Business Review Europe & Middle East - July 2014 by Business Chief Europe

www.businessrevieweme.eu

The rise of

July 2014

Why the Middle East is leading the global smartphone race

JULIAN DUNKERTON,

CEO of SuperGroup

Exclusive Interview with: Fosroc

Working with the co-founders of Ticketbis The what, why and how of content marketing

IN THIS ISSUE

From bin bags to riches

Who’s the Boss

T H I S M O N T H W E G O against what feels like an

24 Technology

Fosroc

Capula

EDITOR’S COMMENT

eternal flow of downbeat economic news by showing that business can truly reward perseverance and graft, no matter what the climate may be. Julian Dunkerton’s story from carrying bin liners on trains to leading the iconic SuperGroup Plc is one for all budding businesspeople out there. We get into his philosophy in an exclusive interview. We have two business leaders this month in the shape of Ander Michelena and Jon Uriate, best friends and co-founders of Ticketbis, a successful online trading platform set up in the midst of financial crisis in Spain, one of Europe’s worst-hit countries. In the Middle East, our attention turns to the rise of smartphones and how the likes of the UAE and Saudi Arabia are leading the race in terms of penetration rates. Staying with the technology theme, we also look at ten of the best tablets to be found. Finally, expert copywriter Matt Press explains the what, why and how of content marketing. Enjoy the issue!

Lanes Group

Thomas Wadlow Editor thomas.wadlow@wdmgroup.com 3

CONTENTS

FEATURES

This month’s issue focuses on technology and conducting business in the Middle East

16 FINANCE

Superdry CEO Julian Dunkerton’s from rags to riches story

TECHNOLOGY Winning the smartphone race in the Middle East

Q&A: Boss of the Month

Ticketbis Co-Founders reveal what it takes to start an online business

MARKETING The what, why and how of content marketing

40 32 TOP 10

Tablets on the market 5

Emrill Services

CONTENTS

174

FP McCann

164

64 Fosroc

78 Capula COMPANY PROFILES We feature some the best EME companies that the region has to offer - look out for Fosroc, page 64 ENERGY

174 Emrill Services LLC

54 Association: Nuclear Industry Association

186 Imdaad

64 Fosroc

SUPPLY CHAIN

78 Capula

196 TTS Port Equipment

90 Lanes Group Plc 104 Thames Water

SUPPLY CHAIN 132 Danya Foods 144 Coinadrink

RETAIL 208 SSS Management Services Ltd 216 Vianet Limited 224 Varner Group

154 AmRest Spain

MINING

CONSTRUCTION

240 Association: Euromines

164 FP McCann

July 2014

132

Danya Foods

250 Colt Resources

104 Thames Water

Colt Resources

250

208 SSS Management Services

154 AmRest Spain Varner Group

TTS Port Equipment

224

90 Lanes Group PLC 144 Coinadrink

196

Imdaad

186

Q&A: WHOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S THE BOSS

Ticketbis Co-F it takes to start a

Spaniards Ander Michelena and Jo successful online ticket platform a

July 2014

W R I T T E N B Y: T O M W A D LO W

Founders reveal what an online business

on Uriate reveal the inspiration for their hugely and the challenges of launching a start-up 9

Q&A: WHO’S THE BOSS LAUNCHED IN 2010, Ticketbis is a highly-successful buying and selling platform for lovers of all things entertainment, from theatre and music to comedy and sport. Co-founders and die-hard Athletic Bilbao supporters Ander Michelena (30) and Jon Uriate (35) took time out to tell us about themselves and their business partnership. BR EME: Where were you educated? AM: I studied a degree in administration and business management from the Pontifical University of Comillas in Madrid. I also spent a year abroad studying at Marquette University (Wisconsin, USA). JU: I went to the University of Deusto in Bilbao where I studied Business Administration specialising in Finance and Marketing. I also studied a Master in Financial Management from the same university.

BR EME: What is the best thing about being co-founders/ having a co-founding partner? AM: For sure the constant support and the way you complement each other. 10

July 2014

“In the airport we discovered that we were workmates, and we had more things in common… like we are both from Bilbao and we are both fans of Athletic Bilbao!” – Ander Michelena

JU: I know some entrepreneurs who say it’s better to start a business on your own. I totally disagree. Having a co-founder is great, because when you are down he might pick you up and vice versa. It is important that your partner complements you i.e. different skills, personality etc. BR EME: What is the worst? AM: To see each other 24/7. I spend more time with Jon than with my own wife!

Ticketbis cofounders Ander Michelena (L)and Jon Uriate (R)

JU: Having to share equity with him! BR EME: Where/when did you meet each other? AM: We actually met on a flight to London. In the airport we discovered that we were workmates, and we had more things in commonâ&#x20AC;Ś like we are both from Bilbao and we are both fans of Athletic Bilbao! JU: That was in summer 2008 and that encounter changed our lives!

BR EME: How did you both decide to get into Ticketbis? What was the clinching factor? AM: We were working in London, at Morgan Stanley, and we both wanted a change. We had been researching different business models that had had success in the United States. We saw that there was an opportunity with Ticketbis, we jumped in the swimming pool and luckily there was water. JU: I had been working in banking for seven years and I was a little 11

Q&A: WHO’S THE BOSS

“I always wanted to be a sportsman. The problem is that I wasn’t good enough. This was a good influence as it taught me a lot about failure” – John Uriate

burned out. We had both always liked the idea of being entrepreneurs, after studying the market we came up with the idea for Ticketbis. BR EME: Have you ever missed out on tickets for an event you desperately wanted to go to? What was it? How did you feel? AM: Yes! Quite often actually. I am big Athletic Bilbao fan and it is very hard The Ticketbis website

July 2014

TICKETBIS CO-FOUNDERS

to get tickets for any of their games as 95 percent of the tickets are owned by season ticket holders and there is a huge waiting list. Until we launched Ticketbis it was almost impossible to get hold of a ticket for home games. JU: Unfortunately our team, Athletic Bilbao, does not play in finals very often so the chances of missing a big game such as a Champion’s League Final are not that great. I remember I missed the first concert of AC/DC in my hometown, Bilbao. It was in April 2009 and tickets went on sale in 2008, when I still was working in London, so I didn’t buy any. Ticketbis wasn’t up and running and I didn’t want to buy my ticket in the street from a scalper. I thought it wasn’t safe. BR EME: Who or what was your biggest influence growing up? AM: Two things: football and books. Since I was 12, I loved the game and spent my free time either playing or watching games on TV. I also loved reading from early on. JU: Who? My parents had a very big influence on me. They both worked really hard and gave my sisters and me a great education. What? Sports.

The Ticketbis app for iPhone

I always wanted to be a sportsman. The problem is that I wasn’t good enough. This was a good influence as it taught me a lot about failure. BR EME: What was the best and/or worst piece of advice you ever received? AM: My father told me to choose my career path, not by thinking on which one will give me more money, but 13

Q&A: WHO’S THE BOSS the one that will make me happier. JU: Regarding Ticketbis, focus. We had many ideas, several different businesses and that was an error. When I was a student my parents used to say to me that results were useless without effort. Working hard was really important. BR EME: What do you do in your free time? AM: I try to spend my free time with my wife, my family and my friends and

July 2014

“The advice I would give to young entrepreneurs is to take your idea and run with it. There is no such thing as a perfect moment or a secret recipe for success” – Ander Michelena

TICKETBIS CO-FOUNDERS

I can always find time to follow our favourite football team Athletic Bilbao. JU: In the little free time I have after work I usually divide it amongst friends and family. I am a big sport lover and like to practice whenever I can, and although it isn’t always possible, I try to never miss an Athletic Bilbao game! BR EME: What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs? AM: From my experience, the advice

I would give to young entrepreneurs is to take your idea and run with it. There is no such thing as a perfect moment or a secret recipe for success, just a willingness to work hard. Also it is important that you have a sounding board for your ideas, someone you can share your ideas with who can give you a different point of view. JU: My main piece of advice for young entrepreneurs would be don´t be disillusioned if at first things don´t go as you had imagined. Being an entrepreneur is like riding a rollercoaster, there are highs and also hard times. BR EME: What was the biggest mistake you ever made? AM: Not leaving my job to start Ticketbis earlier! JU: With regards to entrepreneurship, not quitting my job earlier. I should have started my own business sooner. In life, I have made many mistakes. Fortunately none of them have been huge.

Ticketbis on iPad

BR EME: What would you like your epitaph to be? AM: A good father, good husband and better friend JU: Me gustaría ser incinerado (I would like to be cremated). 15

FINANCE

SUPERDRY CEO JULIAN DUNKERTONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S from rags to riches story We talk to the SuperGroup boss about his remarkable journey from transporting stock in bin bags to the multimillion business he runs today Written by: Sergio Burns

FINANCE IF TRUE STORIES made great Hollywood movies, this would be a blockbuster. Who starts out on a £40 a week government allowance only to become Chief Executive Officer of one of the trendiest, most successful UK companies? How many future CEO’s have travelled from Hertfordshire to London to collect stock, then hauled it home by train? Julian Dunkerton, CEO of SuperGroup, parent company of fashion retailer Superdry, did just this. “I brought the stock back in black bin bags on a British Rail train in those days,” he said. “But I never thought anything was not achievable in business.” Despite A level passes, Dunkerton dismissed the idea of university, left school and found employment on farms, in factories and in shops. He had also noticed a man in his local town who seemed to be doing well selling carpets. He knew he enjoyed and had a talent for sales, and this had him thinking about self-employment. Brought up in London until the family moved north when he was 14, Dunkerton was experienced in buying clothes at Kensington 18

July 2014

Superdry store interior

and Camden markets. Rural Hertfordshire was a long way from the city in fashion terms, but the teenager had spotted a gap in the market and moved into business. “When I started I was 19 and had a business partner,” Dunkerton explained. “The first business partner I had wasn’t actually in the business. I would do it all and then he decided to join because I was doing so well, and then I realised I couldn’t work with him.

SUPERDRY CEO JULIAN DUNKERTON

Julian Dunkerton I sold my half to him and needless to say it didn’t last too long after I left.” Creating a Cult It proved a smart and financially lucrative move. Dunkerton pocketed £16,000 and moved his operation to Cheltenham, where the company is still headquartered. By now his business had evolved into Cult Clothing, a multi-brand retailer which still exists online.

“I brought the stock back in black bin bags on a British Rail train in those days, but I never thought anything was not achievable in business” – Julian Dunkerton, CEO of SuperGroup

FINANCE

SUPERDRY CEO JULIAN DUNKERTON

Cult was a strictly no sales, no advertising, low profile operation, because Dunkerton didn’t want his techniques copied. “We now have a marketing department,” he admitted, a necessary concession to the growth of the company in global markets. He is firmer on sales. “You understand when you pick something up, it should be worth the money you are prepared to pay, and if you think that and maintain that, then there is no need to go on sale. “I think the formula of going on sale in the fashion world is fundamentally wrong. Actually if you go on sale on Boxing Day you disenfranchise everyone who bought the product for Christmas presents.” The hard-working Dunkerton, however, recognised that sustained growth wasn’t simply secured by good sales techniques - markets evolve and trends have to be considered. Enter Superdry Cult would lead to Superdry and, with some modesty, the CEO credits James Holder, founder of Bench clothing and Head of Design and Product Development at Superdry,

“You understand when you pick something up, it should be worth the money you are prepared to pay, and if you think that and maintain that, then there is no need to go on sale” – Julian Dunkerton with the name and Asian vibe. “James is the one who really calculated the gap in the market in the UK - the Japanese connection was him,” Dunkerton reveals. “He loved Japanese imaging and the graphics are really fresh. James’ genius was incorporating the word Superdry and giving it that whole Japanese influence.” SuperGroup’s CEO is also quick to recognise the all-consuming need to keep his customer satisfied and 21

FINANCE the central role played by his staff. “I am serving my customers and my staff. I am nothing without them,” the CEO insisted. “I think a lot of other retailers forget the basic principle that you’ve really got to respect your customers, that you must not abuse their trust. “People would inflate prices if they could and damage their reputation but you always get found out if you go for the short term quick money. Customers will remember that and they won’t be loyal to you.” There is an endearing simplicity to Dunkerton’s business philosophy for success and growth, a straightforward need to serve his customer base, Superdry’s store branding

July 2014

“I think a lot of other retailers forget the basic principle that you’ve really got to respect your customers, that you must not abuse their trust” – Julian Dunkerton look after his staff and constantly expand the product range. “You’ve got to be constantly developing new products,” Dunkerton added. “You’ve got to be constantly expanding your customer demographic so you’re developing new areas to bring people into the brand and make the brand exciting and interesting. “Your product has just got to be getting better and better and better, you have to keep pushing the boundaries.” To emphasise the point, Superdry are moving into ski wear.

Superdry’s ski wear For the boss, dedication and inspiration drive Superdry’s success, as well as a determination to heat seek the competition and lock on to new markets. “If you don’t look at the competition you’re dead,” he said. “When I started I looked at Hereford, now business is global, you have to look at what is happening in Europe and America. “Just now we are emulating the success we have had in the UK worldwide. We’ve had huge success in Belgium, are heavily into Germany and

France and across the globe, and that offers us growth for a long, long time.” SuperGroup, the parent company, floated in March 2010 with a market capitalisation of £300 million. By December of the same year that had grown to £1.2 billion and this has been sustained. Such rapid developments are, of course, challenging though Dunkerton remains unfazed by the prospect of continuing to grow the business. Indeed, this kind of challenge is his bread and butter. 23

TECHNOLOGY

WINNING THE SMARTPHONE RACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST With mobile penetration rates in the region among the highest in world and still growing, we go behind the scenes of the booming industry and consider the risks associated with the exploding trend W R I T T E N B Y: T O M W A D LO W

TECHNOLOGY SMARTPHONE SATURATION IS well and truly occurring in the Middle East. According to Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Our Mobile Planet Survey, smartphone penetration rates are at around 74 percent in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the highest in the world and rivalled only by Singapore and South Korea. Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest rate of 67.5 percent comes from Norway. The Middle East and Africa (MEA) region as a whole is only second to Asia Pacific, with 21.3 percent of mobile phone users now owning smartphones, up from just 1.5 percent in 2009. Ipsos reported that mobile now represents the second largest media consumption platform across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt. Indeed, around 40 percent would rather give up their TV. Another rapidly developing field helping to boost smartphone uptake in the Middle East alongside digital media is the ever-bloating app market. Google revealed that on average users in the UAE have 23 apps installed on their phones compared with 28 in Saudi Arabia, with this number set to rise in the coming months and years. 26

July 2014

WINNING THE SMARTPHONE RACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

‘smartphone penetration rates are at around 74 percent in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the highest in the world and rivalled only by Singapore and South Korea’

Leading the way The Middle East has attracted large numbers of manufacturers looking to take advantage of the demand for smartphones, especially low cost models in developing nations as penetration rates look to catch up with the wealthier UAE and Saudi Arabia. Alexander Rauser, CEO of Dubai-based app developer Prototype Interactive, believes that heavy investment in IT is behind the region’s leading position in the smartphone race, as well as the adoption of apps by businesses to perform vital processes. “The Middle East is catching up on all related trends such as BYOD, mobility services and the cloud,” he said. “Alongside this has been somewhat of an app-boom when it comes to business apps. “Two years ago companies would spend their digital budget on social media; now they spend it on apps. We foresee 2014 as 27

TECHNOLOGY

“The app market is going far beyond consumer apps and we are now seeing companies implementing apps and hardware to solve real business challenges and replace desktop PCs” – Alexander Rauser, CEO of Prototype Interactive

July 2014

being the year of consolidation with more strategic investments when it comes to digital assets.” Popular apps include those in utility and services, from location-based review apps to voucher and discount applications. Mobile wallet and payment apps are also being more widely adopted across the region. “We have developed over 40 apps for companies in the Middle East, and one which stands out is an application developed for Aramex called DropBox,” Rauser said. “It allows customers to create shipments using a custom Android Kiosk application. “The application and device is placed in stores and acts as a selfservice desk for customers to send packages. It shows the app market is going far beyond consumer apps and we are now seeing companies implementing apps and hardware to solve real business challenges and replace desktop PCs.” Smart Government Rauser also pointed to the work of governments and authorities in taking up smart practices, no better demonstrated than in the UAE with its Smart Government initiatives.

WINNING THE SMARTPHONE RACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a leading institution in the adoption of such methods. It recently launched an application for iOS and Android which has Chamber information, products and services, upcoming events, press releases and an archive of videos. It is also possible to apply for jobs and register for Chamber events through the app. Hamad Buamim, President and CEO, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told Business Review EME: “It’s important that businesses embrace mobile technology to meet modern customer expectations. “Our app also follows a directive for Dubai to become a ‘Smart City’, with government services available to people 24-seven. This is going to be a big driver of smartphone and online technology usage in Dubai for both the public and private sectors in the future.” “We are seeing more and more companies in Dubai using mobile technology to their advantage and launching innovative apps and services.”

“We are seeing more and more companies in Dubai using mobile technology to their advantage and launching innovative apps and services” – Hamad Buamim, President and CEO, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Staying secure 29

TECHNOLOGY

“The public and businesses in the Middle East need to be more aware of the dangers they are exposing themselves to, especially in the case of Android platforms, where apps are often the target of phishing and malware attacks” – Ray Kafity, Regional Sales Director, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, FireEye

July 2014

The rise in smartphones and app usage has brought with it a proliferation in cybercrime to the region, something which local consumers are not fully aware of. Ray Kafity, Regional Sales Director, Middle East, Turkey and Africa for mobile security experts FireEye, said: “Consumers in the Middle East are starting to become aware of the need to secure their smartphones; however, security is not a deciding factor in purchasing decisions. The users do not realise the risks associated with accessing business emails on their personal devices.” “The public and businesses in the Middle East need to be more aware of the dangers they are exposing themselves to, especially in the case of Android platforms, where apps are often the target of phishing and malware attacks.” Kafity warned that most free apps are not actually ‘free’, in the sense that these applications obtain large amounts of information about the user without permission, which can lead to hackers collecting web browsing history, bookmarks, SMS contents, current and previous locations, installed apps and recent phone logs.

