in the gCC, tracked by a pedometer supplied through the gCC, logs all steps and motion, including biking and swimming, which the employee enters into the gCC website. The gCC online system then plots progress so that participants may gauge where their teams rank in relation to other Methanex and international teams.

Juliana Pierre, site nurse and Methanex Trinidad’s gCC online site manager, commended Methanex Trinidad’s 98 participants for logging 125,949,826 steps during the gCC journey which ran from May 23 to September 11, 2013. Divided into 14 teams of 7 employees per team, the total energy burnt on site measured 5,078,297 calories, whilst kool Run-ins, led by Rishi Paryag, notably stood out as the most active team.

Recalling the gCC experience, Juliana highlights the connection between behaviours and overall wellness, and emphasizes that the process is “about being honest with oneself. if i have wellness challenges, i can make myself better by challenging myself.”

Sedentary habits make us prone to developing wellness challenges, “so the gCC site offers a holistic support system, including nutrition advice, cultural lessons and virtual interaction to encourage employees to change their lifestyles and become more active.”

Global Challenge: Curt Rackal recorded significant steps on his pedometer during gym work-outs.

UPgRADing TiTAN

aturnaround (tar) is a planned process of completing maintenance work and safety and reliability upgrades on plant assets. at Methanex trinidad, our 3-year turnaround cycle involves significant forecasting, planning and preparation as we work to improve the reliability and integrity of our two methanol plants.

in the second half of 2013, downstream companies competed for limited resources, local labour and expert competencies, on account of the large number of turnarounds which occurred simultaneously on the Point Lisas industrial Estate, resulting in a historic deployment of manpower and equipment. Midand downstream companies took the opportunity to schedule turnarounds to coincide with upstream maintenance outages by two major gas suppliers owing to limited gas supplies during the period July to October. Collaboration among key stakeholders was key to well-coordinated TARs and the Point Lisas Energy Association ensured communication was a priority.

Replacement of the Waste Heat Boiler.

The planned 30-day turnaround in September on our Titan Plant addressed critical path jobs in the replacement of the Waste heat Boiler (Wh B), structural work on the Cooling Tower, catalyst replacement in the Water Cooled Reactor (WCR) and hydrogenator, and an overhaul of the Titan Flare. Statutory inspections of boilers, vessels and steam drums were also completed.

At a cost of USD 33 million, the scope of this turnaround extended to 36 days, required 390,540 man-hours and projected 1280 individual jobs for execution. Our team of employees and approximately 40 contractor companies, operating under the Titan TAR logo: T.E.A.M (Together Everyone Achieves More) were engaged in delivering on Responsible Care, Quality, Productivity and Budget targets. All departments demonstrated heightened coordination in the months leading up to the turnaround to ensure the timely procurement of materials, equipment and services; development of a comprehensive Responsible Care package which included risk assessments, job hazard analyses, contractor orientation and training; development of communication strategies; and the establishment of a comfortable contractor facility to accommodate a canteen, change-rooms, washrooms, lockers and drug testing facilities.

This turnaround engaged global collaboration from other Methanex sites, including a visit from kevin henderson, Vice President, global Manufacturing and Brad neumann, Director, Responsible Care. Brad observed the implementation of the Responsible Care plan and provided feedback in guiding the team, noting that adjustments are necessary and unique to each turnaround.

Mushtaq Mohammed, Director, Manufacturing, recalled the turnaround challenges and the commitment of personnel to work collaboratively to deliver a safely executed TAR. Michael Wei, Turnaround Lead, also commended the teamwork, adding high praise for the Titan Cooling Tower project which met its targets.

Upon close-out of the turnaround and with no losttime injury, 154 audits were completed and 2600 safety observations were recorded. The lessons learnt will be applied in continuously improving plant reliability.

“In my 27 years of experience in the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industries, I’ve never once enjoyed working on Cooling Towers; I’d prefer to work on the Delayed Coker Units! That all changed after observing the Titan Cooling Tower project. I was totally impressed with the team’s attention to detail during the planning phase, the architectural model used to manage execution and the engineering improvements made during this project. This project, to me, should be used as a ‘case study’ on the maintenance of Cooling Towers, a very successful job! Congratulations to the team.”

Luis Lopez, Project Manager, DATSU Unlimited

Raquel Roopnarine, Financial Accountant, was the top employee CORE observer with 35 observations, helping to ensure safe behaviour.

