0 april

April 2012 www.endeavourmagazine.com

TONY HAWK EXTREME MAN EXTREME STORY

A CENTURY OF DISTRICT HEATING EXCELLENCE

UK £4.95 CAN $14.75 USA $7.99 EUR €7.90 SA ZAR 58.00

EWEA: GENERATING CHANGE

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April 2012 www.endeavourmagazine.com

TONY HAWK EXTREME MAN EXTREME STORY

Editor’s note A CENTURY OF DISTRICT HEATING EXCELLENCE

UK £4.95 CAN $14.75 USA $7.99 EUR €7.90 SA ZAR 58.00

EWEA: GENERATING CHANGE

NU METRO WINS SAVVY CINEMA FANS

By Daemon Sands

Inspired by your success

Heads of Departments Editorial: Editor in Chief Daemon Sands daemonsands@littlegatepublishing.com Research: Director of Research Don Campbell doncampbell@littlegatepublishing.com Finance: Corporate Director Anthony Letchumaman anthonyl@littlegatepublishing.com Studio: Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com Publisher: Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com Any enquiries or subscriptions can be sent to info@littlegatepublishing.com ENDEAVOUR MAGAZINE is published by Littlegate Publishing LTD which is a Registered Company in the United Kingdom.

Company Registration: 07657236 Registered office: 343 City Road London EC1 V1LR VAT registration number:116 776007 Littlegate Publishing Ltd The Glasshouse, Kings Lane Norwich, NR1 3PS United Kingdom

Chief Editor of Endeavour Magazine Aside from the initial hurdle at the very start of the month, when Donnie Rust has to arrive a full three hours early to install all the various pranks for the office, April is a fantastic time. And no matter which corner of the world you’re reading this in or from which cultural background you herald, April gives many opportunities to spend time with family and friends.

Indeed, it is one of the only months where the dual opportunity is presented to make a fool out of your nearest and dearest and placate them a week later with excessive amounts of chocolate. And while parents prepare themselves for the onslaught of sugar-fuelled hyper-active children followed soon-after by a lot of sore bellies, the confectionary companies push their sales teams to get rid of the last of the chocolate-milk-flavoured-eggs because they really don’t have a market for them during the summertime.

This month’s instalment of Endeavour Magazine is filled with splendid delights for your perusal. We’ve found out how municipalities in South Africa look after people with eThekweni Municipality and the Johannesburg Road Agency, continued our extensive look at the energy industry in Europe with Dall Energy, Albertslund and CTR, touched on the fishing industry with Adcan Marine Suppliers, and went to the movies with Nu Metro Cinemas.

We were inspired by the entrepreneurial drive of The Wharf’s Samantha Coe, I spoke with the organizers of EWEA (European Wind Energy Association) and was not surprised to find that Jim Blythe doesn’t think too highly of soccer.

Tony Hawk totally blew us away with his incredible story and gave us the opportunity to launch his latest innovative online projects using social media to enhance the enjoyment of professional sporting and Donnie Rust is still in recovery from the interview.

Littlegate Publishing Ltd does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher.

Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Copyright © Littlegate Publishing Ltd 2012

So far, I think this is our best magazine yet and I hope you all enjoy it.

Additionally, I wish you all a very successful month, if you do celebrate it then have a joyous and chocolate filled Easter and if you do not please enjoy the chocolate anyway.

Kindest,

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 3

Features The Danish Board Of District Heating

20 Dall Energy: Applying Invention 22

CTR: Warm regards

28 Albertslund Municipality 36 Hollywood Stumbles But Nu Metro Wins Savvy South African Cinema Fans 42 Adcan Marine Suppies: Family values 54 Continental Coal: Digging Deep To Get Ahead 58 eThekweni Municipality: Looking after “South Africa’s Playground” 62 EWEA: Generating Change 70 JRA: Keeping The Heart Beating 76 Umso Construction: 15 Years Of Setting Trends 78 Altech UEC: Vanguard Of A Digital Era 84 Top Carpets: Laying It Down 88

Articles Tony Hawk: Extreme Man. Extreme Story

6 12 Transforming With Rob 14 When Can I Panic?

18 This Sporting Life Biz-tainment

98

Samantha Coe Making Music Matter

“All men are the same except for their belief in their own selves” Miyamoto Musashi Kensei, author of “Go Shin No Ryu” Book of Five Rings

TONY HAWK SKATEBOARDER AND BUSINESS MAN

by Donnie Rust

Tony Hawk was age 9 when his older brother gave him a blue fiberglass skateboard, chipped and scratched from years of use. The first time Tony stepped on it and rolled down an alley behind the family’s house in San Diego, there was no epiphany, no revelation … no foreshadowing whatsoever that he would go on to become the most famous skateboarder of all time. He reached the end driveway, looked back at his brother and shouted, “How do I turn?”

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 7

Eventually, of course, Tony learned to do more than merely turn. Practicing at the now-defunct Oasis Skatepark, the undersized prodigy soon began to attract attention by performing manoeuvres well beyond his years. At age 12 he was winning amateur contests throughout California, at 14 he turned pro, and at 16 he was widely regarded as the best competitive skateboarder in the world. By the time he was 25, he’d competed in 103 pro contests, winning 73 of them and placing second in 19—a record that will almost certainly never be matched. He was crowned vertical skating’s world champion 12 years in a row.