WINNING THE SMARTPHONE RACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The public and businesses need to learn how to avoid the inherent dangers of using apps downloaded from the web

The fact that smartphones are always online and connected to phone networks allows cyber criminals to generate money through premium SMS scams, phone calls and toll number services. Sophisticated hackers also mine SMS information in order to deploy it in other attacks. FireEye’s Mobile Security Management is a hybrid cloud offering real-time visibility into threats on mobile devices, and the company is also preparing to educate the region’s smartphone users in preparing for threats. “First, users should use antivirus software on smartphones, not use Wi-Fi hotspots and turn off

Bluetooth detection so that others can’t access their phone. “Second, they should consistently check for malware by conducting regular scans. Finally, back up your data regularly. Most smartphones can back up critical data and settings via a simple synchronization with either online storage (such as the Cloud) or at any general computer system.” So while the Middle East witnesses a smartphone and application boom, the dangers posed by cyber criminals make it equally important for users of all kinds to remain just as tech-savvy with mobile security as they are with the latest on offer from Google Play. 31

MARKETING

July 2014

The what, why & how of content marketing We unveil some of the best-kept secrets of content marketing and discuss why a solid strategy is a must-have for any business Written by: MATT PRESS, OF SPLASH COPYWRITERS 33

MARKETING CONTRARY TO POPULAR opinion, the idea of ‘content marketing’ and its importance isn’t a new one. Bill Gates first drew attention to the concept in his appropriately-titled 1996 essay ‘Content is King’. In the essay, he talks about his predictions for the internet after its recent birth and his message is simple: understand that companies who find ways to inform and entertain will thrive on the internet and reign supreme. Gates’ 18-year-old prediction proved to be very accurate - it’s still an extremely important issue today. Content marketing should be adopted as a philosophy, not taken to and tested like a trend. There are plenty of misconceptions and assumptions about content marketing, so what’s it all about? What is content marketing? Put simply, it’s the strategy of attracting and retaining customers by way of creating content. Almost everyone is using it. Nowadays, most businesses create content, whether they’re aware of it or not. Content marketing is big. It’s second only to internet advertising in accelerated growth and it’s 34

July 2014

said to account for more than 20 percent of marketing budgets. Why have a content marketing strategy? There are three main reasons as to why content marketing is so effective. Firstly, people are tuning out to traditional forms of marketing. We’re skipping adverts on the telly, we’re adding our telephone numbers to ‘do not call’ lists and we’re binning flyers without even reading them. Marketing is pretty simple in theory: you create something of value and then tell everyone about it. But what if people aren’t listening? Well, that’s where content marketing comes in. It allows brands to gather audiences who are ready to listen. Secondly, thanks to technology, people love looking at content. We’re actually actively seeking it out whether we’re at work or on the toilet – potential customers have never been so accessible. Thirdly, creating great content takes

‘people love looking at content…we’re actually actively seeking it out whether we’re at work or on the toilet – potential customers have never been so accessible’ – Matt Press

time, but it can be a very cost-effective. What is ‘content’ exactly? That’s a pretty subjective question. There are many different types of content and some of the more popular forms are blogs, ebooks, videos, webinars, podcasts, whitepapers, competitions, press releases, emails,

newsletters and infographics. As a business owner, the trick is to work out the type of content that’s right for your audience. If you sell insurance, for example, your approach to attracting audiences is probably going be very different than if you sell slick gadgets. Either way, the umbrella principle is that compelling stories drive action. 35

MARKETING

‘As a business owner, the trick is to work out the type of content that’s right for your audience.’ – Matt Press 36

July 2014

T H E W H AT, W H Y A N D H O W O F C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G

The ideas behind content marketing Content marketing is used to (genuinely) nurture relationships with customers and prospective customers. The days of the hard sell are gone; this is about building brand loyalty through emotion, interest and usefulness. The tactics businesses use vary. Some may only need a cool product and people will flock anyway. Many might need a fashionable brand identity. Others aren’t so lucky and will have to think a bit more laterally, maybe by using content that’s unrelated to the business. Clever content marketing is subtle. It’s used to create a loyal community of people that either don’t notice or don’t care that they’re being sold to. Take Apple for instance. They’ve adopted an approach to content marketing that has seen them take style to a new level. They’ve teased us with their branding of ‘the next big thing’ for so long, that it’s made us want gadgets we don’t really need. The beauty of content marketing SEO is important for any company with

Matt Press is the Director and founder of Splash Copywriters

a website, because we all conduct business on the internet in one form or another. We’re approaching one billion active websites in the world so competition to get to page one of Google rankings is tough. However, it would be dangerous to rely on Google to deliver your audiences. Who knows, in a year or two, great content might only get you 37

MARKETING to page three – what happens then? So why not go out, grab your audience and build your own fan base instead? The great thing about content marketing is that quality content still carries an SEO benefit. Popular content will be shared and you’ll be subsequently rewarded by search engines. In that respect, content marketing kills two birds with one stone. Are there any problems with content marketing? In a sense, yes, because we’re all publishers now. Most businesses are creating content and using social media to share it, so there’s a lot of stuff being created which can make it difficult to get noticed. Nevertheless, where there’s a problem, there’s nearly always a solution. The majority of companies aren’t working hard enough or cleverly enough on their content, so by consistently creating quality content and optimising it for search, you’ll be ahead of the game. By making a commitment to create content that’s both useful and interesting, you’ll rise to the top. 38

July 2014

Creating quality content is hard work, but don’t take the easy route writing one amazing post every week will always be better than cranking out five poor ones. Remember that anything that’s easy for you is probably easy for everyone else too. How do I create ‘quality content’? Firstly, be consistent. Creating quality content requires careful planning. Solve problems, make people laugh, express your personality and deliver value without expecting anything in return. Content marketing is a method of nurturing leads and encouraging word-of-mouth, so it’s a long-term commitment. Secondly, use content marketing to expose the people behind your brand. Everyone’s heard the cliché that people buy the person first and the product second, right? Well here’s your chance to reveal that persona. Thirdly, try and personalise your content so that your reader feels that you’re addressing them. Don’t adopt a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, be as bespoke as possible and speak their language.

T H E W H AT, W H Y A N D H O W O F C O N T E N T M A R K E T I N G

‘try and personalise your content so that your reader feels that you’re addressing them. Don’t adopt a one-sizefits-all approach’ – Matt Press Most companies are concerned that they’ll lose out on business if they narrow their focus too much – in fact, the opposite is true. While your aim is to create an audience, focus on your bottom line.

This isn’t a game of vanity – it’s not about getting the most followers, or the most visitors to your website. Once you accept that it’s about capturing the right audience, you’ll realise the true power of content marketing. 39

TOP 10

TOP10

Tablets on the market Tablets are becoming an increasingly relied upon tool for managing personal and business lives. Here we look at 10 of the best available today Written by: Tom Wadlow

TOP 10

SONY XPERIA TABLET Z ÂŁ399

This lightweight device represents a key breakthrough for Sony into the mobile domain. Though surpassed by its successor the Z2 tablet, this model can be relied upon and

handled with ease of mind given its waterproof capability. A number of features enable it to operate for business and at home, though the price is among the highest on our list. www.sony.com

TA B L E T S O N T H E M A R K E T

MICROSOFT SURFACE PRO 2 ÂŁ719

This tablet-come-laptop is Microsoftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second generation slate with Windows 8. Though not the most portable (it has been criticised for being

somewhat hefty), as a business tool it is among the best on the market and boasts an improved battery life for those on the go. This said, the price may be enough to put many a purchaser off. www.microsoft.com 43

TOP 10

TESCO HUDL ÂŁ119

From one extreme of the market to the other. Tescoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s armoury of products continues to know no limits and the Hudl tablet is by far the cheapest on our list and 44

July 2014

can hold its own among the more expensive options with its Android operating system. Though its camera is perhaps its weakest element, it masters the basics many will require. www.tesco.com

TA B L E T S O N T H E M A R K E T

APPLE IPAD MINI ÂŁ249

The late Steve Jobs famously criticised small tablets, leading to the belief that Apple would never delve into the budget end of the

market. However, the iPad mini does just this. Although the iPad mini 2 has been released, this cheaper alternative still houses the renowned features of Apple. www.apple.com 45

TOP 10

LG G PAD 8.3 ÂŁ199

This sleek design is complete with aluminium shell and rivals the iPad mini. The fact that it can connect with Android phones is a

July 2014

major pull factor for many and also makes it a useful business tool. At around ÂŁ200 this is also a good option for those looking out for a cheaper option. www.lg.com

AMAZON KINDLE FIRE HDX 7 ÂŁ199

In a bid to keep up with the Google Nexus 7, Amazon has ramped up its game with a leaner and more powerful tablet than its previous

attempt. This is a smart choice for those already familiar with Amazon products, and indeed for those who are less tech savvy. www.amazon.com 47

TOP 10

IPAD MINI 2 (Retina Display) ÂŁ319

The retina display is the major upgrade on the model released last year, and the main reason behind the hike in price. 48

July 2014

Its sleek design and cutting edge CPU has made it a hit with many looking to splash out, although similar-spec alternatives are available at cheaper rates. www.apple.com

TA B L E T S O N T H E M A R K E T

GOOGLE NEXUS 7 ÂŁ199

The impressive Nexus 7 boasts a 1.5Ghz quad-core processor, two GB of RAM and comes with either 16GB or 32GB of storage, all

packed into a 290g tablet which is perfect for taking in a bag. This robust tool is touted as the bargain of the tablet world. www.google.com

TOP 10

SONY XPERIA Z2 TABLET ÂŁ399

Sonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest tablet is among the best out there and comes with a new Live Colour LED screen and dual front-facing speakers, allowing users to watch videos in their hotel rooms without the need for headphones. Like its predecessor it is waterproof and dust resistant, making it an ideal choice for a businessperson on the go. www.sony.com

July 2014

TOP 10

TA B L E T S O N T H E M A R K E T

APPLE IPAD AIR £399

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Nuclear Industry Association prepares for challenges within its sec Written by: Keith Parker, NIA Chief Executive

r ctor 55

EUROMINES

ITER Fusion Reactor

“The Nuclear Industry Association is the trade association and representative voice of Britain’s civil nuclear industry” – Keith Parker, Chief Executive

July 2014

he Nuclear Industry Association is gearing up to meet major changes within the sector as the UK launches a rebuild programme to meet the requirements of the nation’s power generation supply. In this special Q&A from Keith Parker, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Association, he discusses what the association is all about and what role it will play in the challenges that lie ahead. Q: Tell us a little about the role and goals of the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA)? A: The Nuclear Industry Association is the trade

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Key Personnel

Keith Parker Chief Executive

association and representative voice of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s civil nuclear industry. It represents more than 270 companies including nuclear power station operators, those engaged in decommissioning, waste management, nuclear liabilities management and all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear equipment suppliers, engineering and construction firms, nuclear research organisations, and legal, financial and consultancy companies. We have two main roles: acting as the voice of the nuclear industry making the case for nuclear to a range of influential audiences

Keith has been Chief Executive since September 2003. Keith joined the Nuclear Industry Association in December 1995 from the DTI and in March 1997 became Head of Corporate Communications, accountable for the strategic direction of the Associations communications, public affairs, media relations and issue management programmes.

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N U C L E A R I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N

The UK Electricity Mix

Nuclear 19%

Renewables 9.8% Hydro 1.5% Other 1.6%

Coal 39% Gas 28%

Oil 0.9%

Source: DECC, 2013 Digest of UK Energy S

Nuclear Industry Association is a company limited by guarantee registered in England No. 2804518. Registered Office: Carlton House, 22a St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4JH

“ In the next 10 years or so all the UK’s current nuclear power stations will be at the end of their life” – Keith Parker

July 2014

WWW.NIAUK.ORG

including Government, Parliament and the media; and supporting the commercial interests of our members at home and abroad.

Q: With all current power stations due to be shut down in the mid-2020s, what is industry doing to prepare for this? A: In the next 10 years or so all the UK’s current nuclear power stations will be at the end of their life. This will have a significant impact on power generation and is why the new build programme

is so important. The State Aid application for the first of these stations, Hinkley Point C, is currently before the EU Commission. We believe this will reach its conclusion by the autumn. The way will then be clear for the project to get fully underway following EDF’s Final Investment Decision. Two further new build consortia are key to the UK’s new build programme; Horizon who will develop reactors at Oldbury and Wylfa; and NuGen at Moorside. The nuclear new build programme will be a major engine for growth for the UK nuclear supply chain and the economy more generally. It will open up many opportunities for small and medium-sized companies (SME) in the nuclear supply chain. We’re looking for our larger member companies to help mentor these SMEs. There are also opportunities through Statistics decommissioning, with the Nuclear G Decommissioning Authority (NDA) also looking at how to pair small firms who want to work on upcoming projects around the country with industry professionals. The NDA has set itself the challenge of increasing its SME content from 11 percent to 20 percent and is making good progress already. Ensuring there are people with the right skills coming into the industry is imperative – not only to deal with decommissioning, but in addition we will need 25,000 people for the new build project at Hinkley Point C.

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Mini submarine ROV

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Cooling towers

NIA The NIA has recently launched re:generation, a project to increase young people’s knowledge of the nuclear sector so they are aware of the breadth of opportunities available. Q: What is the scale of the challenge for the nuclear industry in regards to perception and meeting low carbon energy targets? A: Nuclear has a vital role to play in meeting the UK’s energy and climate change obligations. Around 20-25 percent of the energy used to power homes and businesses comes from nuclear power. Together with renewables and clean coal it can reduce UK carbon emissions as part of a diverse energy mix. The UK needs 60GW of new electricity generating capacity, and the infrastructure to run this, by 2025 – just under a quarter of this (16GW) will come from nuclear.

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“ Around 20-25 percent of the energy used to power homes and businesses comes from nuclear power. Together with renewables and clean coal it can reduce UK carbon emissions as part of a diverse energy mix” – Keith Parker

Q: How will technology help UK power stations become more effective? A: Most current plant technology is Gen I or Gen II. The reactors going through the GDA process for Oldbury and Wylfa are Gen III which make more use of passive and advanced safety features. The AP1000 reactors which NuGen want to use at the Moorside plant are Gen III+. The advantage of newer reactor designs is that they can make use of modern design construction techniques, allowing tasks traditionally w w w. n i a u k . o r g

EUROMINES

Researching

performed in sequence to be done in parallel. This approach cuts the time it takes to build, reducing both cost and minimising risk. Looking beyond the current nuclear new build programme it is crucial to keep a wide range of technological options open so the UK can build more nuclear plants should increases in demand require it. Nuclear station

Q: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an exciting time for the UK civil nuclear sector, how will this benefit UKplc? A: A major nuclear new build programme will lead 62

July 2014

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Association Information A S S O C I AT I O N TYPE

Trade Association L O C AT I O N

London FOUNDED

Not disclosed NO. OF M E M BE RS

270+ Helping to guide the careers of young people in the industry

to both industrial and employment benefits. Not only in the supply chain as I’ve already mentioned, but also through manufacturing and construction. The programme will give the economy a major boost with the think tank IPPR suggesting new nuclear could boost the economy by £5 billion. Once the projects get underway each one is expected to create around 25,000 new jobs. Through our re:generation project we’re talking to young people working in the nuclear industry. We want to speak to people faced with the challenge of where to take their careers and give them a career path they may not have considered. w w w. n i a u k . o r g

FOSROC enjoys global recognition through local focus

The British Heritage construction materials organisation has always had a keen eye for capitalising on emerging markets and has subsequently become a leading solutions provider of choice on an international scale Written by: Matthew Staff and Produced by: James Pepper 65

FOSROC

osroc has made a name for itself over the past 60 years in bringing the most innovative and tailored constructive solutions to the architect, design and construction sectors, and continues to find differentiators through its dynamism and flexibility. The ability to act locally despite being an international player in the market is a facet that the company has worked hard on since being established in the UK initially, and since being bought by holding company, JMH Group in 2003 and the organisation’s relocation of its head office to Dubai, Fosroc’s global influence and entrepreneurial flair has taken on new dimensions once again. Chief Executive Officer, André Ladurelli explained: “In contrast to our competition, we don’t tie ourselves down to bulk chemicals

Warehouse racking

July 2014

ENERGY

upstream and trying to find a home for one specific material. We’re free to recommend the best technology rather than being driven by one particular response.” Fosroc is now in a position to liaise and evaluate with its customers the most appropriate solution for what they’re trying to achieve, agnostic to the base chemicals behind it. “We just want to deliver what is best to the customer and that’s what sets us apart from some of our peers,” Ladurelli continued. “We provide expertise in the little corners of what our customers are trying to do, providing peer-topeer basis solutions for engineering problems to ultimately find a number of ways to create value for different partners throughout the chain.” Locals run the show A key aspect of Fosroc’s customer-focused strategy has revolved around international saturation and subsequent proximity to its clients, both current and prospective. This is summed up the company’s ethos, ‘the locals run the show’, ensuring that varying climatic conditions and regional trends are prepared and accounted for. “A lot of the success in the industry is about proximity to the customer and we’re very entrepreneurial in that respect,” Ladurelli said. “Different conditions call for different cements, aggregates and climatic considerations because it varies the way that

Key Personnel

André Ladurelli CEO

“We just want to deliver what is best to the customer and that’s what sets us apart from some of our peers” – André Ladurelli

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FOSROC

“A lot of the success in the industry is about proximity to the customer and we’re very entrepreneurial in that respect” – André Ladurelli

different materials are going to perform. “Our expertise is in delivering consistency of performance in these different circumstances.” Manufacturing locally is core to the success of this ethos and has seen Fosroc expand over the years through the Middle East, into Asia and further into emerging markets, culminating in its headquarters in Dubai. Overall, Fosroc now has a presence across 20 countries with the Middle East and India proving especially fruitful at present where the quality and technologies behind the company’s products have been very well received.

Featured project: Wynn Palace Fosroc’s US$2.5 billion Wynn Palace Project on the Cotai Strip in Macau will comprise a luxury 2,000-room hotel and a mixed-use area used for gaming, dining, retail, convention facilities, a nightclub, and specialist attractions across 210,000 square metres of construction. The key to the complex’s success will be the use of Fosroc’s complete basement solution, Proofex Engage, which will include the joints, pile cap and pile head waterproofing. The client will subsequently benefit not only from the quality of installation synonymous with Fosroc, but by the versatility of the product which will lend itself to fast and easy application throughout the construction process.

July 2014

High profile projects

The company already has a keen eye on potential areas of further expansion though as Ladurelli explained: “We’ve got an active pipeline of new territories so we opened new operating companies last year in Vietnam and in Iraq. I was also in Myanmar recently where we’re looking to become the first British firm and the first construction chemicals company to manufacture there. “Beyond that we’re looking very seriously around Central Asia, the Caspian region and Sub-Saharan Africa as the next ports of call. “We act both locally and globally, in a joined up way, because contractors are operating the same way and that’s what our customers expect from us.”

Waterproofing

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FOSROC

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High profile projects Excelling in its work around the lifecycle of concrete, environmental considerations, the characteristics of its products and the technological complexities of fusing engineering and chemistry has subsequently led to Fosroc receiving numerous large scale projects in recent years. This has included beating numerous international competitors to the high profile job of delivering strong concrete to the Worli high rise tower project, being built by Samsung in Mumbai. Comprising both residential and commercial entities, a specific set of performance characteristics were required, and as Fosroc has proved time and time again, it is these niche specifications which the company thrives on. “If you take the Burj El Arab Hotel in Dubai for example, it is built in the sea and has three layers of basement under water level,” Ladurelli said. “We gave them a waterproofing solution for that underground structure which after 10 years is still in perfect condition. “We also provide specialty coatings for structures like car park decking systems as well as providing a range of sealants which you’re likely to see in numerous airports at present.” The scale of the projects being entrusted with Fosroc are epitomised by a $1.2 billion hotel resort and enormous casino being built in Macau, which has similarly required an extensive waterproofing job covering the size of several football pitches.