A model of the Titan Cooling Tower (inset) successfully facilitated contractors’ preparation.

OpERATiONs’ pR idE

taking pri De is an exciting departmental initiative led by neela ramnanan, Manager, operations, to build on continuous improvement and engage employees on an individual level. the acronym signifies personal responsibility in Delivering excellence and it was launched at the operations Department’s team-builder in July/august 2013.

The intrinsic connection between employees’ contributions on an individual level and achieving operations excellence is progressively apparent when we can recognize, develop and harness each employee’s strengths. in referencing Methanex Trinidad’s Vision Statement, neela emphasized, “the need to bridge the gap in understanding each individual’s role in achieving the Vision.” She added, “this learning was reinforced in the team-builder through a series of exercises, so that each employee better appreciated the value of their personal contributions in achieving the success of the department and ultimately Methanex Trinidad’s broader Vision.”

Since the team-builder, Operations’ role towards achieving the Vision Statement is being manifested in PR i DE accomplishments that boost overall changes in behaviour. “We are collectively seeking to embed a culture that encourages all employees to do even their

routine functions to the best of their ability,” neela expanded. Through the dynamism and efforts of the Operations team, the PR i DE message conveys that “your personal excellence contributes to us being a part of world class excellence.” neela cited examples of sustaining reliability through the simplest actions such as proper collection of product samples for analysis, good site housekeeping, the quality and completeness of a work order description in MAxiMO. She explained, “as a source of personal reflection, doing the best you can in your personal sphere, will inevitably contribute to lifting the level of overall site reliability.”

The commitment to exhibit more proactive behaviour is validated in the PR i DE initiative. As a lever of change and in tandem with the positive responses from the Operations team, neela is emboldened that responsibility and accountability are being finely tuned on an individual level. She believes the Operations team is stepping up and actively taking more ownership of their responsibilities.

Neela Ramnanan, Manager, Operations (centre) is engaging team members like (l-r) Raoul Ramlakan, Sankar Teelucksingh and Lianna Alexander in taking ownership of PRIDE.

Operations excellence is the goal of plant personnel like Dane Rogers, Senior Operator.

the M-Barc banner: Methanex- Bringing asset reliability closer, expresses a commitment to achieve higher levels of performance by making reliability a site-wide activity. spearheaded by a multi-disciplinary team with cross-functional responsibility for reliability, the M-Barc journey is patently improving Methanex trinidad’s performance culture.

M-bARc: A B LUEPR inT FOR R ELiAB i LiTy

The initiative which began in 2012, based on an improved Work Management System (WMS) designed by the north American company, Strategic Asset Management inc. (SAMi), augments planning accuracy and bolsters linkages among the Maintenance, Materials and Operations Departments. From May 01, 2013, Theron Alexis, Manager, Maintenance embraced ownership of the implementation of the M-BARC reliability strategy, supported by coowners neela Ramnanan, Manager, Operations and David Martin, Manager, Materials.

Building on the SAMi model and consolidating input from global best practices and Methanex’s global Reliability Team, M-BARC is Methanex Trinidad’s strategic blueprint for increasing reliability and predictability. The MAxiMO system upgrade, an important tool in the success of the M-BARC reliability strategy, delivers another opportunity to enhance business performance and improve asset management and reliability.

in commenting on the process, Theron is reassured by the significant progress that

the site has achieved and confirmed that “there are sustained improvements in overall site performance and the positive trending of key Performance indicators (kPis) in all baseline targets set for the site.” he noted, “we have fully implemented the planned maintenance portion of the strategy and we are currently focused on reinforcing proactive behaviour, shifting from repair-focused and managing defects, to reliabilityfocused and eliminating defects. involvement of the site has been exceptional and the level of engagement is continuously improving.”

The M-BARC strategy, integral to establishing a sustainable platform for future successes, also includes leadership training and development as key components, and aims to ensure alignment of ownership and competences throughout the organization. in championing the M-BARC site initiative, Theron emphasized the significance of people to the success of the strategy, both as “we improve processes, and change mindsets and behaviours.” he explained, “demonstrating by my actions that we can do it is imperative to the process. Additionally, the organization is the most important element, and if we do not get the people aspect right, the processes will fall apart. The salient differences between leadership and management define a process of continuous coaching in knowing when to use which lever.”