As a 17-year old high school senior, Tony’s annual income surpassed that of his teachers, mostly as a result of royalties from his primary sponsor, Powell Peralta skateboards. He was able to buy his first home before he graduated. Through the late ‘80s, he travelled the world, skating demos and contests. Then, in 1991, the sport of skateboarding died a quiet but sudden death. Tony’s income shrank drastically; times were so lean that he survived on a $5-a-day Taco Bell allowance.

But while many of his peers moved on to other, more traditional pursuits, Tony never gave up on the sport he loved.

The next few years flew by in a blur of financial uncertainty.

Confident that skating would rebound; Tony refinanced his first house and with a friend launched his own skateboard company, Birdhouse Projects. The first few years were rough: Birdhouse wasn’t making money, and Tony’s future was sketchy.

But, almost as abruptly as it died, skating’s popularity surged skyward, and the Hawk became the Phoenix. Birdhouse grew into one of the biggest and best-known skate companies in the world, and Tony signed a wide range of endorsement deals.

In 1998, he and his family started a children’s skate clothing company called Hawk Clothing. A year later, skating rocketed to unprecedented heights, from which it has yet to descend. Tony’s career came with it; in fact, he provided much of the fuel.

In 1999 Tony teamed up with Activision to create the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game franchise. The Tony Hawk video game series became one of the most popular game franchises in history and continues to this day. His life would never be the same. In a stroke of good timing, at the X Games that year, Tony also became the first skateboarder to ever land a 900, a manoeuvre that had eluded (and occasionally hobbled) him for 10 years . It was one of skating’s most gripping moments, playing out in front of a collection of his peers and fans, and on national TV. That exposure, along with his successful video game, helped establish Tony’s mainstream celebrity. In 2012, Activision introduces the highly anticipated Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD, a high definition update of Tony’s most popular games from the series.

Soon after the 1999 X games, Tony retired from competition, although he continues to put on demos and exhibitions all over the world. His Boom Boom HuckJam Tour featured some of the top skateboarders, BMXers and freestyle motocross riders in a giant tour that played in large arenas and theme parks across the country. Tony’s action sports exhibitions and shows continue to pack venues worldwide.

And, to start off 2012, Tony’s production company, 900 Films, has teamed with online giant YouTube to launch an entire skateboard-centric channel called the Ride Channel. With over 20 different programs featuring original content, the Ride Channel is already solidifying its place on the world’s most popular video content site.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 9

Tony has won numerous awards, including Make-A-Wish’s Favourite Male Athlete, Teen Choice Awards’ Choice Male Athlete and Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards’ Favourite Male Athlete, beating out such sports icons as Shaquille O’Neal, Tiger Woods, and Kobe Bryant. From video games to skateboards to online media to clothing to world tours, Tony has dominated the action-sports market with his laid-back style. He is the most recognized action-sports figure in the world and, according to some marketing surveys, one of the most recognizable athletes of any kind in the United States.

Tony regularly appears on television and in films, and hosts a weekly show on Sirius XM. His autobiography, HAWK—Occupation: Skateboarder was a New York Times bestseller and is currently available in paperback. In 2010 Wiley Publishing released How Did I Get Here? The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO. As his income reached a level he never could have imagined, Tony made an effort to give back to the subculture that has given him so much. His Tony Hawk Foundation has donated more than $3.9 million to more than 493 skatepark projects throughout the United States. The foundation helps finance public skateparks in low-income areas, providing a safe place to skate and helping young skaters from Marathon, Florida, to Sitka, Alaska, build their self-confidence.

Skateparks that received financial assistance from the Tony Hawk Foundation currently serve more than 3 million young Americans annually.

TONY HAWK TEAMS WITH YOUTUBE FOR 24-HOUR “RIDE” CHANNEL - RIDE Channel featuring Skateboarding ProgrammingJanuary 18, 2012- New York City- World Champion skateboarder and entrepreneur Tony Hawk has announced his production company, 900 Films, will be teaming with YouTube to release, RIDE, a 24-hour channel devoted to skateboarding and its lifestyle, slated to launch in January 2012.

Skateboarding and action sports enthusiasts will be able to subscribe to the channel, which will feature Hawk, Skatepark of Tampa, Jamie Thomas, legendary skateboarders, Lance Krall and a cast of characters as they entertain fans around the globe.

Programs like “Trick A Day,” “Pros Picks” and “Tony’s Crew” will give subscribers an insider’s view of action sports lifestyle. On “Tony Hawk’s Dissent,” subscribers will have behind-the-scenes access as Tony chats with a vast array of celebrities, offering a unique perspective into his daily activities.

“Rise Above” will showcase individuals in action sports who have overcome physical and mental challenges to succeed in their chosen sport.

RIDE is not limited to viewing. There will be a level of engagement and interaction with viewers in shows such as “Shredit Cards,” where skaters upload their own skate videos and earn shopping passes based on degree of difficulty.

There’s “One in a Million,” where amateur skateboarders will be given the exciting opportunity to become sponsored by some of the top skating companies. Subscribers will be able to follow the skaters’ journey through a week in New York City, competing for the top prize of sponsorship.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 10

“I’m very excited about the mix of shows we’re releasing on the Ride Channel; there will be something for everyone, even if they don’t skate. Combined with the new features on YouTube, Ride Channel is a huge step forward in the way people will find quality skateboarding content and other programming,” stated Tony Hawk.