Fusing engineering and chemistry

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Another feather in the company’s cap has been providing concrete and waterproofing solutions for an underground tunnel, providing the largest pre-cast element in Asia which has recently been sunk into the bottom of the Hong Kong bay. Consistent quality While the industry success of Fosroc is all too clear to see, it is the work going on behind the scenes which Ladurelli makes special commendation to, primarily regarding business relationships; both with partners and especially employees. “We are very flexible in terms of the way we design our solutions; typically our specification engineers will be sitting with designers working over the plans and how to adapt and solve problems simultaneously,” the CEO said. “When things do become challenging or go wrong for our customers, we also then have the

On site

Work behind the scenes

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National Distribution centre

“There are a number of sectors where we’ll become increasingly active and it’s our focus to behave in these sectors in a consistent manner so that you get one Fosroc, everywhere” – André Ladurelli

July 2014

Constructive solutions

FOSROC depth of competence knowhow to solve the problem with our extensive repair range as we go along and then address new or emerging requirements on the construction site. Employees are hired with an expertise and expectancy to be able to engage with clients on a peer-to-peer basis and are given specific training and international experience to ensure that they reach their potential with a sense of pride and determination that is exemplified by the company’s aptly named Warrior Programme reserved for sales personnel. All of this internal ability is complemented by the pivotal external customers partnerships though, as Ladurelli said: “In any given structure there’s a huge amount of detail required and it’s impossible for one individual to know it all. What you need is trusted partners who are experts in their given field and who understand what you’re trying to achieve in order to quickly and easily give you workable, sensible, quality solution to what you’re doing. “Over the next five years, we have the opportunity to build on these customer partnerships to increase our strength across Asia and our entire existing footprint, while there’s also a big opportunity to test ourselves as sectorial specialists. “There are a number of sectors where we’ll become increasingly active and it’s our focus to behave in these sectors in a consistent manner so that you get one Fosroc, everywhere.”

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Company Information INDUSTRY

Construction chemicals HEADQUARTERS

Dubai FOUNDED

1969 EMPLOYEES

1,700 REVENUE

N/A PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Constructive solutions, construction chemicals, cement and concrete technology, waterproofing, fireproofing, sealants

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Capula Limited excels in improving performance thanks to engineer-IT, all-rounder specialisation Focusing on how to improve existing offerings lies at the heart of growth plans after company doubles in size through working in energy and utilities markets Written by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: James Pepper

CAPULA LIMITED

C The right approach

“Our clients want to combine what is the operational technology space with the IT space which historically has been quite divided and difficult to bring together” – Simon Coombs, Business Development Director

July 2014

apula’s focus on solving a historical problem by combining operational technology (OT) with real-time IT solutions has helped the company double in size since 2007 to become the £40 million turnover business it is today. It is helping clients in the energy and utilities markets uncover vital information once submerged by dated systems unable to fathom live processes across multiple variables and sites. Having chosen to excel in this core area of business, the advanced automation and real-time intelligence specialist now employs 320 engineer-IT all-rounders. Its approach has helped an array of important UK infrastructure clients, including Thames Water, the National Grid and Drax, to grasp the true performance of their operational systems and identify key areas for improvements across the board. In the nuclear field it has its own successful division, Capula Nuclear, which assists in the automation technological side of highly complex large new plants. Having successfully cemented its reputation in its key markets, Capula is now set on continuous improvement in both an outward and inward sense – respectively represented by a focus on green tech infrastructure and an internal ‘Making It works’ programme aimed at integrating the cultural values of its parent company Imtech.

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Simon Coombs, Business Development Director

Channeling focus Business Development Director Simon Coombs has helped steer Capula forward since he joined in 2007, pressing home the need for a clear, specialist identity combined with strong alliances. “What we did was focus our story on the right markets and how we describe our specialist proposition,” he said. “We built trusted relationships with clients, technology and contracting partners and focused on getting the right capabilities with engineers who have the right skills and experience.” “One of the key things is our culture, the essence of which is that we are engineers who are good at IT. Our clients want to combine the operational technology space with the

320

Number of engineer-IT all-rounders at Capula

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CAPULA LIMITED IT space, which historically have been quite divided and difficult to bring together.” The strategy has paid off. Throughout most of the company’s 45-year history the system integration part remained a £10-20 million revenue business, working in a number of guises. Now it operates sustainably at a much higher level, resulting in technology giant Imtech buying Capula in 2012. Simon Coombs

‘Throughout most of the company’s 45-year history the system integration part remained a £10-20 million revenue business, working in a number of guises’

OT meets IT Capula offers consultation, automation, IT and support in the nuclear, power generation, utilities, environmental, oil and gas and industrial markets, delivering capital programmes, operational performance and compliance. It is a system integrator, tailoring the best IT solutions to fit the needs of its clients. The company has showcased its credentials in a variety of projects for many key utilities and energy players in the UK, including Thames Water where it is involved in ICA (Instrumentation, Control and Automation) work across many schemes. This includes installing PLC telemetry units and new, MultiTrode pump control systems. It is also rolling out a Wonderware SCADA Platform solution across more than 20 Thames Water sites allowing vital monitoring information to be shared and sent to a central control room at its Reading base. “This helps greatly as common platforms and data models speak the same language,”

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Coombs said. “You can now focus on driving performance rather than spending time unraveling what is happening.” Further still, Capula has set up an infrastructure to capture real-time data and present it in a way which can be easily understood by key decision-makers and engineers, something which Thames Water will build on in the water industry’s next Asset Management Period (AMP6) which runs from 2015 to 2020. The National Grid is another key customer, for whom Capula provides 24-seven support for a large number of substation control systems across their high voltage transmission network. A crucial element is coordinating when to upgrade IT to fit the lifespan of the substation equipment. This is carried out in collaboration with GE hardware and has seen Capula gain

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several 100 percent KPI (Key Performance Indicator) scores over the last few years. “We are very proud of this partnership as it demonstrates very well our performance credentials.” Coombs added. “You know the saying ‘people want holes and not drills’? Well, we are working out how we can provide the holes by maintaining that drill and continuing to make it relevant for our client over its lifespan.” Renewables growth Besides the growing nuclear arm of the business, renewables represents an important area of focus going forward. This is no better demonstrated than by its latest developments with long-standing client, Drax, operator of Europe’s largest coal-fired power station in North Yorkshire, generating eight percent of the UK’s electricity. Capula is helping the conversion process from coal to biomass, which includes the not insignificant task of fuel handling and the extra infrastructure required to make the switch. Capula’s relationship with Drax stretches back beyond the 1990s, when they implemented the technology to allow the power station to move from hardwire systems to soft desk IT solutions. Coombs said: “We are seeing a lot of increase in the renewables space, particularly in biomass and energy from waste. This is a rapidly expanding area and is a core part of the UK government’s strategy.”

Drax Power Biomass Co-firing

‘Capula is helping the conversion process from coal to biomass, which includes the not insignificant task of fuel handling and the extra infrastructure required to make the switch’

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CAPULA LIMITED

Smart solutions

Capula has also played an important role in projects for UK Power Networks in relation to smart grid solutions. The projects were supported by the Low Carbon Network Fund, which was set up by OFGEM and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The programme revolves around improving ‘distribution network visibility’, which again uses real-time IT databases to gather information from across the network, analyse it, and present it to asset planners. The technology is based on IT infrastructure from OSIsoft (also used in Capula’s oil and gas, utilities and nuclear work), one

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of many large vendors the company works with which also include Rockwell, ABB, GE, Schneider and Siemens. “You are taking information that was often already there but in a black box and had nothing done with it.” Coombs said. “The more you add renewables, heat pumps and electric vehicles charging onto the network, the more potential there is for instability so you can’t operate from a black box anymore, hence a demand for a mechanism to get that information put in front of engineers and planners in a simple way that can be understood and acted upon.” Imtech Internally, the company is instigating an improvement programme, inspired by the cultural values of its parent company, Imtech. Capula remains its own business in a network of businesses that share the same philosophies. “We now have a very large parent who is focused on green tech and sustainable/ smart energy and infrastructure, sharing a lot of our ideals” Coombs added. “We’re part of Imtech UK, and within the UK there are a number of different streams which complement each other - Capula is the system integration stream.” Making It works The ‘Making It works’ initiative is aimed at embedding Imtech’s cultural values (entitled ‘It

Key Personnel

Roger Turner Chief Executive Roger joined Capula in 1989 as Projects Director and became Chief Executive in 2000. He has direct experience of the gas, nuclear, electricity and utility markets.

“We have a very large parent who is focused on green tech and sustainable/ smart energy and infrastructure, sharing a lot of our ideals” – Simon Coombs

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CAPULA LIMITED

Capula offers smart solutions associated with the challenges facing cyber security

worksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;) into the company. Capula are doing this by concentrating four key areas: people, process, innovation and infrastructure. Improving how Capula attracts, supports and develops their people, plus delivering excellent processes, is crucial to their future success. But another significant pillar of this drive is innovation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is the bread and butter of what we do,â&#x20AC;? Coombs added. This embodies developing smart solutions, such as for smart grids, as well as integrating mobile into control system architecture and facing up to associated cyber security challenges. Innovation also involves improving efficiency and consistency by inventive re-use of tools where possible and the development of an innovative culture within the organisation as

ENERGY

a whole. Crucial to this are Capula’s people, the training of whom is taken very seriously from engineers’ IT skills to project manager certifications and its graduate programme. Alongside this is investment in the infrastructure needed for employees to excel in their work. The company recently opened a bespoke integration testing facility in Stafford which is tailored towards its operations in the water industry, offering the space and tools needed to support the next breakthrough. Employees are also geared up with a fully integrated Quality, Environmental, Safety & Health (QESH) Management System, fuelled by the belief that top-notch health and safety practices not only ensure their well-being but will greatly benefit effectiveness. This also underlines the company’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. By continuing to spur innovation among its people and deliver on the ground with its specialist offering of engineering and IT expertise, Capula looks set to continue enhancing the energy and utilities sectors’ handling of vital real-time information, ultimately bringing about a more sustainable practice across many crucial infrastructure operations. Coombs concluded: “We are a leading company with the aim to be the most respected technical service provider in our markets, developing our specialisation and focusing on sustainable growth. We are already moving towards that.”

Company Information INDUSTRY

Energy, IT, Engineering HEADQUARTERS

Staffordshire, UK FOUNDED

1969 EMPLOYEES

320 engineers KEY PEOPLE/ TITLES

Simon Coombs, Business Development Director REVENUE

£40 million PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Automation and realtime IT solutions

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Lanes Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innovation wins contracts and plaudits With a range of services and award-winning health and safety initiatives, the UK wastewater solutions provider is continuing its development to a truly national industry benchmark Written by: Joel Levy Produced by: James Pepper

LANES GROUP

Key Personnel

Conrad Ashby, Framework Director, Lanes Utilities

“We have a substantial fleet of specialist field units, probably about £30m of operational capital assets around the country” – Conrad Ashby

July 2014

eading wastewater solutions provider Lanes Group is winning major work with big-name clients based on its strong reputation for excellence and innovation in all its first-class services. The company has won contracts in the energy, transport and utilities sectors with the likes of Thames Water, Anglian Water, Wessex Water, Scottish Water, London Underground and more. Lanes is a classic example of a business that started small but has achieved excellent growth and success through its expertise and passion for doing things to the highest standard. Formed in Leeds in 1992 as specialist drains clearer and repairer Lanes for Drains, it had a workforce of just five. Today, it is the UK’s largest independent drainage specialist with three branded companies and several operating divisions, employing some 1,400 staff, and has built a nationwide network of 23 depots stretching from Aberdeen down to Plymouth while earning numerous accolades and accreditations. Lanes Utilities Framework Director Conrad Ashby may have only been at the company for 18 months, but he has already seen what made Lanes the leading force it is today: “My predecessors and colleagues have put an enormous amount of hard work in and laid some great foundations from which to build. The company has grown organically from humble beginnings and also with some strategic acquisitions. We’re up to about £120m turnover

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The company owns a substantial fleet of trucks

in 2013/14 and are a growing business. “We have a substantial fleet of specialist field units, probably about £30m of operational capital assets around the country, and we’ve got some high-profile customers to whom we deliver a really good and reliable service, which has been fundamental to our success and growth.” Thames Water contract One such high-profile customer is Thames Water, utilities provider for the capital. Lanes’ contract, worth some £40 million per annum, involves carrying out planned and emergency work in world-famous locations in London and across a number of counties from the borders of

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Gloucester in the west, north to Warwickshire and east to Luton and Brentwood and as far south as Surrey. The contract covers approximately 75 percent of Thames’ customers and asset base, and requires the skills and expertise of both field and office staff working 24 hours around the clock. Ashby said: “We have 561 people and 319 vehicles delivering the services 24/7 on this contract, ranging from emergency blockage, pollution remediation and containment, tankering, CCTV and asset inspection, through to more complex asset replacement and lining refurbishment of the network. Whatever the discipline delivering, customer satisfaction sits at the heart of everything we do. Rail and nuclear Rail is another significant part of Lanes’ portfolio. In March 2014, London Underground (LU) appointed the company’s rail division as one of 24 specialist contractors for a £330m programme to refurbish 70 stations, using a new STAKE model that cuts out Tier 1 contractors. Works include drainage investigation, CCTV surveying, plumbing along with the fitting of new sanitary ware in toilets and shower areas at underground stations. Other services provided for LU include bridge and structure repairs, and a maintenance contract for drainage, premises and buildings, water seepage, locks, vegetation control and fencing. More than 300 Lanes employees

The company has 561 people and 319 vehicles delivering the services 24/7

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LANES GROUP PLC

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go out each night on the underground rail system to conduct these works. As a company also heavily involved in the nuclear sector for 12 years, Lanes has adopted a cross-fertilisation policy, taking the ideas and best practice from its challenging work across the UK’s nuclear sites and other Group activities and applying them to the flagship Thames contract and other parts of the business in other environments. Health and safety is an area of particular emphasis across all the whole Lanes Group.

“We do 22,000 safety inspections a year; our Accident Frequency Rate is currently zero and that’s the result of a lot of hard work from the team” – Conrad Ashby

Awards Working across several sectors, Lanes has developed an exceptional safety culture. Earlier this year, it received two national health and safety awards for its Essential Standards initiative, including the Construction News Health and Safety Excellence Award. Lanes also achieved the RoSPA Gold Medal Award for occupational health and safety for the fifth year running from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, and was also shortlisted in four out of six categories in the Thames Water Health and Safety Excellence Awards 2014. It won two of them: Innovation and Young Person of the Year. Ashby said: “Essential Standards is all about taking what were relatively dry operational manuals, with several hundred pages of written work, and putting them in a pictorial form that is w w w. l a n e s f o r d r a i n s . c o . u k

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easily accessible and digestible to our workforce. “It’s a cornerstone of our health and safety culture, and provides us with a firm foundation for inductions, toolbox talks, audits and ongoing training and development of all our people. We undertake 22,000 safety inspections a year. Our current rolling average AFR (Accident Frequency Rate) is zero and that’s the result of a lot of hard work and focus from the whole team.” Innovator Despite the recognition, Lanes is committed to further investing in its people and advancing techniques. Some £250,000 a year is spent on training on the Thames Water contract alone, with managers put through a 16-week programme of learning to give them the support and knowledge needed for leading their teams and overseeing challenging projects. On the back of its success with the Thames Water contract, the client has awarded Lanes additional work, necessitating the recruitment of new staff. Each starter experiences a nineday training programme before going out into the field. Ashby said: “Training and ensuring competency of our teams is fundamental to delivery and ultimately our success.” As an innovator, Lanes applies marketleading techniques to its projects, exploiting both IT and practical industry innovations. For example, its trenchless bespoke lining solution rehabilitates drain and sewer assets using

Lanes is committed to investing in its people

“The water industry provides some risk but I see it as a great opportunity to add to our business” – Conrad Ashby

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LANES GROUP PLC

“Rather than excavating roads you can rehabilitate assets with trenchless repairs to remediate asset problems and failures” – Conrad Ashby

a cured bonded liner to provide a structural support and enabling a free-flowing asset in order to extend the asset life. It is a costeffective and environmentally-friendly method. Ashby said: “Rather than excavating roads you can rehabilitate assets with trenchless repairs to remediate asset problems and failures. This is a cost-effective solution for our clients and is particularly effective in urban areas, as you can reduce your traffic disruption, noise and, importantly for all, reduce the time to complete a job.

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“We’re a leader in this area. We do many millions of pounds-worth of lining work across the UK, much of it delivered by our reline division. We do some very interesting and challenging asset rehabilitation lining work for the nuclear industry, and other key sectors and companies, and are UK leaders in UV (ultraviolet) lining techniques.” Lanes is a technological innovator, investing in new equipment, trucks, combination units and robotic CCTV for remote monitoring. It is an industry-leading investor in vehicles and technology, including the latest jet vac recyclers

Lanes is an innovator, investing in a new fleet of vans

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“When dealing with any customer experience, getting data back from the field is key to making the right investment decisions. And we’re able to supply a lot of ‘big data’ information quickly and accurately to Thames Water through this app” – Conrad Ashby

that make its services more sustainable through significant reductions in energy and water use, and pollution creation. It is also developing work management and IT systems to support its engineers in the field, and return useful and accurate information to Lanes’ clients. This IT investment will remove paperwork burdens and process inefficiencies, and generate the right data and analysis capabilities to make the best business decisions for Lanes and the client, and in turn deliver the best service for end-use customers. For example, the company’s Field Viewer app takes about 2.2 million images a year on the Thames Water contract alone. Ashby said: “The client finds the system we’ve developed very useful for diagnosing customer and asset problems. When dealing with any customer experience, getting data back from the field is key to making the right investment decisions. And we’re able to supply a lot of ‘big data’ information quickly and accurately to Thames Water through this app.” New horizons It is a positive time for Lanes Group as it continues its expansion. Ashby identified excellent opportunities in the coming years for the company to excel in new areas and lead the way in a competitive industry. He concluded: “I want our service to be an industry benchmark both from a customer and

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Company Information INDUSTRY

Wastewater solutions HEADQUARTERS

Leeds, UK FOUNDED

1992

safety perspective. We’re coming up to AMP6 (a five-year Asset Management Programme for UK water companies) in 2015, and I’m hoping there’s opportunities there for us to grasp. “It’s an exciting time for us with new horizons. I believe what we’re doing with Thames Water is pushing the boundaries in terms of delivering on the wastewater network. I’m hoping we can have similar success with other utilities, delivering sizeable contracts like this. “We’ve got great coverage nationwide. I think the split of wholesale and retail in the water utility market will open up some very interesting avenues that didn’t exist previously. We will be in a very challenging environment, competing with people who we’ve not necessarily, competed with before. The upcoming changes in the water industry provide some risk, but I see it as a great opportunity for Lanes Group to add to its business.”

KEY PEOPLE

Conrad Ashby, Framework Director EMPLOYEES

1,400 REVENUE

£120m PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Trenchless sewerreplacement, pollution control, jet vacuumation, structural coating, Field Viewer app

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Thames Water lines up huge-scale service upgrades for AMP 6 and beyond An ÂŁ8 billion investment is planned for the 2015-2020 cycle with the essential Thames Tideway Tunnel at the forefront of improvements to Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Victorian sewage systems Written by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: James Pepper

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hames Water is building on achievements made in the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current five-year cycle by setting out ground-breaking plans for vital infrastructure and all-round service improvements for 2015-2020. Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest water and wastewater services company delivered industry-leading, nearperfect (99.99 percent) drinking water quality for its customers last year along with notable upgrades to dated sewage systems across

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its London and Thames Valley territory. Now the £1.81 billion revenue company continues to focus on delivering best value for its 15 million customers, as well as getting the biggest wastewater project in the UK for decades off, or in this case under, the ground. The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a scheme which will tackle the problem of untreated sewage overflows to the tidal Thames for at least the next 100 years and is six times

“We want to ensure that if customers had a choice, they would choose Thames Water” – Bob Collington OBE, Operations Director

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Key Personnel

Bob Collington Bob was appointed as Operations Director on September 2012. He is responsible for more than 2,300 employees who operate and maintain our water and wastewater treatment plants and networks.

bigger than the company’s Lee Tunnel, which is currently the biggest-ever single project in the privatised water sector’s history. Also in place for the 2015-2020 Asset Management Plan (AMP) is a revolution in the way that capital and operating work will be carried out in the form of the eight2O alliance, combining expertise from technology, management and construction fields to create a formidable team for the future. Currently, Thames Water ploughs a record £1 billion a year into improvements to a network which contains 20,000 miles of water pipes, 26 reservoirs, 350 sewage works, 68,000 miles of sewers and a staggering 1.2 million manholes. Ensuring that it stays ahead of the tide through AMP6 and beyond is a drive for technical innovation and employee excellence, supported admirably by its graduate scheme, a programme which Operations Director Bob Collington OBE embraced himself in before reaching the upper echelons of the company.