Methanex Trinidad is driven to be globally recognized as a world class leader in the methanol industry. Shifting from individual orientation

to team orientation indicates that our reliability interface is reliant on collaboration among the Maintenance, Operations, Materials, and other Manufacturing teams. Meaningful and credible metrics embedded in the M-BARC strategy are also raising the bar on reliability and putting a focus on accountability. neela Ramnanan, Manager, Operations, characterized her role in the successful implementation of M-BARC, as one of reinforcing this message of continuous improvement in reliability and influencing behavioural changes in the Manufacturing team to be in alignment with achieving excellence. “Soliciting feedback and engaging managers and supervisors in actively pursuing areas of improvement are central to the process,” she indicated.

“Critical to our reliability objectives is the alignment of behaviours and systems across teams”, commented David Martin, Manager, Materials. “As such we have embedded our input and participation in the decision-making around work planning and scheduling. As we move forward, optimization of our supply chain process and outcomes, alongside collaborative coordination with our key customers, remains our focus.”

The M-BARC reliability strategy, coupled with a focus on accountability, predictability and proactive planning, places Methanex Trinidad on a steady path to achieving operational excellence and achievement of our Vision.

TOUC hing LiVESpOsiTivELy

Imagine a program in which young professionals volunteer time and talent in steering teenage students on a progressive path and boosting their self-confidence. imagine children with high potential but limited financial means having an opportunity to attend classes regularly, with proper school accessories. imagine having a basic home built so that a student from a low-income family can develop in a comfortable environment. imagine having a positive role model who is available to listen….and guide…and impart values. For many students in our country, these small gestures represent a real ray of hope. these are some of the “gifts” that Methanex trinidad Limited and our employee volunteers are giving to secondary school students through our ‘Mentoring our children’ program.

Championed by Methanex Trinidad employees who volunteer time and talent to mentor students over a two-year period, the ‘Mentoring Our Children’ Program marked its 3rd program cycle in January 2013.

Student selection, curriculum re-design and think-tank meetings defined the planning process and aimed to bolster students’ holistic development, through an expanded program offering and delivery.

Several key changes included: an emphasis on communication, the incorporation of life-skills training (anger management, conflict resolution and ethics), social skills development and social responsibility. Mentors’ development has also been actively supported to help further understand mentorship best practices and demonstrate leadership attributes.

Since its launch as a pilot program in 2007, ‘Mentoring Our Children’ has directly impacted the lives of 56 students, ages 13 to 15, and was extended from 2 schools – Carapichaima West Secondary and Couva West Secondary – to include 3 additional schools –Waterloo high, Preysal high and Carapichaima East Secondary.

Mentors and Mentees on their ‘Away-Day’ at Chaguaramas.

in 2013, 20 students joined the program and benefited from a range of opportunities designed to foster emotional growth and social skills development. These activities included a fine dining etiquette workshop (with follow-on social opportunities to practise), a site tour of the Methanex Trinidad facility, training sessions, professional psycho-educational assessment, craft exercises, a movie at the Digicel iMAx theatre and a classical music concert at the national Academy of Performing Arts.

This program forms an integral component of the company’s social responsibility pillars of Education and Partnership with Employees, and continues to engage high levels of commitment as activities are planned, coordinated and delivered by employee volunteers.

Anthony narine, Senior human Resources Advisor, Program Lead and Mentor, affirmed that “the program capitalizes on the philanthropy of the mentors who steadfastly commit themselves to its on-going success. The mentors have recognized that this is one seemingly small way to change the course of our nation’s future.” he added, “from an organizational perspective, it is a creative and alternative channel to develop our leadership talent throughout…and i am humbled by the example of the mentors and the children who mutually inspire and encourage each other to do better!”

While the thrust of the program seeks to encourage students to develop to their full potential and shape a vision for their future, the students also receive financial aid to cover collegiate costs associated with books and uniforms.

Ultimately, both mentors and mentees recall the benefits of the program and extol the importance of inculcating strong ethical values and responsible choices. Employee volunteer, Meera Tricia Pirmal, Mechanical Engineer and longstanding mentor, reminds us that “we all come from different backgrounds and are influenced by our personal experiences. As mentors/leaders we must be able to recognize, appreciate and work with each other, respecting our differences.”

Etiquette workshop taught social skills.

Family Homes: A third student’s family benefitted from the Methanex/Habitat partnership in 2013.