YouTube is a leader in online video and a premiere destination to watch and share original videos through a Web experience. With 800 million people visiting every month, it has become the easiest and fastest way to reach audiences globally.

RIDE is one of the newest channels to be added to YouTube’s exciting line-up of online entertainment for 2012. With so many exciting and informative shows on the channel, Ride is set to be another one of Tony Hawk’s many accomplishments.

TWITTER HUNT 2012 Tony Hawk’s Annual 2012 Twitter Hunt will be taking place on April 15, 2012. This epic scavenger hunt sends Tony’s fans and followers on a chase around the world to find hidden treasures, skate swag, video games and a slew of other products. Companies are lining up to donate to the hunt and it has become a world renowned event!

We send packages to 45 states around the U.S., as well as Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, the Netherlands, England and Ireland. The prize packages include great items, including autographed skateboards and skate gear, audio equipment, golf gear, bicycles, toys, clothing, smart phones, video games, snack foods and drinks, gift certificates and much more.

Also, Tony now has a new 24-hour channel with YouTube called RIDE that launched in late January. In the attached show description you will see there is a range of programming for everyone that will give people an up-close and personal view of skateboarding and action sports (behind-the-scenes, celebrity, trick tips, etc.) all with a level of engagement for the viewer. http://www.youtube.com/user/RIDEChannel/featured

ABOUT TONY HAWK, INC

Tony Hawk Inc. is a world leader in its field with the unprecedented ability to bring alternative sports and their unique lifestyle to the masses while maintaining authenticity to the market’s hard-core, trendsetting audience. Founded by Tony Hawk in 1998 and based in Vista, CA, the company is organized into five segments: 900 Films, Merchandising, Events, Endorsements and Digital Media. These lifestyle sports include skateboarding, BMX, Motocross, surfing and snowboarding.

For more information or to arrange an interview with Tony Hawk contact LisaMarie@SHPNY. com and 212-529-1598

TRANSFORMING WITH ROB

by Jim Blythe

Mel and I have been called before Rob. Rob is one of our very newest directors, freshly shipped in from wherever it is we get directors from. And he’s very new; he practically gleams he’s so new. And he’s got an interesting challenge for us.

He wants us to run a transformation programme in his department because their performance is, and I quote, “crap”.

“OK” says Mel, taking the lead. “In what way is performance crap?”

“All of it,” says Rob. “It’s all crap.”

All of it? Surely not. This isn’t a new department, it’s been functioning for a while, some of it must surely be working well?

“All crap?” Mel says, to recap and make sure she’s understood correctly.

“That’s right.” Rob beams, pleased that she’s grasped the issue so quickly. “That’s why I need you to transform it.”

“Transform it to what?” I ask, deciding to get in on the act. Rob frowns.

He clearly feels that I haven’t grasped things as quickly and clearly as Mel has.

“To something that isn’t crap.” he replies. “Obviously.”

Of course, I could kick myself. How had I overlooked such a simple and fundamental point! However, I think we’re going to need a little bit more data before we can proceed towards an implementable plan.

“Of course,” I say, forcing a little smile, “but I think it’d be good for us to work through what that might look like.”

Rob looks at me like a fool. “It looks like the opposite of crap.” he explains, before deciding that Mel is the brains of the operation and that he’d be best addressing the rest of the conversation to her.

“It needs to happen quick.” he says. “By the end of the year.” It is March now so the complete transformation of his department from crap to the opposite crap is indeed going to have to move quickly.

“Right,” replies Mel, desperately trying to think of a question that might help, “and is there anyone from your department that we can work with to get this started?”

Rob thinks for a while before deciding to nominate Dan, one of his department heads. “Course he’s pretty busy” Rob adds, “so you might struggle to get much time with him.”

I jot this down while Mel grimaces slightly. “And what about budget?” she asks.

“What about it?” Rob replies.

“How much have we got?” Mel asks.

“There’s no budget” Rob says, as if Mel had asked if she could borrow one of his kidneys for a short period of time.

“No budget” she repeats, ever vigilant in ensuring she has her information straight.

“Hell, no” says Rob, “We’re already in danger of going well over budget this year.”

“So,” says Mel slowly, “You’re asking us to transform your entire department from crap to a non-specific opposite of crap between now and the end of the year with no budget and limited access to one of your heads of?”

Rob think s for a moment and then beams. “That’s it exactly.” he says.

I can’t repeat Mel’s reply at this point as it certainly wouldn’t be published and I can’t remember all of it. It was a long tirade wherein she pointed out the limitations of the brief, the challenges it presented and whether or not Rob thought this was an entirely realistic proposition. She also questioned his validity as a manager, a human being and a love-maker although I wasn’t sure this was entirely valid. I’m not sure if she finished or whether she took a long pause for breath but whichever, it creates a pause as Rob digests the arguments she’s made in her capacity as a business consultant, weighs up her point of view and formulates what he considers an appropriate response.

“Dear oh dear” he says, with a conspiratorial wink my way, “I think the moon might be in the wrong position for you right now.”

The pause that follows is slightly longer than the one before, as Mel tries to weigh up an appropriate response and I try to think of an excuse so that I can leave the room.

“I’m going to suggest that we re-convene next week once you’ve had a chance to think things through, have a chat to Dan and maybe you’ll be a little bit less of emotional, eh!”

Rob continues, brightly.