“We need to maintain consistent levels of work to upgrade our networks over the long term and not store problems for the future” – Bob Collington

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Advertorial

IDEXX proudly supports Thames Water Thames Water has been using the IDEXX Colilert-18® testing system to detect the presence of E. coli and coliforms in drinking water, raw water and sewage cake for more than 15 years. Colilert-18 gives accurate and confirmed results in 18 hours for both E. coli and coliforms, in contrast to other tests that require a confirmation step and typically take two or three days. It also conforms to the new ISO definition of these microbes and recently became the revised ISO 93082 standard. While it is more expensive than alternative tests, Thames’ microbiology manager Stephen Bullock believes this is more than offset by

the wider benefits the method brings. ‘Colilert has been shown to pick up E. coli and coliforms in samples more accurately than alternative test methods, with negligible false positive and negatives’ he says. Picking up contamination earlier, before it gets out into the wider water supply and reaches customers means that operators do not have to be sent out to investigate and perform costly remediation, such as the hyperchlorination of large sections of the distribution system. False positives can lead to an operator being sent out unnecessarily. False negatives can be even more costly. If the test

‘Colilert-18 is much more selective, so counting up wells on a tray is simpler, and it has less ambiguity.’ assures that all is well but E. coli was indeed present and gets out into the water distribution system, the costs of remediation will be significant, especially if a boil notice is issued. When E. coli or coliforms are detected, the decision to take corrective action can be taken promptly and with confidence. Following the corrective action, any re-tests can also be read at 18 hours, enabling the operations team to know the effectiveness of their remedial actions quickly. Bullock also chooses to use Colilert-18 on all raw water samples, whether from rivers or reservoirs, because he believes the consistency this gives is important. But it’s also much more accurate and easy to use. ‘Raw water contains a lot of background flora that will also be growing,’ he says. ‘Colilert-18 is much more selective, so counting up wells on a tray is simpler, and it has less ambiguity.’ The test’s QuantiTray® displays wells with a yellow coloration for coliforms and also fluorescence under UV light if E. coli is present. Furthermore, he uses the technique on sludge cake, where it is important to show a sufficient reduction on E. coli from raw sewage before it is released, as it is used as a fertiliser and could enter the

food chain. Again, Colilert-18 is able to eliminate the background flora, and just focus in on E. coli. The confidence that there will be an accurate result which is simple to interpret is particularly important here. The batches of Colilert-18 have a 15 month shelf-life, in contrast to agar plates with a two-week shelflife. Bullock chooses to buy two batches a year. As well as ensuring supply chain security, this enables him to make a QC chart for that test that will be good for the whole six months. ‘I know that any out-ofspec test results are highly unlikely to have been caused by the test media, as it has a robust history of good performance’ he says. ‘With other media, the short shelflife adds variability to a method’s performance, and there is not that long-term assurance.’ Another advantage is that IDEXX takes full ownership of the entire test process, unlike other test suppliers. ‘If any element of the methodology falters, whether it’s the equipment or we get an abnormal result we can’t explain, they will always help, whether it turns out to be their problem or not,’ Bullock says. ‘They take accountability and support us because they understand our value as a customer.’

Advertorial

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“London in particular has outgrown its sewer system. It was designed for two million people and now it is used by more than six million” – Bob Collington

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Turning the tide Current capital expenditure is higher at Thames Water than at any other water company since privatisation in 1989 and the outcomes seen to date during AMP5 (2010-2015) show this. Collington said: “A lot of London’s water and sewerage infrastructure dates from Victorian times. It has served us well, but this infrastructure inevitably needs upgrading and continued investment. “Our customers rely on us to provide what is an essential service. This means we need to maintain consistent levels of work to upgrade our networks over the long term and not store problems for the future. Our plans will deliver value for money on the things our customers have told us matter most.” Not only is the company delivering outstanding quality drinking water, it also hit its leakage reduction target for eight years on the spin and committed strongly in the wastewater arena during this five-year cycle. This was demonstrated by a £140 million upgrade of the Mogden sewage treatment works in West London, which extended its capacity by 50 percent. The tunnelling phase of the £635 million Lee Tunnel in Stratford was completed on time and on budget earlier this year, and when in full operation will combine with the Thames Tideway Tunnel to collectively capture an average 39 million tonnes of sewage a year from the most polluting combined sewer

E N E R G Y D I G I TA L

Newly built Lee Tunnel

overflows (CSOs) built by the Victorians. Collington also pointed to improvements of the Victorian water mains, many over 100 years old. “We’ve replaced more than 1,600 miles of worn-out mains since 2004 with new plastic ones, which are stronger and more flexible, significantly reducing the amount of leaks and bursts,” he said. Turning the tide The final, most challenging piece in the

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puzzle to tackling sewage discharge into the capital’s iconic river is the Thames Tideway Tunnel, something which is marked to kick off in the next AMP cycle and is “a mustdo project”, subject to planning consent. “London in particular has outgrown its sewer system,” Collington said. “It was designed for two million people and now it is used by more than six million. “It will stop tens of millions of tonnes of untreated sewage flowing into the Thames every year, has cross-party support, and is part of the national infrastructure plan. We can’t keep using the river as a sewer.” The tunnel will be 16 miles (25km) in length and will broadly run underneath the river, vastly improving its water quality and bringing benefits to consumers and the surrounding environment.

Water sampling, with last years results the best in the industry

Jack-up next to Tower Bridge

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Revolutionising AMP 6 Another notable initiative taking off in the 2015-2020 plan is Thames Water’s AMP6 alliance, eight2O, a team of industry-leading firms who will combine to deliver £2-3 billion worth of work during the cycle. The alliance is made up of two ‘design and build’ consortia, Costain, Veolia Water and Atkins (CVA), and Skanska, MWH and Balfour Beatty (SMB), programme manager MWH and technology and innovation provider IBM. “The idea behind it is to revolutionise the way we deliver capital projects during 2015-2020,” Collington added. “In February we started planning to meet the challenges of the AMP6 work

Annual raft race

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The SNF Group is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-eminent manufacturer of synthetic polyelectrolytes. With the award of the Thames Water contract in 2012, the largest of itsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; type in Europe, SNF (UK) Limited has become the principal supplier to the UK Water Industry. The contract has developed into a partnership where SNF staff have integrated into Thames Water teams and helped deliver significant cost savings. This relationship has already changed the approach in supporting other UK water companies.

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programme, which starts in April next year, and currently things are moving forward very well.” Such a formidable collaboration of expertise will no doubt allow Thames Water to deliver the highest quality large capital projects, however the company is also responding to its customers’ number one concern: leakage. “We are a customer service business first and foremost, and want to ensure that if customers had a choice, they would choose Thames Water,” Collington said. “In AMP6 we have committed ourselves to reducing leakage levels by an additional 59 million litres per day, having reduced leakage by 20 percent since we were acquired by the current owners, Kemble Water Limited, in December 2006. “This will be possible through the replacement of 881 kilometres of water mains as well as the number of leaks we will be able to detect thanks to metering. “In London we are water stressed, with less rainfall than Istanbul and only half as much as Sydney, so we need to be more efficient. People on meters are usually more careful, and on average use around 12 percent less, so by 2030 we are looking at getting 100 percent of our customers metered.” Smart meters allow customers to view data online and have full control over their water usage. The data will also allow Thames Water to find and fix leaks faster.

Rags in the sewers

“In AMP6 we have committed ourselves to reducing leakage levels by an additional 59 million litres per day and have reduced leakage by 20 percent since we were acquired by the current owners” – Bob Collington

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Ductile Iron Pipes and Fittings Carrying life to people

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Ahead of the flow All short and long-term strategies will be managed under one roof thanks to an operational hub in Reading, allowing the whole network to be overseen from one vantage point. The Reading base will also house important developments for Thames Water in the technological field, allowing the company to keep ahead of trends and innovate the latest solutions to the problems of today and further down the line. One such innovation is a reactor which removes phosphorus from sewage, the first of its kind in Europe and in operation at Slough, Berkshire. With scarcer supplies of this finite nutrient, vital for all living organisms, the reactor can not only unclog pipes but also reverse the trend and treat phosphorus as a valued resource. The reactor is producing high-grade fertiliser from waste, from which phosphorous can be recovered using Ostara’s nutrient recovery facility in Berkshire. Another area of innovation which Thames Water is channeling investment into is THP (thermal hydrolysis process), which involves the heating of leftover waste sludge to 160 degrees Celsius at high pressure. This is then fed into anaerobic digesters where ‘good bacteria’ breaks down organic material to produce bio-methane gas that is burned to generate renewable electricity. “We are investing £250 million to treat future sludge volumes and hit our renewable energy target by 2015,” Collington added,

Replacing water pipes

Solar panels

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1m meters of sewer cleaning & CCTV

10,000 replacement cover & frames

140,000 emergency blockages

30,000 hours of emergency tankering

2,200 major civils activities

1,200 minor civils activities

7,000 emergency make safes

2,500 clean up’s

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Mouchel and Thames Water are working together to deliver services essential to the community – we’re committed to excellence. Drawing upon over 125 years of local and international experience, Mouchel supports its clients by providing innovative solutions within the water environment for: • Design of infrastructure assets • Asset Management across the network • Operating assets to maximise efficiency

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claiming the company is the biggest selfgenerator inside London’s M25 motorway. “THP plants will be switched on at Beckton and Riverside sewage works in Essex, Crossness in Thamesmead, Long Reach in Dartford, Oxford and Crawley sewage works by next year. “Together they will process up to 400 tonnes dry solids of sludge per day and help generate 278GWh of electricity every year.” Utilising the supply chain As with the collaboration with Ostara for phosphorous extraction, Thames Water works closely with many innovative companies in the water industry supply chain to make sure the latest and most promising ideas make it to the front line of service delivery and improve the sector’s efficiency. One such partner company is Boulting Group, specialist consultants who have been influential in the development of pumping site efficiencies. This involved developing vital understanding through thermodynamic surveys, highlighting areas where energy savings could be made. “Boulting understand the high level energy targets and commitments that Thames Water has signed up to and this helps develop a robust programme of large station upgrade projects as well as small simple projects with a quick return,” Collington said. “The partnership has been a learning process for both parties which has proved highly

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Covers at Beckton sewage works

successful and mutually beneficial. The proof is that it has attracted additional investment at the back of the latest AMP cycle, where there is typically a lull in investment, creating a solid platform from which to leap into AMP6.” Another innovative collaboration involves US-based IDEXX, experts in water testing and suppliers to Thames Water of several important products. One of these is Colilert, used for the detection of coliforms and ecoli. “IDEXX developed this analysis and is the sole supplier to a global market,” Collington added. “It provides a fast and reliable way of detecting coliforms and ecoli in drinking water.” Thames Water also uses a variable of

“Together they will process up to 400 tonnes dry solids of sludge per day and help generate 278GWh of electricity every year” – Bob Collington

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7 In a fast-evolving marketplace which demands leadership that brings results, there exists a way of certainty: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). With TCS as your strategic advisor and partner, the ever-changing new landscapes of business become new vistas of opportunity, from digitally connected consumers to big data to emerging markets to end-to-end solutions for transforming your organization. TCS partners with more than 90 energy and utility organizations across the globe, and offers an integrated suite of services and domain led solutions across the electric, gas, and water utility value chain. Our 5,000 dedicated utility consultants provide solutions that help utilities improve their asset optimization, create robust billing and customer care systems, work towards a greener and smarter grid, empower consumers, and enable efficient plant operations. Visit tcs.com and you’re certain to learn more. Or write to us at: utilities.marketing@tcs.com.

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Colilert from the US supplier which detects ecoli in sludge, as well as equipment for Cryptosporidium analysis. Best in the business Equally important as the technological processes are the people employed to make use of them. Thames Water employs around 4,500 people along with thousands of contractors, and seeks to develop excellence and recognise and reward company loyalty through a number of industry-leading schemes. The company holds annual employee recognition awards and events to mark long service milestones, and health and safety is its number one value. Key to developing in-house talent is the

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apprenticeship programme, a long-running initiative with 46 apprentices currently on the books. The company plans to take on another 30 in 2014/15 and also has 18 employees on its graduate programme, an initiative which facilitated Collingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rise through the ranks. He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel really privileged to have been given the opportunity to grow and develop throughout my career in Thames via a range of diverse roles both in the UK and USA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As such I am committed to ensuring we continue to build our talent pipeline for the future and as Operations Director continue to be a big supporter of our in house development

ENERGY

Company Information INDUSTRY

Water HEADQUARTERS

Clearwater Court, Reading FOUNDED

Privatised 1989, history dating back to the 1600s EMPLOYEES

4,500

programmes for both graduates and apprentices. “Thames continues to be an exciting place to work, with some great challenges and opportunities for the people here.” Ultimately, by having the right people on board with years’ of experience both on the ground and at board level, Thames Water can continue to innovate and develop a sustainable water supply for the long term. Collington concluded: “Our business revolves around a precious natural resource, essential to all life, and our new company vision encapsulates this.”

REVENUE

£1.81 billion PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Drinking water supply, wastewater treatment, commercial and residential premises

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Danya Foods

driving growth through supply chain professionalisation The Middle Eastern subsidiary of dairy co-operative Arla Foods is committed to total supply chain efficiency, and in turn providing increased value for money Written by: Sam Jermy Produced by: Craig Daniels

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D A N YA F O O D S

Surveying the new site ready for the new equipment facilities

“What sets us apart here is we have this team spirit; it encompasses the entire organisation” – Thomas Nordholt, Regional Supply Chain Director at Danya Foods 134

July 2014

anya Foods Co. Ltd is enjoying considerable progress within the Middle East and North Africa regions, and is planning substantial investment to enhance its success in the dairy products industry. Based in Northern Europe, the global dairy giant Arla Foods, producer of the recognizable Lurpak butter, is the parent company of Danya Foods. There is DKK 35 Million worth of investment earmarked for more automation in the production processes, as well as warehouse capacity expansions and automation. Further investments were approved last year to specifically invest in training, systems, process optimisation and production capacity, and the company envisages investments to at least remain the same going forward. Thomas Nordholt, Regional Supply Chain Director at Danya Foods, explained how the company has adopted new technology to help the firm become more efficient. He said: “In the last 12 months Danya has gone from manually operated to almost fully automated production. Part of our main investment is purely being able to produce more processed cheese. “Another part of it is to automate existing production facilities to reduce conversion costs. For instance, where the company had manual labourers empty pallets, wash glasses before the filling lines, fill boxes and cartons, then pack them onto pallets it now has robotic machinery for all of this.”

S U P P LY C H A I N / F O O D

A conveyor belt now brings finished items from production to the distribution part of the site, and there are robots which not only bring pallets into the warehouse but even shrink-wraps the finished products being loaded for distribution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been a fantastic journey. In this coming year our focus will be to increase capacity even more while reducing time and cost to market.â&#x20AC;? added Nordholt. Progressiveness Danya prides itself on having achieved a doubling in production volume at the same time as reducing costs. Apart from the worldwide Lurpak butter from Arla, one of the big brands in the Middle East is called Puck. This brand offers processed cheese, cheese triangles and slices,

Preparations to install the new equipment

Construction of the new production building

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WE KNOW THE MARKET WANTS WHITE JAR AND TRIANGLE CHEESE Burt Lewis, with offices in Dubai, Denmark, Canada and the US, is a global supplier of US raw materials such as White Butter, White Cheddar, White Milk Powder, perfect for Jar and Triangle Cheese. doris@burtlewis.me www.burtlewisingredients.com www.mammencheese.dk +45 30 58 62 12 +971 56 741 2102

D A N YA F O O D S

S U P P LY C H A I N / F O O D

cheddar, processed cheddar, processed garlic cheese, cream cheese, thick cream, sterilised cream and condensed milk. It also imports 20kg blocks of cheese from Europe, mainly Denmark. Then it is shredded and sold as shredded Mozzarella under the Three Cows and Puck brands. Saudi Arabia counts for about 50% of Danya business in the Middle East. There is also a vast market in Africa, but it is more skewed towards products such as the Dano milk powder brand. It is a widespread market too; in North, East and West Africa. Operations were established in Saudi Arabia in 1977 and Danya now has 13 depots, 3 warehouses, and 420 vehicles which is a mix of sales vans, trailers and smaller vehicles. The company head office is in Dubai, and

SUPPLIER PROFILE

FAT testing kit

BURT LEWIS

Burt Lewis Ingredients is a subsidiary of Burt Lewis International which was established in 1976 and has now gone on to become one of the leading ingredient suppliers to many large and well known multinationals around the world. At Burt Lewis Ingredients we pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality dairy ingredients at the most competitive cost utilizing the most efficient supply chain. Burt Lewis Ingredients provides a wide range of services to meet customer needs. These services range from logistics and documentation services to price risk management. Website: www.burtlewisingredients.com

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D A N YA F O O D S

Laying equipment’s foundation

“There is a never ending demand especially for industrial size processed cheese, that’s why we are investing heavily to help reduce cost per kilo and increase capacity” – Thomas Nordholt

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July 2014

Scrambling to install equip

Riyadh is the location of the production site for both Danya and a selection of Arla items sold within the Middle East and Africa. Rationalising of its local transportation to, from and between depots within Saudi Arabia and abroad and using third party logistics solutions are avenues the company are exploring. Nordholt said: “Because of the sales growth of our main products there is a never ending demand especially for industrial size processed cheese, that’s why we are investing heavily to help reduce cost per kilo and increase capacity.” The dairy producer knows there is a direct correlation between volume output to the costs of materials, man-power and the effort

S U P P LY C H A I N / F O O D

pment

Up and running

that goes into a finished product. Therefore everything is geared towards making the whole business process gain more fluidity. The group supplies products to all Middle Eastern countries and as an importer of Arla Foods finished goods from manufacturing sites in Europe, Danya is also a distribution centre for its parent company in Saudi Arabia to the region. There are several distribution set ups in other Gulf countries but it has a presence in every country in the region. Strategic Vision and Team Spirit Minimising disruption in the supply chain and maximising profitability, without compromising

Equipment

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SPX - OVER 100 YEARS IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY With a focus on innovation and process development, we continue to expand our product portfolio in order to provide our customers with more choices and more solutions. From engineered to customised systems and components, SPX helps you process dairy products your way. Contact us today to find out how our newly launched solutions and industry leading brands can help you meet your most critical processing challenges. www.spx.com ft.enquiries@spx.com ft.dubai.sales@spx.com EVAPORATORS • DRYERS • HOMOGENIZERS • HEAT EXCHANGERS MIXERS • SEPERATORS • VALVES • PROCESS SYSTEMS • PUMPS

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D A N YA F O O D S

S U P P LY C H A I N / F O O D

excellent value for money to the end customer has not been the sole focus for Danya. A key feature is its multifunctional, multinational group of employees who are all working towards the company’s long-term strategy of increasing volume by at least 20% per year by 2020 while at the same time continuing to reduce the cost base. The growth will be a mixture of organic growth, adding new products to the line and may also include mergers and acquisitions if such opportunities surface. Nordholt said: “Last month we again broke our volume and cost production record for the 12th consecutive month and immediately I took the team out to celebrate. “There are always rewards and what is unique in my opinion is that we give high

Working late

FAT testing kit

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D A N YA F O O D S

Staff outing: The Supply Chain SWAT team

“It has been a fantastic journey. In this coming year our focus will be to increase capacity even more while reducing time and cost to market” – Thomas Nordholt

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July 2014

achievers an opportunity but also those hardworking people who may not come with a very high end education or a very fancy looking resume in terms of their work experience.” This inclusiveness in encouraging the careers of all people no matter what background, education or background is a focal point of staff recruitment and retention. One prominent example includes one gentleman who started working at Danya as a receptionist one year ago; today he is in charge of all direct deliveries to all the main supermarkets in Saudi Arabia. “Simply by delivering results it immediately gets noticed at the top end of the organisation. It’s those people we are willing to invest in hard and fast. We give them opportunities

S U P P LY C H A I N / F O O D

to succeed and we value their ideas and contributions.” commented Nordholt. He explained: “What sets us apart here is we have this team spirit; it encompasses the entire organisation and that means if a labourer from the warehouse really believes he has a good idea or suggestion, he is not afraid to walk into the general manager’s office proposing his idea because he knows we will be very receptive.” There is a government programme called Saudization to employ at least 20% local people in companies such as Danya, and Danya has been quick to support the government on this. Increasing automation created a need for more highly-skilled employees with Nordholt recognising many Saudi’s have a high skillset in robot technology and programming, therefore naturally increasing demand for those people. Asked what sets Danya aside from competitors, Nordholt said: “Our agility in the supply chain is incomparable. Objectively we are fairly small compared to some of our competitors here but they are very heavy organisations whereas we are extremely good at getting everyone to buy into a project instantly and delivering the results in a short time.” A perfect illustration of this operational overhaul is the fact Danya now saves 97% of the total packaging material used for its industrial cheese whilst it can also fit 15% more volume on the reusable pallets; another pleasing milestone in the company’s long-term, progressive vision.