APPREC iATiOn FOR OUR CAP

On December 11, a special dinner was hosted for the Methanex trinidad community advisory panel (cap) to thank outgoing members and recognise the longest serving member, roger Wallace, who has represented the Lisas gardens community from the cap’s inception in 2003.

The CAP was established to provide members of our fence line communities with a simple and effective channel for bringing concerns related to the company and its operations to the attention of Methanex Trinidad’s site management, for action. it is also an avenue for sharing information about Methanex Trinidad and its operations with the community. CAP service is voluntary and members have been supporting Methanex in strengthening relationships through developmental initiatives in these communities such as the First Aid/CPR Workshop.

A fourth session on november 16 for Dow Village, California residents brought the total number of fence line residents certified to 175. The training introduced participants to fundamental guidelines to assist in emergencies at home and in the workplace, acting as first responders. in expressing gratitude for this opportunity, Angela Ramdhanie, a kindergarten operator and teacher, recommended that “at least one person in every home should do this course.”

Longest serving member, Roger Wallace, receives an appreciation memento from MD/ CEO, Charles Percy.

CAP members at the Appreciation Dinner with MD/CEO, Charles Percy (left), Ashim Hosein, Vidya Ramsammy, Nicholas McMillian and Roger Wallace.

TRAin EES TRAnSFORM AUTiSM PLACE

Sixteen graduate trainees and vacation interns took time off from their assignments to install equipment and appliances, fulfilling several needs identified by the Autistic Society. new household appliances (television, stove, refrigerator and dryer), furniture, computer, filing cabinets and electronic learning games were installed on August 23, 2013. items were purchased from funds raised by the volunteers, and matched by Methanex, leading to a total output of TT $39,000.

The Autistic Society of Trinidad and Tobago was founded in 1990 to support persons with autism and their families through a parent support group. The executive and staff comprise parents of persons with autism and operate on a voluntary basis. They help these persons achieve their full potential through education, training and advocacy.

Teresina Sieunarine, President of the ASTT, and other members of management and staff were energised by the interaction with the trainees. “Over our 23 years of existence, we’ve depended on the goodwill of people and organizations to operate this facility. We have 450 families accessing the services and each week, we cater to approximately 60 persons with a range of disabilities. These tools which the Methanex team has given us, will enhance the autism-friendly environment we offer to the persons who access our facilities,” Sieunarine explained.

methanex continues to promote community-giving, among other values and soft skills, as an integral part of its graduates-intraining and Vacation internship programs by challenging our trainees to plan and implement a project that has positive social impact. in august, autism place in D’abadie, utilised by the autistic society of trinidad and tobago (astt ), benefitted from upgrades to their facilities.

graduate-in-Training, Shivana Maharaj, was proud of the team’s efforts: “We were able to satisfy a pressing need for appliances and equipment and the staff told us that we’ve made a huge difference.” She was also high in praise for the Methanex experience….. “Training at Methanex instills a perspective that goes beyond work experience, where ‘giving back’ to society is our shared responsibility. This project left us with a deep sense of fulfilment and also enhanced critical skills such as teamwork and time management. i feel privileged to be a part of a company like Methanex in making such a positive difference to those most in need in our society.”

The team consisting of Methanex Graduates-in-Training and Vacation Interns have fun assembling various items donated to Autism Place.

Ch R iSTMAS Ch EER FOR Th E ELDERLy

graduates-in-Training (giTs) were joined by employees and family members in bringing Christmas Cheer to the 19 residents at the home for the Aged in Couva on Sunday 15 December. Seventeen volunteers spent time with the senior citizens, sharing Christmas cake and ice-cream, dancing to Parang music (from a ‘live’ band), assembling four garden benches and helping to stock cupboards with foodstuff and toiletries from the hampers provided by the giTs. Thanks to all who contributed, through financial donations and time, to support the giTs in their SR initiative.

SUPPORTing MUSiC EDUCATiOn

Methanex Trinidad co-sponsored the St. Augustine Chamber Orchestra’s (SACO) Christmas concert, “hallelujah handel” in aid of their music school building fund. This year’s concert featured the music of famed classical composer and child prodigy, george Frideric handel, including his

popular masterpiece, “Messiah”. SACO is engaged in several fund-raising concerts to support its music education work with the Trinidad and Tobago youth Philharmonic, in addition to its much bigger goal of a physical home for teaching music.

Roanne Ramnath, Assistant Accountant, joined in bringing Christmas cheer to the elderly.