I decide the best thing to do is to agree and to get the still-speechless Mel out of the room before things can get any worse. And now I have the challenge of writing a one page summary of how we could possibly transform Rob’s department from crap to a non-specific opposite of crap between now and the end of the year with no budget and limited access to one of his heads of. Given Rob’s leadership style this is an easy task, I can summarise it in three words. Can’t be done. If only every piece of work was so easy!

Jim Blythe is a writer, actor, director, producer, comedian and inconsiderate lover. When he isn’t moaning about his experiences in the field of business he runs Spooky Kid Productions, a platform to help new talent get in front of an audience. See more of what he does at www.spookykid.co.uk.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 13

WHEN CAN I PANIC?

by Donnie Rust

“What are you going to do if the plane goes down?” is the question my girlfriend, the red headed Scottish faery from the March Issue, asked me while we were on a plane, heading towards Tenerife for a well-deserved holiday in the sun.

Regarding this “well-deserved holiday in the sun”, I thought due to the extensive touring my comedy show demands of me that my chief editor Daemon Sands would have been unhappy with me taking more time away from the office. But he was rather pleased with the idea (as long as I promised to remove or at least deactivate the motion activated singing box I installed and hid in his office that played my rendition of I Will Always Love You whenever he sat down).

There is the possibility he may have been calling my bluff as he knows that I am terrified, untrusting and entirely unconvinced about the very notion of flying. However, my

girlfriend made a very valid point that if I did not accompany her to Tenerife she was quite happy to take her scarlet topped, pale skinned body to the Island of Eternal Spring and ask someone else to apply obscene amounts of sun-screen on her “prone to sunburn” bits. The decision was basically made for me.

I noticed an interesting thing: as a society we are incapable of panicking until we’re told it is okay to do so. How often have you been in the office at work and the fire alarms have gone off and instead of proceeding to the nearest exit everyone waits for it to stop – until someone tells us it’s time to go or until we see someone running across the hallway

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 15

with their back on fire.

We had gotten past the initial hurdles of getting me onto a plane and getting the plane into the air with me still on board and were flying at a comfortable 20 000 feet. My girlfriend, in a touching display of misplaced helpfulness attempted to placate me by showing me an article in a magazine about the chances of dying in a plane crash.

According to this I am statistically more likely to be killed by a hippopotamus than by a plane.

Having checked beforehand, there were no Hippopotamidae on board; I reasoned that to be in danger of being mulled to death by a hippo in the first place, you had to be in the hippo’s environment and out of your own.

You are unlikely to be mauled by a hippo on the seventeenth floor of a Norwich-based skyscraper (where my desk and my environment at Littlegate Publishing are located), but rather when you’re standing waste deep in a water hole in the middle of the Serengeti. At that moment, I was very much in the environment of the planes and out of mine at 20 000 feet, which meant that logically and reasonably my chances of being killed in a plane were greater now than they would have been if I’d stayed on the ground!

Despite this, I was actually surprisingly calm and looking forward to a week of sunbathing and over-indulging and was holding onto an absurdly tiny can of coke and pretending to be a giant, when my girlfriend leaned over and said, “Isn’t it funny that you never notice the sound of the airplane engine until it stops?”

The engines had stopped?

The engines of the plane I was on had stopped!!

Again, for emphasis, the engines had stopped.

Why weren’t people screaming? Why weren’t people fighting each other and throwing aside their children for life preservers and oxygen masks? As the plane gently descended, a few heads lifted up, looking around with curious expressions to see if anyone else was panicking as nobody wanted to be the initiator of hysteria and the first person to lose their calm. That’s when my girlfriend asked, “So….what are you going to do if the plane goes down?”

Cautiously, realizing that since we’d only been dating for a year she may still harbour hopes that I have super powers, I looked at her, “What exactly do you expect me to do?”

And what good would I be?

I suspect that every pilot, as part of health and safety, is given a list of people to call should their plane stop working and on that list I am at the bottom, directly under Gary Busey.

I was afraid to answer, if she had been dating me because she thought I was a super hero I didn’t want to disappoint her now at this junction and so I pretended to be distracted by something happening three rows down from us.

Although there was a strong possibility that our bodies would be found floating in the ocean clutching desperately to the straps of our seatbelts, nobody had taken the initiative to start screaming. In fact the opposite was happening and everyone seemed quite docile and content: passengers were chatting to each other or watching the inflight film, someone was deliberating on whether they wanted the chicken or the fish for their lunch and another was knitting.

Eventually after we could see the ocean and the white water of the waves in more detail than necessary, the engines finally started again, the plane rose steadily like a phoenix into the air and after a moment the hostesses began distributing large doses of alcohol. Nothing was said.

And as my girlfriend pried my hands off of the armrests I started to wonder if maybe I’d imagined the entire thing.

“That was rather exciting,” she said, “But what would you have done?”

Images of me - screaming with my hands raised above my head, a crazy smile on my face as I enjoyed the last ride of my life - flashed through my mind before I scrabbled for the airsick bag and decided fish had not been the best option.

It’s important to say that airline pilots, their staff, the planes themselves and the engineers involved in their maintenance are very good at their jobs and that you can certainly put your trust in them and enjoy the experience.

However, should you be on the plane and over the tannoy a voice is heard, “Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking, we’ve experience a slight problem with our engines but there is no need to panic” followed by, “...

Incidentally, is Donnie Rust on board?”

It means Gary Busey isn’t available.