Company Information INDUSTRY

Dairy foods HEADQUARTERS

Dubai FOUNDED

1977 KEY PEOPLE

Thomas Staerk Nordholt, Regional Supply Chain Director EMPLOYEES

900 REVENUE

+800 mio SAR PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Dairy foods, processed cheese, cheese blocks, triangles, cheddar, mozzarella, condensed milk

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Coinadrink embraces vending trends to stay on top

This veteran company has emerged from the recession stronger by keeping up with a changing industry while maintaining its reputation for quality customer service Written by: Joel Levy Produced by: Stuart Brown 145

COINADRINK

The company supplies vending machines for hot and cold drinks, snacks and food

146

July 2014

K vending specialist Coinadrink has stayed strong in a competitive and changing industry by embracing the latest trends while maintaining its renowned customer service experience. The Walsall company with more than 50 years’ experience has leveraged all its knowledge to launch its own brand range, CaféCasa, which provides high quality hot drinks at an attractive price-point. Managing Director Roger Williams said: “When the recession hit, we started our own label, taking a good look at what supermarkets are doing. We started to develop tea, coffee, chocolate and skimmed milk. Now 20 percent of our business is our own label.” The ‘supermarket approach’ gives customers the best of both worlds, offering

FOOD

Coinadrink have achieved the Investors in People Gold rating

recognised brands and also the option of a lower-priced alternative with the quality they would expect from the big names. This strategy is apt in a market of squeezed disposable income where customers look for value everywhere, and just another example of the adaptability that has kept Coinadrink successful. Adaptability Founded in 1962 the company has ridden out the changes in an industry that has faced its share of challenges. The demise of large-scale UK manufacturing workforces in the 1980s and the more recent recession led to businesses removing vending machines with savings in mind. But Williams believes his company’s openness to change has seen it emerge from such tough years in a relatively strong position.

“When the recession hit, we started our own label, taking a good look at what supermarkets are doing... Now 20 percent of our business is our own label” – Roger Williams, Managing Director

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Lavazzaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success lies in constantly growing, innovating and evolving without ever betraying its traditions. A great Italian story of a company that, has come to symbolise coffee, taste and pleasure, worldwide.

01895 209750

info@lavazza-coffee.co.uk

www.lavazza.co.uk

COINADRINK

FOOD

Moves have been made to replicate the coffee shop phenomena of recent times in the workplace to a degree of success, and another trend is a blurring of the line between the vending and Horeca (HOtelREstaurantCAfe) sectors. Williams said: “We now supply the Horeca sector, and that’s something we didn’t do a lot of five years ago. People want the two side-byside, and that’s what’s happening here now. The equipment is quite different to vending, so you need slightly different skill-sets like Barista training, and slightly different engineering as well.” Coinadrink has also gained, he says, from the mistakes of its rivals, whose new owners have neglected the customerservice side post acquisition. “We really stuck to our guns and never cut the

SUPPLIER PROFILE

Key Personnel

Roger Williams Managing Director

LAVAZZA

Coffee is naturally at the centre of Lavazza’s universe: Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora (widely known as Robusta) are the two coffee species used to produce and market this product. An excellent raw material is essential for the quality of the end product, in the same way as it is essential to constantly control each processing stage. The experts in the Research & Development department monitor the whole process of coffee production, from purchasing right through to extraction in the cup, so as to ensure that the coffee meets Lavazza’s Quality Standards. Website: www.lavazza.co.uk

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COINADRINK service, and that’s paid off. It’s not like it used to be; the price is more competitive, you have to run the business far more efficiently than ever before, so you’ve got to invest a lot more in IT systems and employing quality staff. Maintaining this quality has enabled us to come out the recession in better shape than we went in,” he explained.

Coinadrink’s vehicles carry the company’s very distinctive brand message

Unrivalled service Coinadrink boasts 24-seven customer service and a guaranteed response time 363 days a year, including a full site survey followed by fast installation, regular visits by operators to ensure machines are running 9649 MONDELEZ MECC ad A4.pdf

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INdUStRIaL aUtOMatION Operational improvement, increase in efficiency, process optimisation by functional industrial automation and IT, building related systems and service & maintenance. C

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MANY SOUTH AMERICAN FAMILIES HAVE TO TREK FOR HOURS TO GET CLEAN WATER. TOGETHER LET’S DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WITH EVERY CUP OF KENCO VENDING YOU ENJOY, A GLASS OF CLEAN WATER WILL GO TO THEM. To find out more about our campaign that donates water to South America, and our competition go to kenco.co.uk/cleanwater

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OV9649

FOOD

smoothly and well-stocked, and rapid reaction to any equipment issues that arise. “We’ve stayed at what you might call the premium end,” explained Williams. “We said ‘this is the level of service we’re going to give‘ and that’s what it will cost us to do it.” It is an approach valued by customers prepared to pay a little more for this consistent level of professionalism and the expertise of experienced staff and engineers. Staff retention As the first UK vending company to gain the Investors in People Gold award, Coinadrink creates a great working environment for its 75 staff, and an atmosphere that promotes long-termism. “It comes down to keeping the staff together,” said Williams. “We pay people the most we can afford, not the least we can get away with. “Everybody has a training plan for the year. You really have to look at everybody and see what you can do to improve their skills and what new ones they may need, with our online business and also our move into the micro-market business. We have a five-strong IT department now that five years ago we didn’t have.” This investment in people is an approach geared towards keeping the most skilled and experienced team together while also encouraging new blood. Williams continued: “We bring people in from

“You really have to look at everybody and see what you can do to improve their skills and what new ones they may need” – Roger Williams

Coinadrink is based just off junction 10 of the M6 in Walsall

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COINADRINK

The warehouse for Coinadrink’s online store – refreshmentshop.co.uk

school or university and they tend to stay. The investment we have made in IT essentially means you have to bring in young people. That’s the area where the growth has been in staff recruitment and they’ve helped the business become more efficient. We see that as an ongoing process.”

Coinadrink’s fleet of operators use the latest hand-held scanners

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Streamlining and IT The shift to IT has allowed Coinadrink to streamline the business with a focus on providing better value for customers. Cutting admin staff by half through the automation of admin tasks freed up finance for investment into front-line services. Williams said: “We have to make things more efficient but at the same time improve the service you give the customer and give them the things they appreciate, rather than what you may be proud of but the crowd places zero value on. This enabled us to take quite a bit of cost out. We look twice a year and ask what we would do differently if we had a blank piece of paper.” The money saved has gone into switching

FOOD

Company Information INDUSTRY

Vending HEADQUARTERS

Walsall

some suppliers to enable greater reliability of machinery, with Coinadrink looking overseas to guarantee the best. Premium, reliable equipment has been sourced in the US, and the IT investment has built up large quantities of supplier data, allowing the company to easily identify issues and act accordingly. Further technological investment was made with a recent upgrade of handheld devices used in stock control and for servicing machines. The new machines, from Spirit Data Capture, are yet another example of a boost to efficiency, saving time for engineers. As Coinadrink has modernised, it has remained true to its values, and for this reason, it has emerged from the recession as a stronger company, with its core ethos intact. “We’ve maintained the integrity of what we do, haven’t been tempted to cut corners like others have, and we want this to continue,” Williams concluded.

FOUNDED

1962 EMPLOYEES

75 PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Wide range of refreshment products including own-label coffee, tea, chocolate and milk

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AmRest Spain strives to lead the QSR field through its â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;everything is possibleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ethos Quick Service Restaurant specialist is determined to communicate its core KFC values across the country and become the destination of choice for eaters and workers alike

Written by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: Craig Daniels

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A M R E S T S PA I N

Alan Honan, Managing Director

KFC is growing across Europe

156

July 2014

mRest Spain is pushing hard to become the QSR of choice for customers and employees in Spain by operating through its world-class systems with an ‘everything is possible’ attitude spearheading its activity. Having witnessed huge success across Central and Eastern Europe with its premium chicken brand KFC, it is now looking to replicate this in the Spanish market and continue its flourishing partnership with brand owner and global franchisor Yum!. Spreading its core brand messages is central to taking the numbers of KFCs in the country into the hundreds, with freshness, in-store preparation and a sharing ethos at the heart of its image. The company, part of the global KFC, Burger King, Starbucks, Blue Frog, Kabb and Pizza Hut operator AmRest, also has 170 Italianthemed La Tagliatella branches which it took over along with the 31 KFC sites when it acquired Spanish firm Restauravia in 2011. Everything is possible Managing Director of AmRest Spain and overseer of KFC operations, Alan Honan, attributes the wider company success to an everything is possible mind-set, or ‘Wszystko Jest Mozliwe’ when CEO Henry McGovern touched down in Poland 20 years ago. “We have a very special culture which was a huge part of us being able to grow from one store to nearly 1,000 world-class operations

FOOD

KFC exterior in the evening

and a billion-dollar organisation,” Honan said. “It was a 25-year-old American guy who landed in southern Poland 20 years ago who has built a $1 billion organisation starting in Central Europe. We now have operations across Europe, the US and China and there is no reason why we cannot do the same in Spain, it has a higher population and more favourable demographics than Poland.” Honan has overseen success in the Czech Republic and recently Hungary, where 12-13 KFC stores were opened in the past 18 months making it the fastest-growing QSR in the country. Currently AmRest Spain runs 19 stores in Madrid and 12 in Barcelona, and is also aware

“If we can communicate our values and ideals then the potential here is massive” – Alan Honan, Managing Director

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A M R E S T S PA I N

KFC restaurant

of the opportunity for roadside branches which is yet to take off as a concept in the country.

Premium offerings

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July 2014

Communicating core values The greatest challenge to AmRest Spain also represents its greatest opportunity. “The brand awareness of KFC in Spain is not huge even though it’s been around for 40 years,” Honan said. “If we can communicate our values and ideals then the potential here is massive. First and foremost our chicken is fresh and locally sourced in the vast majority of cases.” “One of the things I was really proud of when in Hungary and the Czech Republic is that 97 percent of our KFC supply chain is local.”

FOOD

All of its food is also prepared in-store by hand using the renowned Colonel’s secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices, and much of its menu encapsulates a culture of sharing, something which Honan believes is primed for the Spanish market. He added: “The Spanish really love good food and are very family-oriented. There’s a beautiful family feel in Madrid where I live and KFC have a real relevance here; there is something special about walking into our stores and seeing people share food.” Honan is looking to communicate these brand images through in-store methods, digital marketing, mass media and with partners Yum!.

“There’s a beautiful family feel in Madrid where I live and KFC have a real relevance here”

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A M R E S T S PA I N

“This is what we do at AmRest, we give people reasons to come to work. We really want to give them the why” – Alan Honan

Shared vision Crucial to AmRest Spain driving KFC growth is a continuing partnership of fruition with Yum!, for whom AmRest as a whole is a key partner in expanding its various QSR brands. “We have a great relationship and we’re seen as a very important strategic partner and are very proud to operate 650 of their stores,” Honan said. “They really support our core values and for the last 20 years they have trusted us to operate and expand in chosen territories.” “We are in constant dialogue with them and we both have the same goal. They are the curator of the brand and we are there to operate and grow

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FOOD

KFC Restaurant exterior

it, there is a really excellent synergy between us.â&#x20AC;? AmRest Spain is also well-backed by private equity investors Warburg Pincus. Employer of choice The culture of everything is possible filters through the ranks of the organisation and is something Honan sees as key in AmRest Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s KFCs becoming an employer of choice as well as an eatery of choice in the country. w w w. a m r e s t . e u

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A M R E S T S PA I N

There are several strategies and thought processes in place making this happen. The company’s 1,500 KFC employees receive mandatory training and can apply for a new six-month fast-track development which results in a managerial position. This relates to a culture of staff empowerment. “Everybody has a voice and this comes from lean management,” Honan added. “We empower people to solve problems at all levels of the organisation which is pretty unique in the QSR business.” AmRest Spain also recognises its employee’s achievements on a regular basis. Each month the top performing 30 percent of KFC staff are handed cash bonuses as part of the Crew Reward Programme, acknowledging those who excel in a ‘speed with service’ environment. Employees are also encouraged to have fun through social events, team building and parties, rounding off their experience and incentivising them to drive growth. Honan concluded: “The vision is to become the QSR to eat and work in in Spain - how we hire, how we train, how we communicate, how we develop. That’s our true north. “I spoke to a friend recently and one thing struck me. He asked what my purpose was, what is your why? This is what we do at AmRest, we give people reasons to come to work. We really want to give them the why.” 162

July 2014

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Company Information INDUSTRY

Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) HEADQUARTERS

Madrid FOUNDED

Not disclosed EMPLOYEES

1,500 across KFC branches REVENUE

Not disclosed PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

KFC, La Tagiatella restaurants

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FP McCann

achieves industry excellenc through innovation and exp

The family business has expanded rapidly in recent years with precast concrete now a major focus in the UK Written by: FP McCann Produced by: Richard Durrant

ce pertise

165

FP McCANN

FP McCann Precast Concrete Easi Base 1200

810 Number of people employed at the company 166

July 2014

he beginnings of FP McCann Ltd were formed in Northern Ireland in the 1950s on the back of a small quarry and asphalt surfacing operation. This family run business, established by Francis Patrick McCann and now managed by son Eoin McCann (MD) and his five brothers and one sister, has grown over the years into a leading Northern Ireland civil engineering and asphalt surfacing company. From roads and bridges, rail, sports complexes, public realm, landfill sites, and renewable energy projects, FP McCann has a wealth of experience in constructing and managing projects. In precast concrete, from a standing start in 2000 at Knockloughrim in Northern Ireland, the acquisition of Hepworth Concrete Products in 2005 saw FP McCann spread across the water to see rapid growth on the UK mainland. Helped further by the acquisition of Ennstone Concrete Products in 2009, and more latterly the former Tarmac Topfloor business, Charconâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specialist precast facility in Cambridgeshire and in early 2014, the precast interests of the Eleco group, Bell & Webster and Milbury Systems. A market leader With significant added investment in plant and machinery at a number of its production facilities, precast concrete now forms the core of FP McCannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business. This rapid growth, enhanced by many years

CONSTRUCTION

of knowledge, skills and experience brought onboard via the acquisitions has seen FP McCann become one of the UK’s market leaders in the manufacture, supply and delivery of precast concrete products. Products are manufactured and delivered through FP McCann’s series of modern manufacturing plants located nationwide. This geographical spread gives the company an unrivalled ability to serve the construction industry throughout the UK and Ireland. The operating divisions of the precast arm of FP McCann include: Drainage & Water Management; Railway; Power & Infrastructure; Shafts and Tunnels; Walling; Rooms Fencing; Flooring; Specialist Bespoke and Agriculture.

“In terms of shaft build, we are the UK’s market leading provider with a full range of segmental shafts from 3.6 metres up to 25 metres in diameter” – Stuart Carson, Tunnelling Manager

Precast concrete shafts sections

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FP McCANN

Knockloughrim Quarry, Magherafelt

‘Our focus is on product modularisation across all our precast divisions. Standardisation of design has greatly assisted our contractors, aiding the speed of on-site installations in a safe and cost efficient manner” – Andy Cooper, General Manager 168

July 2014

Innovative team In shafts and tunnels, within the last five years FP McCann has significantly developed its range and manufacturing capabilities and is now one of the sector’s main suppliers. The company’s design and engineering team have developed its own concrete moulds which meet the latest British Tunnelling Society’s specification. As a result, FP McCann is supplying shaft and tunnel segmental linings to J Murphy and Sons at New Cross, London, manufactured at its Cadeby production facility in Warwickshire. FP McCann’s Tunnelling Manager Stuart Carson said: “In terms of shaft build, we are the UK’s market leading provider with a full range of segmental shafts from 3.6 metres up to 25 metres

CONSTRUCTION

in diameter. “All shaft segments are pre-fitted with ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) gaskets, which is the preferred choice of the miners in the UK.” “Tunnel segments to New Cross are manufactured to the latest BTS specification, with no relaxation on the design. Independent testing is being carried out on tolerances and dimensions. “We’re quite unique because our competitors tend to have to go out to steel mould suppliers which obviously increases costs and lead times.” Staff Expertise FP McCann has industry-recognised experts in all its precast divisions, and despite only being involved the tunnelling industry for the past five years, the company boasts a wealth of knowledge and skills. Some of the people working for the company have more than 30 years’ experience in the industry including, Tunnelling Engineer Lesley Parker, Tunnelling Contracts Manager Howard Lloyd, Tunnelling Estimator Colin Timmins and Precast Group Quality & Materials Manager Colin Richards. Continuing with staff development, the company has embarked on apprenticeship programmes and the offer of student gap year placements to further their training and knowledge within the industry.

Key Personnel

Andy Cooper General Manager

Stuart Carson Tunneling Manager

Lesley Parker Tunnel Engineer

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FP McCANN

CONSTRUCTION

FP McCann has adopted a philosophy of encouraging people to develop their skills and in turn, nurture them through to senior positions, which is perfectly illustrated today by many of its current management staff. Competitive Edge What underpins FP McCann as a market leader is its extensive stock holding of core products across all its precast divisions. The ability to service its customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; demands while ensuring consistency and speed of delivery. The pioneering precast concrete solutions provider is continually developing new and innovative off-site products that are safer, quicker to install and offer a higher quality finish to traditional construction methods.