R ELAxing WiTh C LUB MELAE

Club Melae, an employee led group, has enjoyed an active year mobilizing resources, generating interest in its activities and executing events in support of employee engagement. Led by Bernice Kishore, procurement officer and member of Methanex trinidad’s Wellness committee, club Melae has skillfully executed an entertaining ‘all Fours and Karaoke’ event in april, followed by ‘Mix and Mingle’ in november.

Ably represented by employees and graduates-inTraining (who assisted with our karaoke event), each event embraced healthy competition among teams and rallied employee support. invitations were also extended to our in-house contractors from neal & Massy Wood group to experience the ‘Mix and Mingle’ event. Bernice adds her personal style and flair in managing events and firmly

credits wider company support for the successful events. Employees are divided into groups to develop, coordinate and execute events, and the network of support from all departments has been instrumental in maintaining momentum.

A testament to relationship building, Bernice emphasized that Club Melae’s primary role is “to build employee engagement, foster camaraderie among employees and encourage teamwork.” She stressed, “it is about empowering employees to own an initiative and deliver to completion… Club Melae is an exciting channel to empower employees to manage events and develop project management and leadership skills, as well as to provide an opportunity to interact and socialize.”

Duane Modeste, information Technology Administrator and member of the organizing committee for ‘Mix and Mingle’ is also in high praise of employees’ engagement in Club Melae’s activities. he remarked that “the success of the ‘Mix and Mingle’ event was largely as a result of the combined efforts from everyone on the Club Melae team. We came together at the beginning, planned while having lunch and executed a wonderful event.”

Thanks to all our employees for enthusiastic support and a special ‘thank you’ to the organizing team for planning and executing ‘Mix and Mingle’: Duane Modeste (information Technology), Lisa Pariagh (Finance), Renata Tam (Responsible Care) and Bernice kishore (Materials).

Karaoke in costume was hilarious!

All Fours action.

‘Mix and Mingle’: Lessons in cocktail making followed by a great party!

PhOTO gALLERy s

napshots of social activities held in 2013 give a glimpse of the celebrations organized as part of our employee engagement program:

Family Day

Our Family Day ‘Jamboree’ on April 21 was another enjoyable affair with teams taking on names of famous world carnivals and engaging in light-hearted competition (except for the tug-o-war

Christmas in Candyland

FunStation continues to be a very popular venue for our annual Employees’ Children’s Christmas Party …….it’s obvious by the excitement on their little faces as they enter ……..right to the end when moms and dads have to tug them away from the many games and rides. The event on December 07 adopted a fun theme: ‘Christmas in Candyland’.

event which had bragging rights at stake!). The Shift employees did not miss out as their event mirrored the main one, complete with the oh-so-popular giant water slide and boats. Congrats to champion team, Mardi gras!

B i EnVEn UE a PAR iS!

Our Employees’ End-of-year Party on December 20 at hyatt Regency transported guests to Paris, with Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe décor conveying images of a Parisian Christmas.

This year’s event introduced awards to long serving employees (combined Methanex + predecessor company) for 10, 20 and 30 years. Congrats to all recipients!

30 years

zahid hosein

Mukesh Ramsaroop

Sebastian Ribeiro

20 years

hemat Balroop

Sundar harkoo

Dyanand Jankie

Steve Ramlal

Rodney Santoo

Michael Wei

10 years

Visham harripersad

kerry John

ishanand Lalbirsingh

Marina Lindsay-Roach

Eraldo Mohan

Daron Ramkissoon

Renzie Ramnarine Singh

kassie Seetaram

Top, left: 10-Year award for Marina Lindsay-Roach, Executive Administrative Assistant to the MD/CEO. Top, right: 30-Year award for Mukesh Ramsaroop, Team Lead – Field Engineering. Below, left: Manufacturing Director, Mushtaq Mohammed, dances with his wife, Elma. Below, right: 10-Year award for Ishanand Lalbirsingh, Financial Accountant.

SEA/CAPE AWARDS

Luncheons are held annually to honour proud parents (employees) and their children for the tremendous effort put into attaining success in the local SEA and CAPE examinations. These educational milestones mark the start of secondary

school for SEA students and higher education/ vocation for CAPE graduates. SEA awards include a gift and voucher for school accessories while CAPE achievers receive a monetary grant to help with education expenses.

SEA success is reflected in their smiles!

Parents and CAPE students at the celebratory luncheon.