Panic.

Donnie Rust, (AKA The Naked Busker) is one of Britain’s foremost comedy writers in the field of business, travel and adventure with over 1 million readers worldwide. His stand-up comedy is apparently hilarious too. He can be found at: www.facebook.com/donnierust.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 17

THIS SPORTING LIFE

by Jim Blythe

My friend Steve is angry.

Ridiculously so really. He’s angry because his football team have just lost.

The reason he claims they lost is because a member of the opposing team cheated by diving in the penalty area, being awarded a penalty by the dupped referee and then scoring from it. This is partly true although the main reason his team lost is because their strikers couldn’t score the requested number of goals despite having a large number of chances. But it got me thinking; and this is what I thought.

When I was in my late-teens and early-twenties I spent a lot of hours playing this card game called ‘Spot It’. It was a travel game in which each player was dealt a hand of cards featuring pictures of things one might spot on a journey, such as a lorry or some traffic lights. As each player spotted these items they would discard the card and the first player to dispose of all their cards would win the game. What a simple and harmless way to pass a journey, you might think. Of course, you might also think that this was a strange game for someone in that age range to be playing and you’d be right. I can’t remember the recommended age group but I think it was around 4-8 years old. I can’t be sure

because it appears that no one makes it anymore and that’s a shame because it was a nice, harmless little game. Until… well, let me tell you more about the circumstances that led to me playing it. There is a point to this – bear with me if you can and I’ll get there, I promise.

The reason I was playing ‘Spot It’ so much at that stage in my life is because I was in a band. Now, I’m approaching middle-age so the point at which I was in a band predated YouTube, Flickr, even My Space, so the only way to get a following around the country was to cram into a van and tour. This meant many hours crammed together in a van and many hours therefore to fill. So we started playing a little cards, usually Poker. As we all know, poker is more fun when some money’s on the table so we started gambling.

Inevitably these meant that it got a little more competitive and led to a number of hearty debates, or as the police call it, common assault. We decided that we needed something less competitive than Poker and someone; I forget who, produced ‘Spot It’. A little reluctantly we started playing it and after a few goes we thought there might be some mileage in the game and as we all know, ‘Spot It’ is more fun when some money’s on the table so we started gambling.

So, this harmless little game developed gradually into war as people’s claims of ‘spots’ became increasingly debateable and threats of violence became increasingly frequent. Indeed I imagine we might be the only band in history to have split up over whether or not a yellow truck had been seen heading southbound down the M6 or not. But we did.

The lesson here is of course that the game wasn’t the issue – the money was. That’s pretty obvious I know but let’s think about what happened here; a harmless little travel game intended for children between the ages of 4-8 had a

group of young adults almost killing one another and all for the sake of what, in retrospect, was a pittance. So it is no surprise that the world of professional sport produces so much questionable behaviour, and I’m talking on the field here; never mind the many shenanigans our tops sports stars seem to get up to in their leisure time. It’s not unusual to hear football fans bemoaning the players who dive and try to con the referees. Cycling and athletics appear to be rife with drug taking and, whilst cheating in baseball has always been broadly acceptable, the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs has blurred the line considerably. Cheating plays are an ingrained part of basketball and as for poor old cricket, can you ever trust a result to be genuine again?

The thing is though, we really shouldn’t be surprised. These things aren’t sports any more, that was just how they started out. They are now multi-million dollar industries and the only way to be successful in a multi-million dollar industry is to win. And so the point of these sports now is to win at any cost. This is, of course, a major difference between how a sport begins, where winning is merely preferable.

The point is that Steve is delighted whenever his football team spend millions of pounds on a new player. Lots of football fans do. Some get quite angry when their teams don’t do it. But the problem is that you can’t have the millions of pounds thing going on without having the cheating thing going on too. You should be able to but you can’t because that’s not human nature. It’s a shame because a big part of sport should be ‘the spirit of the game’ where everyone does their best to make sure we have a lovely fair contest. But I know the truth from my days as a hardened ‘Spot It’ player; the money will get in the way. So if you want the money accept the cheating. And shut up moaning Steve.

Jim Blythe is a writer, actor, director, producer, comedian and inconsiderate lover. When he isn’t moaning about his experiences in the field of business he runs Spooky Kid Productions, a platform to help new talent get in front of an audience. See more of what he does at www.spookykid.co.uk.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 19

DENMARK’S 100 YEAR OLD FUTURE

by Martin White

District heating uses surplus heat generated from power production and combined heat and power (CHP) to supply hot water throughout large scale heating networks from centralised boiler plants.

The combination CHP and district heating is highly energy efficient with plants now achieving up to 90% efficiency due to the recovery of waste energy normally lost as excess heat. Community benefits are vast both in terms of reduced energy cost and elimination of expensive household heating equipment and Endeavour Magazine looks at those behind the industry.

District Heating In Denmark It is now widely acknowledged that the combination of district heating with CHP is one of the most effective and cheapest methods of cutting carbon and Denmark is the world leader for development and implementation of technology related to district heating. In 1902 the Copenhagen suburb municipality of Frederiksburg built Denmark’s first waste incineration plant, which produced both heat and electricity.