SUPPLIER PROFILE

FP McCann is the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market leader in the manufacture, supply and delivery of precast concrete drainage products

Howard Lloyd

VIP POLYMERS Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Established since 1923, we are a UK based, world-class manufacturer of high-performance pipe seals for the pressurised and nonpressurised water industries. Today, we are proud to be the preferred seal supplier to a number of leading global pipe manufacturers operating in the ductile iron, clay, plastic and concrete pipeline market sectors. The company manufactures over 3,000 products, and has introduced many new proprietary products for pipeline applications, notably Viptyte, Viploc and Vipsleeve. Website: www.vip-polymers.com

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FP McCANN

“We’re quite unique because our competitors tend to have to go out to steel mould suppliers which obviously increases costs and lead times” -Stuart Carson Aerial of facility

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A good example of this can be seen in its proprietary Easi-Base precast concrete manhole system. All water authorities have now adopted this with its inclusion within ‘Sewers for Adoption seventh edition’. Speaking of the future, and the challenges that lie ahead, FP McCann’s General Manager Andy Cooper said: “We will always come up against companies with a variety of materials competing against concrete. “Our main challenge is to try and keep concrete

CONSTRUCTION

Company Information INDUSTRY

Construction, civil engineering, precast concrete products Precast concrete tunnels

HEADQUARTERS

very much at the forefront in terms of durability, proven performance, cheaper installation costs and extensive design life. “Precast concrete works because it is modular in nature and by design. You simply take it to the site and plug it in, you don’t have to do a lot of formation work on site with associated wet trades. “Our focus is on product modularisation across all our precast divisions. Standardisation of design has greatly assisted our contractors, aiding the speed of on-site installations in a safe and cost-efficient manner.” Precast concrete can offer significant carbon reductions compared with traditional build methods: It is very durable with a proven in service life in excess of 100 years; uses recycled aggregate and is highly recyclable; can be quickly installed in a safe and efficient manner and is cost-effective compared with other materials and traditional methods of construction.

Knockloughrim, Northern Ireland FOUNDED

1950s EMPLOYEES

810 REVENUE

£100m PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Precast concrete solutions, shaft & tunnel segments; drainage; water management

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LOGO FOR LIGHT BACKGROUND

LOGO FOR DARK BACKGROUND

Emrill Services LLC soars to the summit of Middle East facilities management Re-inventing the dynamics of the FM industry through client-focused technical innovation driven by securing key contracts and being named the region’s best for two years running underlines Emrill’s success Written by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: Rosie Rowe

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EMRILL SERVICES LLC

“It’s great for customers and employees who can see we are being recognised... people want to work with us and for us” – Jason Ruehland, Managing Director

70 percent Amount of growth experienced by the company after winning a brace of awards 176

July 2014

he Middle East’s leading facilities management (FM) company for 2013 and 2014 is putting customer experience at the forefront of its technical innovation as it looks to transform the modus operandi of the industry. Emrill has won a brace of awards during a threeyear period, which has seen it grow 70 percent and deliver services to some of the most prestigious projects in the country with sites across many sectors, both residential and commercial. It has become a reliable go-to for all things related to building maintenance, with projects spanning from international airline Etihad Airways to the sustainable Masdar City in Abu Dhabi. As well as customer experience, technological advancement at the company is driven by the desire to impart sustainable practices across the UAE, demonstrated by it’s recent launch of the ground breaking ‘Business Smart’ model which combines the use of mobile maintenance teams, mobility solution and wireless monitoring. The advantage of deploying user-friendly technology is not only beneficial to clients in terms of response times and cost savings but also to staff, who are trained in new methods to stay upto-date with the latest technology and provided development opportunities thanks to Emrill’s Centre of Excellence. Best in the business Only last month did Emrill’s Managing Director Jason Ruehland see the company reclaim its

CONSTRUCTION

Tallest Residential Towers Cluster in Dubai Marina

Emrill delivers services to some of the most prestigious projects in the country w w w. e m r i l l . c o m

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EMRILL SERVICES LLC

Emrill Security Mobile Patrol

“We won the award for constantly improving ourselves and raising the bar in an extremely competitive industry and being recognised as a market leader” – Jason Ruehland

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July 2014

accolade as the region’s best at the Facilities Management Middle East (FMME) Awards in Dubai for a second year in a row. “We won the award for constantly improving ourselves and raising the bar in an extremely competitive industry and being recognised as a market leader,” he said. “We don’t operate in the status quo and always work to advance the industry. “It means a multitude of things. It’s great for customers and employees who can see we are being recognised where people want to work with us and for us.” The European CEO magazine also awarded Emrill best FM Company in the Middle East, sitting alongside other FMME recognitions from

CONSTRUCTION

Emrill Energy Solar Panels

recent years including Health and Safety Initiative of the Year and Innovative Use of IT in FM. Central to this success are three core pillars comprising people, quality and technology. “Everything we do relates to these aspects; everybody knows what we stand for and that has been the cornerstone of our success,” Ruehland added. The full works Having been established in 2002, Emrill’s initial work comprised of looking after the premises of key shareholder Emaar Properties and has since evolved to provide and serve a number of industries such as retail, hospitality, education and leisure. Emrill offers their clients, hard services, which

Key Personnel

Jason Ruehland Managing Director Central to our success are three core pillars comprising people, quality and technology

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EMRILL SERVICES LLC

Emrill manage an array of sites in the UAE

include mechanical and electrical maintenance, while providing soft services such as security, cleaning and concierge. Emrill has two divisions, one focused and specialising in energy management and engineering while their other specialist division focuses on providing home maintenance services. Showcasing the armory of quality services provided is the five-year IFM (Integrated Facilities Management) contract with international airline operator Etihad Airways, a deal secured about a year ago. “This is an important international client of ours,” Ruehland added. “We manage a

(Deerfields Town Square Mall) YAS Island Operative Villages

Operation & Maintenance Electrical Installations, LV & HV Installations Design, Testing & Commissioning

Electrical Infrastructure Networks

Baynunah Academic Complex

PO Box 36054 Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 622 64 26 Fax: +971 2 635 0392 Email: mesecoad@eim.ae Web: www.anece.ae

info@gardendepot.ae www.gardendepot.ae

CONSTRUCTION

whole array of their sites in the UAE including their headquarters, training premises, staff accommodation, airside facilities for customer services and retail outlets.” Emrill’s client range spans from airlines, corporates and residential to the very unique Masdar City, believed to be one of the most sustainable communities on the planet just southeast of Abu Dhabi and designed to be a hub for clean-tech energy businesses. The city, designed by Norman Foster, demonstrates the cutting edge in low carbon buildings and transport systems, with Emrill providing facilities management services on all key sites from offices and apartments to the new university. This work highlights the company’s commitment to sustainability as a key part of its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategy. “We are able to turn sustainability into a business,” Ruehland said. “We retrofit systems to save energy in buildings which makes money for us and saves money for clients so everybody wins. If a client lacks the capital to invest in this we can offer them a finance deal as an incentive for our energy performance contract.” Emrill has teamed up with Crowley Carbon, Ireland, to deliver solutions that quickly assess what can be done to improve energy efficiency by up to 40 percent which creates considerable savings for clients on their energy bills that can rack up into the millions.

“We retrofit systems to save energy in buildings which makes money for us and saves money for clients so everybody wins. If a client lacks the capital to invest in this we can offer them a finance deal as an incentive for our energy performance contract” – Jason Ruehland

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EMRILL SERVICES LLC

Mardar Institute in Masdar City Abu Dhabi-Emrill

“I’ve always had a passion for innovation and technology that enables change to business models and this has accelerated over the past few years” –Jason Ruehland

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Exploring change through technology Departing from traditional modes of operation via innovative technology that enables end users to grasp their operations and utilise the conveniences of ecommerce has played a large part in the company’s recent recognition. “I’ve always had a passion for innovation and technology that enables change to business models and this has accelerated over the past few years,” Ruehland said. “I believe you can try a lot of different things out for little money and you know most won’t work, but the one that does can be a real game changer. It is about asking the right questions and not accepting the way things have been done is not always the right way. “What I have noticed is that the industry all around the world has been constrained by old school technology, stuff that’s for engineers by

CONSTRUCTION

Emrill staff pay attention to detail

engineers, yet the industry is about servicing customers.” With this in mind, Emrill partnered with technology company Urbanise to develop service solutions designed for customers, including ecommerce platforms for FM services and remote monitoring of assets that enables business critical maintenance, like vibration, temperature and flood detection, removing the need to have staff measuring on site. As well as offering ease of use to customers, the new technologies invested in are also easily passed on to the 6000-strong workforce and not reliant on arduous training.

6,000 The size of Emrill’s workforce

Peoples’ business Emrill’s employees, on top of being tuned to the latest techniques, actively input into the culture of innovating at the company, central to which is w w w. e m r i l l . c o m

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EMRILL SERVICES LLC

Emrill employs workers from 21 nations

“These guys are really important to the quality of service we deliver. Their engagement and enthusiasm is what drives our business so it is important we look after them” –Jason Ruehland

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July 2014

the Centre of Excellence, a body, which has seen ramped up investment in the past few years. At least 1000 employees pass through the centre each year, making the most of the dedicated training rooms for both hard and soft skills. “It is not just about the technical hard skills,” Ruehland said. “Equally if not more important is the soft skills right through the ranks like leadership and how to deal with difficult conversations. This runs right through the business.” Staff are also looked after to ensure life and work balance with good residential and recreational facilties. Emrill has accommodations across the UAE and invests huge resources into keeping staff healthy and entertained while they are away from home.

CONSTRUCTION

Company Information INDUSTRY

Facilities Management HEADQUARTERS

Dubai FOUNDED

2002 EMPLOYEES

The Annual Emrill Carnival runs across the residential communities for four months of the year and involves a range of cultural and sporting events, culminating in a large party dedicated to prize giving and celebrating achievements. Diversity is a key part of the company’s beliefs proven by the fact that it employs workers from 21 nations across the Asian subcontinent, Africa and the Middle East. Ruehland said: “These guys are really important to the quality of service we deliver. Their engagement and enthusiasm is what drives our business so it is important we look after them.” By continuing to invest in staff and industrychanging techniques focused on customer experience, Emrill looks well-placed to defend its 2014 title of Overall FM Company of the Year in the Middle East.

6,000+ REVENUE

Not disclosed PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Full spectrum of FM services, from hard electrical maintenance to soft services like security

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Imdaad facilitates services of the highest quality to its clients This leading facilities management company is rapidly expanding to meet the demands of its ever-growing customer portfolio Written by: Sheree Hanna Produced by: Rosie Rowe 187

IMDAAD

Poster advertising for the company

mdaad, a leading provider of integrated facilities management (FM) solutions in the GCC, is investing a quarter of a billion Dirhams in a new recycling plant and staff accommodation as it gears up to meet the challenges of the 2020 Dubai Expo. Headquartered in Jebel Ali, Dubai , the expanding company has an ethos of adding value to the services and products it offers its 2,500 clients and does this by putting the interests of its best asset first - its almost 4,000 employees. The one-billion Dirham business, which enjoys a year-on-year growth rate of 15 per cent, is expecting its employee numbers to double by 2020 and foresighted management have a strategy in place geared to meet the growing demand for its services. Jamal Abdulla Lootah, Imdaad’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Some 26 million people are expected to visit the Dubai Expo 2020 and between now and then it is expected the number of new properties requiring services will increase by more than 60 percent. “There will be many new development projects going on in Dubai as the emirate prepares for the Expo and I believe the growth in our company will be more than 15 percent once those projects are completed.” Open-door policy Imdaad prides itself on caring for its staff, through providing things like accommodation and catering,

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The company values its staff very highly

and a management open-door policy to all. Consequently, it is investing 150 million Dirhams in constructing a new four-storey accommodation complex in Jebel Ali capable of housing between 3,000 and 3,500 workers. The state-of-the-art complex will provide varying accommodation for all grades of staff and includes things like Wi-Fi and internet access as well as club facilities. “We believe our staff are the most important asset to the company and we are providing a high-quality living environment for them. We have to think about the next five years when we will have accommodation for some 8,000 employees.”

“We believe our staff are the most important asset to the company and we are providing a high-quality living environment for them” – Jamal Abdulla Lootah, Imdaad’s Chief Executive Officer

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C O M PA N Y N A M E

Window cleaning and building maintenance

Multi-award winning Imdaad offers a wide range of FM, quality-driven solutions ranging from security and maintenance to environmental solutions and waste management. It has a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and is also in the process of investing a further 100 million Dirhams in establishing a new recycling centre. Recycling centre â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a waste management, collection and transportation company we must invest in recycling. We are investing in the latest 190

July 2014

SECTOR

Security maintenance

technology and are aiming to use the raw materials to manufacture for reuse,â&#x20AC;? said Lootah. The project is scheduled to start in July and it is anticipated the new recycling centre will be operational in just over a year. Imdaad has been operating as an independent business entity for the past six years although the company first began in 1986 as a Civil Engineering Division of Ports Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) handling civil engineering works, airconditioning and electrical maintenance. In 1989, more services were added to its scope w w w. i m d a a d . a e

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IMDAAD of work such as waste management, pest control, sewage services, environment, health and safety. A joint venture was established in 2002 to provide outsourced FM services and in 2007, Imdaad was inaugurated with a mission to provide integrated facilities management solutions.

Giving clients added value has won Imdaad a solid reputation

Iconic customers Today, it is responsible for looking after some of Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most iconic landmark buildings including the tallest structure in the world, the Burj Khalifa and the Palm Jumeirah, an artificial archipelago created using land reclamation, which hosts the Atlantis Hotel and a range of luxury

MOHAMMED TAYYEB KHOORY & SONS WASTE MANAGEMENT DIVISION

www.mtkhoor y.com

Strategic partners of Imdaad for sustainable waste management solutions

CONSTRUCTION

“There will be many new development projects going on in Dubai as the emirate prepares for the Expo and I believe the growth in our company will be more than 15 percent once those projects are completed”

accommodations. Imdaad also has contracts with Emaar Properties, a Dubai-based global construction and development company and takes care of Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport. “We work with both the public and private sectors,” explained Lootah. “We are responsible for maintaining the Jebel Ali Free Zone which is the largest of its kind in the world and one of the biggest projects we have on our books.” Imdaad works hard to sustain good and strong relationships with its suppliers organising annual events to which they are invited. Many of its partners have worked with Imdaad since its inception and some of them are globally recognised such as Siemens, Mitsubishi and Hitachi.

– Jamal Abdulla Lootah

Supportive nature Lootah said: “We have a strong supply chain and endeavour to sign long-term contracts with them. We also work closely with them and when things get rough like they did in the 2009 Dubai crisis (when Dubai’s six-year construction boom went bust) we tried to support them.” Providing top quality services and giving clients added value has won Imdaad the solid reputation it has today and the focus on hiring and retaining the right staff has clearly played a major role. A survey of staff carried out every year currently shows an employee satisfaction rate of 95 percent, which Lootah is keen to maintain.

Cleaning and drain maintenance services

w w w. i m d a a d . a e

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IMDAAD

Teamwork enables Imdaad to offer very high standards of service

“We have more than 25 different nationalities working for us and we spend more than two million Dirhams every year on training. Our policy is that each employee should attend at least five training courses annually. “We take care of our people and believe teamwork enables us to offer very high standards of service. We have open doors and share the profits by offering a very good bonus.”

Imdaad’s workforce is made up from more than 25 different nationalities

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Socially responsible It is not just the staff Imdaad is keen to help nurture and develop, as it also operates an intensive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme which currently accounts for three percent of its annual budget, a figure which is steadily climbing every year.

CONSTRUCTION

Company Information INDUSTRY

Facilities management HEADQUARTERS

Jebel Ali, Dubai FOUNDED

1986 Receptionist

EMPLOYEES

4,000

The focus on environmental issues has permeated its CSR policy and one of the many schemes it runs includes a recycling project in schools to teach both pupils and parents about its importance. Lootah believes Imdaad is firmly ahead of its competitors not only because of its high standards of services but because it has a close eye on the future. “We invest to grow the business and we invest in our people. We invest in new technologies, which is where our competitors should be looking. “There are many big opportunities within the facilities management market in the GCC region and we are in a much better position than most because we take advantage of them and aim to serve and deliver on what we say.”

KEY PEOPLE

Jamal Abdulla Lootah, Chief Executive Officer REVENUE

Not disclosed PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Facilities management services

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TTS Port Equipmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dynamic team brings operational excellence The global enterprise which specialises in marine and offshore equipment solutions and services combines its group strength with individual expertise to offer quality products Written by: Sam Jermy Produced by: Craig Daniels

197

TTS PORT EQUIPMENT

TTS NMF Heavy Crane

Aerial port

198

July 2014

TS Port Equipment has emerged as a valuable business unit within its group having secured a number of lucrative contracts, including a deal worth in excess of $10 million with the Global Container terminal in New Jersey. These two main projects have helped the TTS Port Equipment company build up a turnover of around €15 million, despite only being established in 2005 under the worldwide Group’s port and logistics division. Parent company, TTS Group ASA, has more than 1,000 employees across 13 different countries. Michel Lyrstrand, Senior Vice President of Business Development, said: “We have been concentrating our efforts on two main areas Europe and USA - and this has proved fruitful. “It takes time to get established in the container terminal business, it is a very large business and a global one at that too. With a limited number of people you are not able to cover the complete earth. “But our strategy of focusing on specific geographic areas and major influential companies is working for us.” The subsidiary based in Gothenburg, Sweden, signed an order to supply material handling equipment which included 10 self-loading trailers called LTH70 translifters, along with 115 cassettes for the new DP World London Gateway Terminal with delivery completed in summer last year. More recently, a contract was signed so TTS

S U P P LY C H A I N

New Jersey terminal

Port Equipment can offer container handling equipment to Global Container Terminal, the closest container terminal to the New York and New Jersey harbour entrance. It has been decided to use the TTS cassette system and translifters for the transportation of goods from the container port to the intermodal terminal. This contract is due for completion in June 2015. Background and focus Historically, Gothenburg had a very large shipbuilding industry, which started in the 1950’s, and there are still marine and engineering companies based in the area, including TTS’s own Marine AB division Centre of Excellence.

“It takes time to get established in the container terminal business, it is a very large business and a global one at that too” – Michel Lyrstrand, Vice President Business Development

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TTS PORT EQUIPMENT

Cargo handling

Roll Cassette 200

July 2014

TTS Group ASA is today headquartered in Bergen, Norway, and made up of four separate divisions; Port and Logistics, Marine, Offshore Handling and Service with each having its own business units and companies within those divisions. Lyrstrand has carried out various roles for the company which he joined 22 years ago, epitomising the long-term ideology TTS has with its staff at all levels. Explaining the emergence of the company and how it stands in today’s market, he said: “In 1996 we started to identify cargo handling products that would have potential for a new business, and in 2005 we actually started up a new company called TTS Port Equipment.”

S U P P LY C H A I N

The company merged together with NavCiv Engineering AB which specialised in linkspans and passenger gangways. So from the beginning, there has been two specific but different business areas; cargo handling equipment onshore and then linkspans and passenger gangways. Linkspan is the short connection between the vessel and the terminal. These are especially used in the UK as the regular high tides mean this equipment is often needed to act as a bridge to ensure a smooth transition onto the vessel. The Linkspan at Harwich International and many other ports in Europe and beyond has been supplied by TTS. In 2004 the company acquired Finnish Liftec Oy, which specialises in cargo handling

“In 1996 we started to identify cargo handling products that would have potential for a new business, and in 2005 we actually started up a new company called TTS Port Equipment” – Michel Lyrstrand

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C O M PA N Y N A M E Gunnebo Lifting is the agent in Sweden for one of Europe’s largest and leading producers of special steel wire ropes. Through it’s versatility in designs and genuine quality, Python wire delivers today to the major users within mobile cranes, industrial, mining, ports and shipping.