The plant was powered by municipal waste brought to the plant by horse drawn cart for incineration with steam then fed through tunnels to the local hospital, children’s home and homeless shelter. The industry has since grown to the point where 60% of all residential homes in Denmark are now supplied by highly sophisticated district heating networks with over 80% of this heat produced by CHP. Interconnection between heat sources also allows for multiple fuel sources to be used including coal, oil, natural gas, municipal waste and biofuels and the flexibility of this configuration simultaneously reduces fuel costs, increases efficiency and

ensures security of supply. The Danish example demonstrates that district heating is not only economically advantageous but also environmentally friendly and extremely reliable.

An Industry Champion The Danish Board of District Heating (DBDH) is an institution representing the leading manufacturers, contractors and research and development organisations active in the industry in all fields including power production, heat metering, transmission and specialist consultation.

The Board acts to showcase industry experience through conferences, seminars and exhibitions whilst developing effective co-operation by sharing information with other district heating and energy organisations worldwide.

Hans Bjorn, Managing Director of the heat transmission company TVIS and current Chairman of the DBDH explains: “The Danish Board of District Heating represents more than 100 years of industry knowledge ranging from energy planning, biomass and waste incineration to the most efficient combined heat and power technology in the world. Our network comprises utilities, turnkey suppliers, equipment suppliers and consulting engineers completing the circle of knowledge. Over 30 years we have established an international network for the benefit of our members developing unique local knowledge, trust and partnerships.”

The groundwork for effective energy policy in Denmark was set during the oil crisis of the 1970s. As an almost 100% importer of fossil fuels and facing high energy demand, the wheels were set in motion to create a fossil fuel independent market and dramatically reduce carbon emissions. The Danish heating sector is now set to become almost entirely carbon neutral by 2030 and needless to say this will bring significant benefits and savings for the consumer. Whilst energy security, the cost of energy and environmental protection will remain concerns for governments, consumers and businesses alike around the globe the work of the DBDH provides a reference of how just some of these challenges can be faced and may the good work continue.

The DBDH quarterly publication and technical journal “Hot/Cool” presenting state of the art heating technology in all aspects through articles produced by leading industry professionals is available along with a host of further information from the website: www.dbdh.dk Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 21

Dall Energy www.dallenergy.com +45 2987 2222 Written by Chris Farnell

APPLYING INVENTION

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 23

Dall Energy

It’s not often you get to talk to somebody who not only founded their own company, but actually invented the product that they sell, so speaking to Jens Dall Bentzen, founder and Managing Director of Dall Energy is a unique experience. Fortunately, Bentzen is happy to share his story.

“Before I founded the company I was a consultant with a major firm and a researcher at the technical university developing biomass technology,” he tells us. “I invented a process for the gasification of biomass and managed to get a patent. It was a new patent for biomass in district heating and

before long I’d found a potential partner in the US. However the consulting company I was working for wasn’t keen on owning too many technologies. We agreed that if I wanted making inventions to be a major part of my business model I should go and found my own company. The American company said they would invest in this company and back me up.

So I bought the patent I had made, which was then the property of the consultant firm, and that’s how we started the company.”

For Bentzen’s new business venture to be a success it

would need a unique selling point. Fortunately, with the patents he now owned Bentzen had just that.

“My first patent is part of a biomass system, and we hold several more patents that are part of this overall system.

Our key technology is a way of combusting biomass. This we developed as a concept in 2008, before building a prototype in 2009 and a full scale version in 2010 and 2011,” Bentzen explains. “It burns very clean, with very little dust or emissions. The low level of dust it emits is good because it means we have very few problems with the heat exchanges. The system also has the advantage of being able to take a huge variety of fuels. The system has very few maintenance costs because nothing hot is moving in the furnace, so it’s a robust system.”

Growing The Business Bentzen’s new company, Dall Energy, is a small affair.

“It’s only me and one member of staff, then the companies we work with as consultants and industrial partners,” he says simply. “The only staff member we have is a former chief of research and development from a big industrial company. We’ve known each other for more than 10 years. He was tired of where he was and we discussed if he wanted to be a partner, but he was approaching his pension, so he became staff and we’ve got a great relationship with a lot of trust.”

As Bentzen went into business for himself, he’d soon find that inventing his new system was the easy part. The tricky part would be finding customers.

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Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 25

Dall Energy

“Our biggest challenge was to finalise the agreements around the first full scale reference plant, then actually get it built and commissioned. Finalising those agreements was a bigger challenge than the technology!” Bentzen says. “Still, we were able to build a licensing and partnering model, whereby we have agreements with customers and partners on how to share risks and share rights in the future.”

The problem is, before people are willing to invest in a new design they want to see it working in practice, but Dall Energy can’t build its new designs without investment, creating a Catch-22 situation. Fortunately Bentzen has managed to find ways past these obstacles. The main reason for this success was financial support from the R&D programme managed by the Danish Energy Agency. Dall Energy is currently working on two major projects close to Copenhagen that will result in two biomass plants of the Dall Energy design.

“We’re putting a strong focus on these two projects near Copenhagen. One is a heat and power plant. The costumer is a utility and so the project will be a great reference for us.

Our other, equally important project is with an industrial customer and gives us a reference model for the industrial sector to look at,” Bentzen tells us excitedly. “We have a strong base in Research and Development in Denmark and we’ll start pursuing partners throughout the world who we can licence our designs to. We’re already talking to potential international partners who are interested in our technology.”

As part of the licensing package, Dall Energy will be responsible of actually manufacturing some of the components.

“We want to eventually manufacture some of the components,” he says, “but most of the components that go into these plants are heavy gear, so if people are building designs around the world it doesn’t make sense to build the total plant in Denmark and ship it. Instead, the large components will be manufactured locally.”

For now, the company has many leads. Across Denmark people have become familiar with Dall Energy’s technology, they’re just waiting to see how its newly built plants are going to last out the next winter.

“We’ve had a successful start. I’d hoped once we had the first plant up and running it would bring more contracts, but as the technology is new, the company is new and the investment is considerable, then most costumers are still pretty conservative,” Bentzen reflects. “But we are very happy with the two contracts here close to our capital Copenhagen and one in the US. We are confident we will built much more plants throughout the world in the coming years” Green Concerns The push for greener energy sources and environmentally friendly solution may seem like a recent fashion, but Bentzen say that these discussions were already part of the political agenda in Denmark 20 years ago.

“For me it goes back to when I started at university and there was an intensive government push to be more green,” he says. “So it’s new at all that we need to be carbon neutral.

One of the advantages of our designs is that they are not only carbon neutral, but also lower in other emissions.”

Still, while the importance of watching your environmental impact isn’t exactly new, Bentzen concedes that politically people are more vocal about the environment than they used to be.

“The political focus on environmentalism is bigger now than 20 years ago. Maybe it’s not new but there’s stronger more of it,” he says. “This has helped us because when Dall Energy was founded the government had started a funding scheme for demonstrations of new energy technology. Before that, the government was mostly supporting research into new energy technology, but focus has shifted towards demonstration projects.

We have been very fortunate to receive support to demonstrate our technology and this support is indeed a key element of our success. ” The Key to Great R&D Asked what he thinks the key to a successful Research and Development company is, Bentzen doesn’t have to think long.

“First we focus on our references, and on our patents, ensuring we’ve got a strong product to sell. That’s been our key strategy since we started. Secondly, you have to make sure you find sound partners. There’s not a strict formula for finding the right partner. Usually we look at their vision, the ownership history of the company and the people behind it. I have a preference for personally owned companies which have a good track record and a good reputation.”

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Endeavour Magazine 3/23/2012 • April 2012 • 27 2:07:58 PM

Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company www.ctr.dk +45 38185777 Written by William Dodd

WARM REGARDS

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 29

Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company

CTR is a company with a mission. They are responsible for providing reliable, cheap heating to over 275,000 households across five municipalities in the Greater Copenhagen Area.

“We buy hot water from the big incineration plants and power plants in the Greater Copenhagen Area and transmit the water through a series of high pressure pipelines to various heating companies owned by the municipalities,” explains Inga Thorup Madsen, President and CEO of CTR. “We don’t have any contact with the end user, instead we act more as a go-between.”

CTR, or the Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company, to give it its full name, was founded in 1984 from the municipalities of Frederiksberg, Gentofte, Gladsaxe, Copenhagen and Tårnby. Since then they’ve done an excellent job of mediating between the power companies and the heating providers. But CTR is so much more than a middle man between the heating companies and the power companies. The systems they put in place ensure that

customers are always getting the best value for their heat.

“On the one hand we buy heat from plants where there is a surplus then our systems ensure that the cheapest plant available will take care of our customer’s heat needs. If the customers need more we move onto more expensive plants,” Madsen explains.

“We also work together with heat producers and the other transmission companies so that we are able to forecast the price and capacity of heat in the future. It’s very energy effective to have this system in place, compared to a system where only one producer has to supply a whole area.”

It’s a vast, intricate system, which isn’t surprising when you consider that CTR has invested in the region of 3 billion DKK into the heat transmission network. It has been responsible for the construction, development and operation of a 54km network, including three booster pump stations, 14 peakload units and 26 heat-exchanger stations, all managed from CTR’s control room through its extended control, regulation and monitoring system.

The engineering teams behind Ramboll’s services to CTR are very experienced and part of Ramboll’s 450 staff strong energy consultancy group. Since CTR was established in 1984, Ramboll’s assistance has covered all aspects of planning and design as well as close support during construction and commissioning. Current assignments are related to CTR’s constant expansion and optimisation together with operation & maintenance consultancy services.

District heating at its best For more than 25 years Ramboll has been CTR’s main consultant, assisting the company during all stages of the project life cycle from planning and design to operation and maintenance of Copenhagen’s city-wide heat transmission system. When working with our international clients we use Copenhagen as inspiration and a model for other district heating projects.

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Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 31 3/28/2012 8:47:57 AM

Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company

This district heating system has numerous advantages over other heating systems. It manages to be both cheap and eco-friendly by making sure that the surplus heat generated by power plants is used in the most effective way possible.

The interconnected nature of the grid makes it possible for that heat to be taken from any of the big power plants or incinerators across the region and redirected to where it’s needed.

The Most Valuable Resource Of course, the most valuable resource CTR has, perhaps even more valuable than the heat it’s distributing across the Greater Copenhagen area, is its people. In a fast moving, high technology field like this, it’s absolutely crucial to have the best people, and to keep those people trained up.

For Madsen, the key to building great staff is clear.

“We educate our staff and try to create good conditions for them,” she says. “We’re particularly proud of our great working atmosphere. Because we’ve built a reputation for treating our staff well we’re in a better position to recruit new people, because they are attracted to our working conditions and the opportunities we offer to develop their careers.”