Hoist S / C

Compac 35

Flameshield 8

Example of the selection

Super 8 R

Hydraulic Hose Fittings & Adapters OEM’s first choice

OEM’s require an integrated package from a ”tier one” supplier.

Dunlop Hiflex offers:

• Complete product range (hose, fitting, adapters, manipulated tubes) • Constant high quality (ISO- 9001 - ISO 14000) • Commitment to OEM solutions • Proven customer satisfaction record • Global presence and support • Strong OEM expertise • Projected towards technical innovation

WWW.DUNLOPHIFLEX.COM

We supply steel wire ropes with desired end ﬁttings and delivers shackles and rigging screws which are manufactured in our own factories.

Gunnebo Industrier AB • P.O. Box 1046 • SE-405 22 Gothenburg Tel. +46 (0) 31-764 37 00 • Fax +46 (0) 31-764 37 99 • gbg@gunnebolifting.com

Marine & Offshore

The perfect choice FOR SCANDINAVIA

PMC Hydraulics delivers hydraulic solutions and have long-term experience for marine and offshore applications.

PMC HYDRAULICS AB, part of the PMC Group, markets, develops, manufactures and services custom hydraulic units and system solutions for marine, mobile, industry and energy systems. BASILDON - +44 (0) 1268 285620 BRISTOL - +44 (0) 117 982 8080 IMMINGHAM - +44 (0) 1469 571440

WWW.NTEX.CO.UK

www.pmchydraulics.se Continuous quality from start to finish

PMC Group is a globally oriented group and the leading Nordic supplier of complete solutions for the PMC technical field – Power, Motion, Control.

www.pmcgroup.se

TTS PORT EQUIPMENT

S U P P LY C H A I N

equipment for roll-on, roll-off terminals (RoRo) as well as industry applications. It now uses manual and automated technology in container and RoRo terminals. Employees nurtured The company has an internal development programme for all employees and an executive programme for TTS mangers, as well as yearly appraisals and a clear career progression plan. Management encourage the employee to take courses and develop in different fields. “We use the design office as a school, then we pick the young employees from there if they have a special talent, whether that be installation management, project management or even sales,” said Lyrstrand.

Key Personnel

Michel Lyrstrand Vice President Business Development Björn Asplind Vice President Sales and Marketing

The firm has 15 years of experience in China

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TTS PORT EQUIPMENT

Trucks are well managed at the ports

Port of Singapore

Xxxxxxxxxx TTS Liftec, Finland

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July 2014

APMT Port

S U P P LY C H A I N

TTS also gives opportunities for employees to work between the companies in various different countries. All production is made abroad, so engineers will often have the opportunity to travel. Lyrstrand added: “TTS is an attractive, global player in the industry and young engineers like this. We find it easy to source good engineers. If you do not like travelling, a career within TTS Group is not for you.” Closer Integration In February, the TTS Port Equipment and the Logistics division were merged together with the Marine division for a closer professional partnership. TTS Port Equipment is still a separate company but the two are working together with the original Gothenburg marine business unit for greater synergy. Lyrstrand explained: “What has happened is Port Equipment will be concentrating on passenger gangways and linkspan products, while TTS Liftec in Finland will be concentrating on all land-based cargo handling equipment.”

Logistics division

Land-based cargo extended trailer

“TTS is an attractive, global player in the industry and young engineers like this. We find it easy to source good engineers. If you do not like travelling, a career within TTS Group is not for you.” – Michel Lyrstrand w w w. t t s g r o u p . c o m

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TTS PORT EQUIPMENT

DP World and Hutching have a strong client relationship

“What has happened is Port Equipment will be concentrating on passenger gangways and linkspan products, while TTS Liftec in Finland will be concentrating on all land-based cargo handling equipment” – Michel Lyrstrand

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July 2014

The four main port operators DP World, APMT, Hutching and Port of Singapore all have a strong client relationship with TTS Port Equipment, as they equate to around 60 percent of the world’s port terminals and are well connected to ship owners such as Maersk. The firm has been focusing on two different products; manual systems based on trailer cassettes and an automated system with Automated Vehicle Guides. Lyrstrand said: “London Gateway is a project more or less owned by DP World, they looked into our technology and are using our manual trailers; the terminal tractor used to transport containers. “We’ve worked very closely with Terberg DTS which is supplying the terminal tractors. TTS Finland supplied the cassette trailers together

S U P P LY C H A I N

Company Information INDUSTRY

Marine and Offshore HEADQUARTERS

Bergen, Norway FOUNDED

1966 EMPLOYEES

Not disclosed

with TTS Port Equipment which has designed them. It’s a culmination of two TTS companies working together.” Most of the manufacturing is done in China, but is also carried out in other countries such as Poland and Croatia, with some production like assembly work coming from Finland. The firm has 15 years of experience in China, and today has three companies working together in joint ventures within the Asian country. For the future, new geographical market areas will play an increasingly important role for the company. There is also a quality control centre in Shanghai, further highlighting how TTS Port Equipment can utilise its Group’s strength, but at the same time enjoy individual expertise.

REVENUE

Not disclosed PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Marine and offshore equipment, linkspans, passenger gangways

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SSS Management Services wins plaudits with innovative tools

A comprehensive range of flexible, quality solutions has seen this award winning security and facilities management specialist deliver substantial savings for its clients Written by: Joel Levy Produced by: Rosie Rowe 209

SSS MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Key Personnel

Iain Beadle Managing Director

“We take the customer requirement and look to flex in areas we can to make sure what a business wants is what we deliver” – Iain Beadle, MD

K-based SSS Management Services is growing its client base, backed by a reputation for flexible, scalable and service-led solutions. The award-winning company, part of global surveillance technology expert Synectics, operates in two arenas: security and facilities management (FM), providing end-to-end management of 16,000 estates, for such recognised clients as WH Smith, Halfords and Saint Gobain. The big-name trend has continued of late, with SSS taking on six new clients in recent months, including two FTSE100 companies. Managing Director Iain Beadle said: “We are the interface between our customers and the supply chain, which is third party. We operate a help desk and an ARC which are conduit points that drive planned reactive maintenance, asset tracking and replacement for customers using that third party supply chain. “We manage from first call the mobilisation and tracking of contractors, task completion, validation and audits of invoice, which is then sent through to the client. On PPMs we manage the schedules, the delivery and the compliance in that area for the customer. So effectively, we are a one-stop-shop for our customer base.” Savings and customer relations The company enjoys a number of long-term contracts, maintaining excellent relationships

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R E TA I L

SSS provides bespoke solutions as each customer has their own unique requirements

with these customers by staying attuned to the changes in the retail arena (a sector which currently accounts for the majority of its clients), and responding to their changing requirements. SSS offers bespoke solutions tailored to the client’s specific needs, and these flexible solutions are readily adaptable to a company’s changing circumstances. Beadle said: “If you’re a business that has an acquisition and suddenly bolts on properties, we can respond very quickly to requirements in that area. No single customer is the same. We don’t try and shoehorn customers into our processes. We take the customer requirement and look to flex in areas we can to make sure

16,000 The number of client estates covered by the company’s end-toend management

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SSS MANAGEMENT SERVICES

SSS deals with 600,000 calls and 150,000 incidents annually

what a business wants is what we deliver.” By cutting out the middle-men in the supply chain and offering independence from it, SSS is able to quote potential clients up to 20 percent savings. “Because we are supplier-agnostic, we have a pool of contractors that are approved, so we have a great view in the UK of the best contractor match to good service,” said Beadle. “The way we mobilise the contractor activity on site, then audit invoices, drives out any inefficiency, errors or mistakes. As an example, we reject 20 percent of all first-time invoices because of errors. What this means is the

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11/12/2012 09:15

R E TA I L

customer gets the job complete and realises savings that, we often find, exceed 20 percent.” ARC and ICIS SSS has two UK sites, including its Aylesford, Kent headquarters and a second facility in Bristol, a help desk from which it provides a dedicated resource managing 600,000 calls a year 24/7, 365 days a year. Annually, the centre deals with 150,000 incidents. Beadle said: “If you’ve got a 1,000 site estate, if heating or ventilation goes for example, you ring this number, and effectively the rest is managed by us. It’s really a case of making the phone call and watching the reactive maintenance happen.” The company’s Intelligent Customer Information System (ICIS) maintains an invaluable database of clients’ sites, asset registers and allocated contractors and provides the tool through which the help desk and account management teams can mobilise, track and audit site activity. Added to this is the high-security, specialist Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC), from which SSS monitors clients’ alarms. This offering includes a robust false alarm management process to prevent unnecessary callouts, protecting customer’s police response and consequently insurance premiums. Investment Despite its already strong offering, SSS is continuing to invest to further improve its services,

Auditing of assets and personnel provides further savings for SSS customers

SSS has dedicated ARC services

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SSS MANAGEMENT SERVICES

SSS Management Services provide a wide range of bespoke solutions for business

“There is a need to innovate and bring new services to the table for our customers. Energy and Building Management Systems are a good example” – Iain Beadle

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firstly on the staff front. Ten new members of staff in nine months have bolstered its ranks of knowledgeable employees, and training is evermore comprehensive, boosted by quarterly reviews and specialist computer packages. The supply chain is another area that will receive capital. Beadle said: “There is an ongoing expansion of the supply chain to drive even better value for our customers and an expansion of services. That is a key operational objective this year.” Secure future In the coming months and years, Beadle cited three key focus areas for SSS, each feeding a policy of “scalable growth”, namely sector-diversification, continued

R E TA I L

innovation in security technology, constant development of the ICIS tool and the maintenance of a quality client experience. The diversification will see SSS continue to broaden its horizons away from its current retailcentricity into hospitality and logistics. Beadle also identified developing challenges for property management, including new energy legislation. “There is a need to innovate and bring new services to the table for our customers. Energy and Building Management Systems are a good example,” he said. Another area for innovation is technologydriven, including the rise of analytics, and security advancements like activation-driven CCTV. Through close relationships with other Synectics businesses and the group, SSS has its finger on the pulse of security R&D, enabling the business to adopt and adapt the latest technology for its customers. But perhaps most importantly, the company will stay true to the tradition of superior customer service that has made it a force in the sector. Beadle concluded: “We will keep focusing on customer service and engagement. FM is a huge multi-billion pound sector with a lot of very big players in it, but we don’t want to become enormous with hundreds of customers. “We want to maintain our ability to deliver good service and not outgrow ourselves. We will aim for scalable growth that means our existing and new customers receive the service they deserve.”

Company Information INDUSTRY

Facilities Management HEADQUARTERS

Aylsford, Kent FOUNDED

1995 KEY PEOPLE

Iain Beadle, Managing Director EMPLOYEES

Not disclosed REVENUE

Not disclosed PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Contract monitoring, supplier auditing, management reporting, benchmarking, security,

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Vianet Limited seeks to enhance customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; profitability through its flexible solutions This world-leading company has won a reputation for innovation and continues to develop good ideas and products for the benefit of the leisure, gaming and vending sectors Written by: Vianet Limited Produced by: Craig Daniels

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VIANET LIMITED

“The flexibility of our products and services enable our customers to reduce operating costs, improve rate of sale and optimise their asset utilisation, delivering a compelling return on their investment” – Steve Alton, Managing Director

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ianet Ltd is a world leader in providing International and UK companies with telemetry and software solutions for data capture and analysis in the leisure, gaming and vending sectors and recently launched its new cashless solutions to the vending sector. Supplying a full end to end solution to their customers, Vianet’s products enable customers to get complete operating transparency allowing substantial cost reduction and increased sales resulting in improved profitability. Over recent years Vianet has been key in the development and innovation of machine reporting and cashless solutions in the Vending industry which has enabled International Brand Owners and Operators in the UK and European vending sectors to understand and develop market leading opportunities in this sector. Steve Alton, Vianet Ltd’s Managing Director, said: “The flexibility of our products and services enable our customers to reduce operating costs, improve rate of sale and optimise their asset utilisation, delivering a compelling return on their investment. “This applies to both snack and can vending and more recently coffee vending with the growth in bean to cup in the market place. “Using our unique solutions plus working with our customers to understand their business needs we are helping deliver operational excellence by enabling them to provide a superior vending service in a more efficient and cost effective way.”

TECHNOLOGY

System Overview

Vianetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products enable customers to get complete operating transparency

Key information Vianetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reporting solution Vendexpert provides key management information that machine operators can act on allowing them to make up to the minute informed decisions. This enables improved operational transparency allowing customers to maximise

The VendExpert Management System is a unique software platform specifically designed to maximize vending profitability. By harnessing the benefits of both GSM wireless telemetry and secure online data processing, VendExpert realizes, for the first time, the full potential of remote M2M (Machine to Machine) monitoring, providing you with multi-level, real-time access to front line management information. Combining accurate data capture with VendExpertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adaptive software architecture the control of every aspect of the vending supply/operational chain can be optimized and be tailored to the individual requirements of any business.

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VIANET LIMITED

http://www.vendexpert. com/Marketing/ SystemOverview.aspx

System features diagram

vending revenues and profit through a variety of ways, including: Reducing operating costs by as much as 30 percent through reducing staff costs, improving operational efficiency, reducing fuel costs, having planned maintenance improving machine performance and up-time. Also Increasing revenues through increased rate of sale of 20 percent, better product and channel insight, improved product range and availability; and latest cashless solutions enabling the consumer to purchase products any time of day even if they don’t have cash - all they need is their debit or credit card. In recent years the UK vending market has seen

Vianet is a market leader in providing M2M solutions across a range of sectors including hospitality, vending, fuel and energy management. Working with customers we have helped them reduce costs by 28%, increase sales by up to 19% and gain insights into their businesses they didn’t know were possible. Our expertise is in connectivity and providing information to support business decisions – let us help you get the information you need to improve your business.

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www.vendexpert.com

TECHNOLOGY

a rapid decline in cup coffee sales which has probably been driven by the new “coffee culture”. Consumers have discovered quality barista coffee, bean to cup, which has driven the demand in the vending machines. Manufacturers have worked hard at delivering new bean to cup hardware to enable operators to supply the coffee the consumer wants, however maintaining the consistent quality on every drink has been a major problem thus not always giving the consumer the best experience and creating a negative reaction. Providing solutions Vianet recognised that standard telemetry was not the answer in this sector due to the variation in MDB’s (Machine Data Boards) so a solution was developed enabling both the operator and machine manufacturer access to the data to deliver an “every cup perfect” policy. Working with a number of manufacturers Vianet has designed new hardware and software which will work with the new coffee vending machines. The telemetry and software running on it have been developed with a flexible interface which enables them to read the machine data from a multitude of different manufacturers. James Nicholson, Franke Managing Director, said: “A year ago, one of our customers asked if we could provide telemetry in our machines so they could be deployed in various locations and be monitored remotely.

Key Personnel Stewart Darling CEO Vianet Group Plc

Steve Alton Managing Director Barry Lowe Business Development Director Vianet Leisure Ltd Alison Martinez Client Director Vianet

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VIANET LIMITED

“Vianet’s telemetry enables us to ensure Costa customers get the best cup of coffee possible served to our high standards” – Steve Alton

Costa vending machine 222

July 2014

“At the time we could not provide this service as there wasn’t anybody who could provide a solution that could capture the data and transmit it back to us or our customer. “With this in mind we worked closely with Vianet to deliver a solution for our customers and now they can remotely monitor drink sales along with other key performance measures in our Pura machines. “We found Vianet’s approach to our requirements extremely innovative and professional; this work has now led to us involving Vianet on our new range of machines to ensure we can capture the right data remotely going forward. A key benefit for Franke is that the VendExpert platform enables us to also remotely view the performance of our machines which helps us provide our customers with greater support.” Consistent quality Developments with the machine manufacturers and operators have enabled both parties to get daily information from their coffee machines ensuring the drink settings are maintained at the required level thus ensuring the quality of every drink served. Inconsistences are reported via VendExpert and the operator is able to take corrective action. With the help of these advancements consistent quality barista-style vended coffee is now available in many areas including motorway services, petrol stations, hospitals, retail outlets

TECHNOLOGY

and offices. However, managing an estate of these machines can be difficult and costly. Due to the advancements and information provided by Vianet vending operators can now compete in this growing market with a consistent quality bean to cup coffee offering with the knowledge they can get key data quickly and in a format they can action. Kirsty Norris, Operations Development Manager of Costa Coffee, explained: “We have been working with Vianet since the early days of Coffee Nation. “Vianet has been innovative in working with our machine suppliers to provide a host of information in relation to the coffee we serve, including cleaning performance and brand compliance. “Vianet’s telemetry enables us to ensure Costa customers get the best cup of coffee possible served to our high standards.” Increasing profitability Alton concluded: “Vianet’s aim is to provide commercial propositions for leading vending businesses both operators and brand owners. “Our transparent vending solutions drive rate of sale and profitability for our customers. Results from all data collected is analysed and reports securely delivered over the internet, so there’s no need to invest in costly back office software. We’re very proud of our business and its focus on increasing profitability for our customers.”

Company Information INDUSTRY

Technology Services HEADQUARTERS

Stockton-on-Tees FOUNDED

1992 EMPLOYEES

151 REVENUE

FY ending 31/03/2014 £14.0m PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Vending - Vitel, Pico, Ultra, Vendexpert, Leisure - I-Draught; BMS; Gaming - Machine Insight, RDC

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Varner Group:

Clothing retailer Varner Gro to rock Austriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion wo

The Norwegian fashion giant will launch four of its biggest the alpine country next year creating hundreds of new job strategy goes up a gear Written by: Sheree Hanna Produced by: Craig Daniels

oup set orld

t chain stores in bs as its expansion

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Men’s fashion

Linus Hiort, Expansion Director

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he fast-expanding Varner Group, the Norway-based clothing retailer which boasts 1,400 stores across Europe, now has its eye on launching some of its leading brands in Austria. This fashion specialist which operates some of Europe’s best-loved outlets catering for women’s, men’s and children’s designer, trendled and quality clothing brands, is currently growing at approximately 100 new stores a year. The well-known brands in its portfolio are: Cubus, Dressman, Dressmann XL,

R E TA I L

Carlings, Bik Bok, Volt, Vivikes, WOW, Urban, SOLO and Wearhouse Outlet. Currently the company, which employs about 10,000 people, has 720 stores in Norway and others in Sweden (476), Denmark (17), Finland (154), Germany (16), Poland (50) and Iceland (four). Plus it is also a leading franchise partner for globally-recognised jean makers Levi and Ralph Lauren operating under the umbrella of Varner Brand Stores AS, it operates 35 Levi’s Store and five Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply in Scandinavia.

“The new store is truly amazing and it offers real inspiration for the young man who likes fashion,” – Linus Hiort, Expansion Director

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VA R N E R G R O U P

“Austria is a very interesting market for us. It has many similarities with the Nordic countries when it comes to population, purchasing power, four seasons and much more” – Linus Hiort

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Marching on Austria Headquartered in Billingstad, Oslo, the company now plans to launch in Austria with four of its biggest chains, Bik Bok, Carlings, and Dressman in March next year, and Cubus in the fall of 2016. Expansion Director, Linus Hiort, said: “Austria is a very interesting market for us. It has many similarities with the Nordic countries when it comes to population, purchasing power, four seasons and much more. It has the lowest unemployment rate in Europe and a very stable economy. “The focus during the first year will be Vienna, Graz, Linz and Salzburg but the strategy varies a little depending on brand, and we will expand into all of Austria’s seven power regions at a speedy rate.” The move will naturally create new jobs, although Hiort said it was a little early to predict the exact numbers, but as an example said if Varner Group opened 250 stores across Austria with each employing five people it would mean a total of 1,250 new employees. However, the icing on the cake of the current expansion programme is the opening of a new flagship store in Stockholm of Varner Group’s latest multi-brand chain, Volt, aimed at trendy men aged 19-35. “The new store is truly amazing and is offers real inspiration for the young man who likes fashion,” said Hiort. “Brands at Volt are carefully selected and are at the cutting edge of design and style.”

R E TA I L

The success of Varnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading chain, Volt, is pitched at offering only the best for young menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion

Started in the swinging 60s Varner Group, which achieved 2013 sales of KEURO 1,316,320, has an extensive history which began on Thorvald Meyersgate in Grunerlokka, Oslo, in 1962 when Frank Varner opened the first store simply named Frank Varner. Three years later another store opened in Oslo and one in Trondheim then in 1967, the name Dressman was launched with the opening of another store on Skippergata, in Oslo, and subsequently the brand grew at a record pace. In the early years, acquisitions were made, but primarily the company has grown organically through the launch of new chains, brands w w w. v a r n e r. n o

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SUPPLIER P R OFI L E

ITAB Shop Concept sells, develops, manufactures and installs complete shop fitting concepts for retail chain stores. ITAB is today a Group that caters to the largest retailers in Europe, with organizations in 20 countries worldwide and 14 wholly owned production facilities in metal, wood and lightning. ITAB is listed on OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm.

www.itab.se marcus.andersson@itab.se

SUPPLIER PROFILE

ITAB SHOP CONCEPT AB

Employees: 2300 Established: 1987 Industry: ITAB Shop Concept sells, develops, manufactures and installs complete shop fitting concepts for retail chain stores. ITAB is today a Group that caters to the largest retailers in Europe, with organizations in 20 countries worldwide and 14 wholly owned production facilities in metal, wood and lighting. ITAB is listed on OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm. Services: Through organic growth and strategically planned business acquisitions, ITAB is one of Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading players for custommade shop fitting concepts, checkouts, self-checkout systems and professional lighting systems. ITAB has extensive experience of developing, manufacturing and delivering shop concepts in line with a fine-tuned project management model. Ongoing Projects: For the Varner Group, ITAB has the honour to deliver shop fitting to the Dressmann, BikBok and Vivikes chains in Europe. ITAB are making successful installations in Europe of fully automatic self-checkout system EasyFlow, that offers retailers major cost savings. High-performance, energy-efficient display lighting fixtures are developed and delivered globally. In 2014, the largest food store in the Nordic countries opened where ITAB designed, produced, installed and did project management. Management: Ulf Rostedt, CEO; Mikael Gustavsson, Deputy CEO; Samuel Wingren, CFO Website: www.itab.se

VA R N E R G R O U P

R E TA I L

and concepts to meet the ever-changing needs of its fashion-conscious customers who seek both quality and diversity. Then in 1995, Petter and Marius Varner took over the management of the company and the development of the Group has continued in their hands, transforming into the internationally renowned business it is today. Supplier protocols Today, about 90 percent of the company’s goods are sourced in Asia and Varner Group has strict criteria that each new supplier must meet before its services are engaged. Varner Group has its own production offices in India, Bangladesh, China and Turkey, where the supplier processes are carried out. Communications Manager, Julie Bragli Eckhardt, said: “The Varner Group’s aim is to combine good business operations and ethical conduct to ensure the production of our goods does not negatively impact on either individuals working in our supply chain or on the environment.”

Varner stocks premium brands like the Ralph Lauren collection

“The Varner Group’s aims is to combine good business operations and ethical conduct to ensure the production of our goods does not negatively impact on neither individuals working in our supply chain nor on the environment” – Julie Bragli Eckhardt, Communications Manager w w w. v a r n e r. n o

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We help retailers improve shop profitability

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Peribo provides project managing, construction and shopfitting to shopkeepers that care about their conceptual design.

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VA R N E R G R O U P The allocation of new stock is based on sales and current stock levels and is done manually for some articles, while an ERP system is used for others. Head of Logistics, Anders Eriksson, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The warehouses pick the goods every day and send it to our transport for delivery. â&#x20AC;&#x153;More recently we have focused more on delivering goods to the stores on slot times rather than having deliveries every day. We have a central warehouse for the EEC-market in Sweden, which we will also use to supply the new stores in Austria.â&#x20AC;?

R E TA I L

Varner is at the cutting edge of fashion

Varner have strict rules on stock replenishment

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VA R N E R G R O U P

“We develop and operate our business based on a few, strong and fundamental values” – Mette Wisloff Egenaes, HR Development Manager

Steeped in culture Having a strong culture is the backbone of the company’s ethos as it strives to help its thousands of employees both develop their own careers and treat its customers in the best way possible. HR Development Manager, Mette Wisloff Egenaes, said: “We develop and operate our business based on a few strong and fundamental values. The values tell us what to focus on, how to treat our customers, how to interact within the organisation, and the values also help us make the right decisions. “The Varner Group attract people who share our values and we recognise culture in everything

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eltera.no HEI36-YPfullpage.indd 1

11/12/2012 09:15

R E TA I L

we do, from on-boarding, taking on responsibility and opportunities, development and growth.â&#x20AC;? To this end, the company runs a number of different programmes to help the staff development and managers play a key role in stimulating and recognising learning needs. Striving to ensure the customer ultimately receives the best shopping experience ever and is happy enough to keep returning to the stores is top of the agenda. Sustainable efforts With regard to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environmental status it has for many years worked actively

New stock is ordered via an ERP system

Varner has optimised their stock delivery to their stores to improve efficiency

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VA R N E R G R O U P

Varner has historically strong brand values

“We have a fantastic culture in our company, diversity, happiness and lots of brands” – Julie Bragli Eckhardt

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towards improving products’ sustainability. Eckhardt said: “For us, sustainable fashion is about taking responsibility and we work actively and long-term with the entire value chain with regard to environmental and social consequences.” As for the future, it looks like there is no stopping this fashion giant from conquering even more countries with its popular brands.

R E TA I L

Company Information INDUSTRY

Retail HEADQUARTERS

Billingstad, Oslo FOUNDED

1962 MANAGEMENT

Linus Hiort, Expansion Director; Julie Bragli Eckhardt, Communications Manager; Mette Wisloff Egenaes, HR Development Manager Stocking the latest trends

Hiort concluded: “Norway, Sweden and Finland are solid bases for us. We are opening in Austria next year and we expect it will become a potential hub for continuing expansion across Europe. “In five years’ time we will have new countries on our map and hopefully, a couple of our brands will be market leaders in Austria. We have a fantastic culture in our company, diversity, happiness and lots of brands.”

PRODUCTS/ SERVICES

Cubus, Dressman, Dressmann XL, Carlings, Bik Bok, Volt, Vivikes, WOW, Urban, SOLO and Wearhouse Outlet

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European Association of Metal Ores & Industrial M

Self-promotion helps Euromi capitalise on continental prom Written by: Matthew Staff Produced by: James Pepper

f Mining Industries, Minerals

ines mise

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EUROMINES

Conference field trip, Aitik mine, Sweden

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We should be doing exploration and mining and processing and supplying to the people that need those raw materialsâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mark Rachovides, President

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nder the Presidency of Mark Rachovides, The European Association of Mining Industries, Metal Ores & Industrial Minerals (Euromines) is striving to lay to bed assertions of the past to encourage its members about the potential of the future. Mining in Europe, and indeed across the world, has often come in for criticism but through a strong focus on external industry collaboration and internal optimism, the association is well on its way to changing industry standards and consequently, public perceptions. Existing as a not-for-profit organisation in its current form since 1996, Euromines represents more than 40 different metals and minerals, more than 100 companies and about 350,000 jobs across its member states, and

MINING

Key Personnel

Mark Rachovides President

Rachovides is positive that Europe can become a partner of choice within the mining industry. “The important thing through what we do is to point out where mining fits in the value chain and to get away from those old stereotypes,” he said. “We need a balanced, responsible approach to keep the value chains in the EU because it won’t contribute to our renaissance or our future if part of the value chain is being sourced outside when we have the ability to do it here. “We should be doing exploration and mining and processing and supplying to the people that need those raw materials. We can do the whole thing and that should make us the partner of choice because we should be showing ourselves as the leaders in terms of sustainable use of our resources.

Mark Rachovides is a consultant to Eldorado Gold Corporation and until recently was Chairman of Deva Gold, Eldorado’s subsidiary in Romania. He was formerly an Executive Director of European Goldfields which was acquired by Eldorado in early 2012. Rachovides is a well-known specialist in South East Europe and Chairman of the Euromines Gold Group.

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EUROMINES

Vykleky quarry in the Czech Republic after rehabilitation

“Europe is surprisingly underexplored and underinvested for exploration” – Mark Rachovides

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“That’s what we want to achieve; to set the standard that’s higher than everyone else.” Present virtues Manufacturing in Europe currently accounts for 75 percent of the EU’s exports and many of these manufactured products depend on raw materials. It is figures like these which the Association aims to make clearer to the business world moving forward.

MINING

“Europe is surprisingly underexplored and underinvested for exploration, but in terms of technology, we’re very advanced, so we are increasingly developing the ability to mine more complex deposits and have more automated machinery,” Rachovides said. “We ultimately look to a future of stateof-the-art modern mining in Europe.” The Association is therefore striving, through affiliations with organisations and

Europe is rich in natural resources w w w. e u r o m i n e s . o r g

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Xxxxxxxxxx

EUROMINES

MINING

conferences at high profile events, to start getting that positive industry message across. This can only come with a collaborative and integrated drive among its members too though, and Rachovides is adamant that all are responsible in that push and none are burying their heads in the sand. “Most of our members need and do talk more about our good stewardship and the added value that we bring across the spectrum of our activities,” he added. “A lot of the criticisms are the sins of our past and we need to talk more about the virtues of our present and our future. “Our performance today in Europe speaks for itself. We have excellent health and safety records, very low numbers of fatalities and rank very highly in terms of productivity. We invent a lot of technologies used worldwide because we are constructive, responsible, intelligent people.” Globally competitive Structured through a series of committees, comprising a decision-making steering committee, a think-tank policy committee, and some more specialised sector committees – environment, health and safety, emission training standards, communication, gold mining and magnesia production – Euromines is set up to be the recognised representative for mining in Europe; a voice and point of reference in relation to the European institutions, and a sounding board for members regarding

Key Personnel

Corina Hebestreit Director Dr. Hebestreit is the Director of Euromines. She has 20 years of experience in the mining sector, from primary raw materials to marketing of end products. Over the years she has built an extensive network in the industry and academia.

Johannes Dreilsma Deputy Director of Euromines

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EUROMINES

Wealth Creation by Mineral Extraction in Europe, organised by Euromines on 3rd December 2013 in Brussels

EU mining sector can boast a wealth of deposit opportunities

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policy matters and technical issues. The main goal as a consequence of these ongoing discussions, forums, collaborations with global organisations and monitoring of international trends, is to ensure that the EU maintains and builds upon its position as a responsible and balanced source of minerals. Complementing the effective stewardship, innovation and people that the EU mining sector can boast is also a wealth of deposit opportunities where the industry can expand its footprint, and this is what Euromines will be smoothing the pathway towards

MINING

Association Information A S S O C I AT I O N TYPE

Mining L O C AT I O N

Brussels FOUNDED

1996 NO. OF M E M BE RS

N/A

over the coming months and years. “There is certainly a lot of money in Europe and we also have a tremendous amount of intellectual capital and industrial capital in terms of making and inventing things,” Rachovides concluded. “If you look at our competitive positioning, we are heavily regulated, have a large population, not a lot of land mass, but still manage to compete in an international market on a company-by-company basis successfully. “We’ve dealt with the questions of the past and can now be innovative and adopt competitive solutions to problems of the future.” w w w. e u r o m i n e s . o r g

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Colt Resources is on course to revive Portugalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gold and tungsten mining With exploration in advanced stages at two flagship projects the company can look to generate important cash flow in the next few years to drive further activity in the country and across the world Written by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: James Pepper 251

C O LT R E S O U R C E S

C Managers inspect the Boa Fé site

“I want to have both of our mines producing so we can then generate cash flow and invest in our other projects. We want to spread our activities through Europe and the Middle East, and other locations all over the world” – Luis Martins, Business Development Manager 252

July 2014

olt Resources has already invested €60 million in its plan to begin gold and tungsten mining at two sites in Portugal which once under construction will deliver hundreds of jobs for local people, thus helping to boost the country’s economic recovery. The exploration expert expects to spend another €100-130 million to get both projects off the ground which will ultimately require 150 permanent staff when production is underway. Once the flagship exploration projects at Boa Fé and Tabuaço are in production, the incoming cash flow will allow Colt to upscale activity at other Portuguese gold and tungsten sites, as well as abroad. Business Development Manager Luis Martins said: “I want to have both of our mines producing so we can then generate cash flow and invest in our other projects. We want to spread our activities through Europe and the Middle East, and other locations all over the world.” This includes a venture in Pakistan currently being explored by Colt Middle East, where copper mining could also bring in money to boost funds for the projects in Portugal. Founded in Canada in 2007, Colt quickly moved to the Iberian nation on receipt of data from previous operators and the Portuguese government, with whom it shares a highly constructive relationship and vision to turn around economic fortunes.

MINING

Drill hole with Scheelite by UV light Tabuaço project

Boa Fé and Tabuaço The open-pit gold resources at Boa Fé, 95 kilometres east of Lisbon, and underground tungsten supplies at Tabuaço, in the north, represent the springboard for Colt Resources to emerge as a key mining player both in Portugal and elsewhere. Boa Fé hosts several gold deposits such as Banhos, Casas Novas, Chaminé, Ligeiro and Braços, and according to preliminary economic assessments contains reported

Visible gold

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SUPPLIER PROFILE

I C T E

www.icte.pt

ICTE, founded in 1992, provides specialized consulting and services in the areas of Earth Science and Space, such as geophysical investigations.

University of Lisbon, Portugal T: +351 217 500 811 E: fasantos@fc.ul.pt

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Sylmar Technology is dedicated to the supply of high quality solid surface products for domestic and commercial use. In addition to the supply of its key brands maia, minerva and Avonite, Sylmar Technology also offers turnkey solutions for all your solid surface needs. The range of work undertaken ranges from one-off individual retail projects to the full design and fabrication of components delivered to your production line. Whatever your requirements â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we can help. Contact Sylmar or visit our website now for more details. sales@sylmar.co.uk | 01773 521300

T: +65 6747 4912 www.ixblue.com www.sylmarsolidsurfaces.com

C O LT R E S O U R C E S

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indicated resources of 340,310oz and inferred resources of 84,200oz of gold. It has an estimated 11 kilometres of gold mineralisation. Initial metallurgical test work has demonstrated that the gold at Boa Fé is readily recoverable using a combination of conventional methods such as gravity, flotation and cyanide technologies, with Colt looking to start production by the end of 2015. The Tabuaço Experimental Mining Licence (EML) in North-Eastern Portugal covers a total area of 45.13 square kilometres. Since 2007 Colt has carried out extensive outcrop sampling work, and then embarked on an exploration and evaluation diamond drilling program which to date involved in excess of 100 drill holes, totalling more than 11,400 metres. Martins outlined the importance of impending bankable feasibility studies to the progress of both projects. “We are looking to conclude this by early next year,” he said. “We are developing a resource estimation update and are pretty sure there is huge potential, the bank feasibility study will prove this and encourage investment. The strategy is to start production as soon as possible and generate some cash flow.” “We are open to many avenues of construction and production and for example have had conversations with potential German and Chinese partners about mining at Tabuaço.”

Workers on site

Country Properties Portugal

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Drilling works are well underway

‘The country has a mining legacy stretching 2,000 years back to Roman times and Martins points to a continuing enthusiasm and acknowledgement of the industry’s importance to the nation’s economic recovery’

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Investing in Portugal Several factors combine to explain Colt’s decision to develop the gold and tungsten mining sectors in Portugal. The country has a mining legacy stretching 2,000 years back to Roman times and Martins points to a continuing enthusiasm and acknowledgement of the industry’s importance to the nation’s economic recovery. “In 2012 the government published a new strategy about mineral resources that gives clear political support to the mining sector,” he said. “We have a great relationship with them, and also have a beautiful infrastructure, a very good motorway network and our properties are nearby along with ports and prime rail connections.” Colt has also been able to draw vital investment from a number of Portuguese sources, part of a batch of investors including a Canadian pension

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Colt is working closely with the government

fund and several institutions and individuals from Germany, Switzerland, China and Hong Kong. Construction company Teixeira Duarte is a key partner. “They are a big construction group working not only here but in Brazil and Angola,” Martins added. “They have a mining division which is developing several works for Portugal’s main copper mine Neves-Corvo and can help us to develop our projects. All our investors share our view and strategy and feel that they will see a good reward on their investment.” So far investment into the two projects has exceeded €60 million with Martins predicting another €100-130 million be needed before both sites become operational, making the banking feasibility studies of utmost importance in order to secure the remaining funds and deliver new jobs for locals.

Staff are key to success

Key Personnel

Luis Martins Business Development Manager Luis Martins is a geologist with 30 years of experience in the exploration and mining sector.

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Exploration work

“This is about building local partnerships in an academic and vocational point of view as well” – Luis Martins, Business Development Manager

Colt’s current 25 staff and 50 sub-contracted exploration workers benefit from the years of expertise in the company through internal training. It also has fruitful relations with several Portuguese universities such as the University if Lisbon and University of Évora and Aveiro located near Boa Fé and Tabuaço. “This is about building local partnerships in an academic and vocational point of view as well,” Martins said. “We are already conceptualising the hiring of more people for the construction and production with our subcontractors.” Into the Middle East Away from Boa Fé and Tabuaço Colt has several other promising exploration works progressing both in Portugal and in Pakistan.

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In Portugal, the company is exploring for gold at Santo António, Montemor, Cercal and Company Cedovim, while finding reserves of gold and Information copper in a joint venture with junior British company Star Mining at Borba in the east. INDUSTRY It has also established Colt Middle East, for Mining - mineral which it owns a majority share of 38 percent. exploration This is a unit dedicated to exploring copper potential in Pakistan near the world-renowned HEADQUARTERS supply at Reko Diq, one of the biggest Canada porphyry copper deposits in the world. Colt Middle East has entered an agreement FOUNDED with Australian-based company Lake Resources, 2007 and is working closely with local communities and the government of Balochistan to develop EMPLOYEES what it hopes will become a world class asset 75 in the Chagai Hills copper and gold district. Martins said: “If successful this could REVENUE completely change the dimension of the Not disclosed company and could provide important funding for our projects in Portugal. PRODUCTS/ SERVICES “There are political and social issues but still we are working with the local communities Gold and Tungsten to obtain the social license and I think mining the people will take care of us and we will return a safe and secure investment.” With promising signs to be seen both in https://twitter.com/ColtResources Portugal and in Pakistan, Martins believes the company can look further afield in the future. “We can bring benefits to our https://www.linkedin.com/company/548157 shareholders and the people in the areas we look to operate in,” he concluded. w w w. c o l t r e s o u r c e s . c o m

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