It’s an aspect of the business that CTR is constantly developing. There is a program in place whereby employees are given an annual interview to discuss their needs and set goals for the coming year. There are also bi-weekly symposiums to give employees an open forum to share knowledge and discuss how work should be completed, so that staff feel a real sense of ownership over the companies achievements.

SPX Flow Technology is a leading supplier of plate heat exchangers for district heating. For more than twenty-five years SPX has worked closely with customers such as CTR to develop customized, flexible and highly efficient plate heat exchangers for their district heating stations.

The close relationships SPX has formed with Danish Board of District Heating and CTR in product development and field testing has helped to make SPX PHE products the highly durable, highly reliable solutions they are today. Optimisation of gasket shape, gasket material and plate stability means exceptionally low service and maintenance costs across the product range.

SPX PHE solutions cover an extensive range of district heating and HVAC applications with pipework diameters from 25 to 500mm, covering installations from small residential to large power plants.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 32

Powerful Partnerships As well as utilising its own workforce, CTR has also built crucial partnerships with other companies, working together towards some truly ambitious goals. By working closely with its partner companies, CTR is aiming to have a completely carbon neutral heating system for their area by 2025. It’s aiming to do this by focusing on biomass and geothermal based heat. CTR has taken several important steps towards this goal, for instance, in its part ownership of a geothermal plant opened in 2006.

This plant stands as one of CTR’s lasting achievement.

It’s impossible not to be impressed by the demonstration geothermal plant CTR helped reach construction. The plant is built around a 3 kilometre hole into the ground, where water up to 70 degrees Celsius is found. CTR is looking to get involved in further geothermal projects, and is together with the partners investigating the possibility of building a larger plant with 7 dwellings in a star formation.

But this is only one string to CTR’s bow. They are currently looking how to help the municipalities in their strategies for energy supply in the future. Some of them are expanding their heating network and items are whether district heating systems should be further connected, and how the planning climate and energy can be coordinated between companies and municipalities.

“We are working together with the heating deliverers, trying to meet efficiency goals through a variety of techniques.

A crucial part of that is the way we run the whole system so that at any hour of the day we are using the most effective heat production at that time,” Madsen says. “We are also constantly working with our heat production suppliers, negotiating ways to meet any deficiencies in the system.

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We’re able to work this way because we are a publically owned company in a non-liberalised sector - our aim isn’t to create a surplus, and we’re motivated by concerns other than profit. This means that at every moment we are trying to find the best heat production that can be arranged at that moment.”

Because the company is run this way, in many ways their goals are set far higher than other companies.

“We are asked to aim for very ambitious goals by our municipalities,” Madsen says. “This prompts us to try to develop new systems with new technology. If we want to be carbon neutral by 2025 we need to introduce new technology to the system.”

Among the changes the company shall meet the need for new capacity in the future. “We are not a production company so we have to ask ourselves a number of questions about where we should get that extra capacity,” Madsen says.

“This means negotiating new deals with energy providers and analysing what we can draw from new plants in the Copenhagen area, as well as the sorts of fuel and technology we should be investing in.”

Right now their main priority is to limit the consumption of fossil fuels, and CTR is proud to say that here Copenhagen is miles ahead of similar capitals, also thanks to 27 years of good service from CTR’s district heating system.

It’s a system that has proved to be sustainable and effective for densely populated areas, minimising heat loss while using fuels in the most efficient way possible. It’s a model that cities all over the world could stand to learn from.

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Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 34

21-03-2012 09:49:29

Albertslund Municipality www.albertslund.dk +45 43 64 8692 Written by Martin White

INNOVATION IN RENOVATION Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 37

Albertslund Municipality

Albertslund is a suburban municipality of the Danish capital Copenhagen and home to a population of 28,000.

This modern town was a result of the low cost housing boom of the 1960s to accommodate the growing Copenhagen population and became a testing ground for new methods of urban development and town planning.

Such rapid urban development was not without problems leaving behind a legacy of poor quality buildings later causing difficulties for both the energy infrastructure and residents of the community. Endeavour Magazine looks at the way Albertslund has confronted these issues to become Denmark’s first 100% eco-certified municipality and recognised for its work raising awareness about climate change.

Development of the Albertslund concept Albertslund has operated a district heating plant and transmission network since 1963 supplying a small number of existing farmhouses and a modest but growing number of affordable new social houses which proved popular with young families relocating from central Copenhagen. The subsequent growth in population fuelled by demand for low cost housing led to a construction boom which was so significant that the area came to be nicknamed as Denmark’s largest building site. The rapid rate of construction and limited budgets forced compromise both in terms of design and build quality, a fact which is further explained by HansHenrik Høg, Director of Albertslund District Heating: “The rate of development from 1960 through to 1980 left us with a large number of badly designed and built homes.

“These buildings were mostly pre-fabricated and constructed using concrete with poor standards of insulation making them very energy intensive to heat and prone to damp issues because of inadequate ventilation.

“Aside from the problems this began to cause in terms of energy efficiency, we also became concerned about health and welfare of residents in the community.”

Facing the combined challenge of high fossil fuel costs and high demand due to poor energy efficiency further compounded by concerns for standards of living and household energy costs, decisions were taken to simultaneously reduce fuel costs and consumption throughout the supply area: “Since the oil crisis we have significantly increased our investment in energy production from waste incineration and continued to drive down the use of fossil fuels.

“This approach also tackles the important issue of waste management as waste is used resourcefully for energy production rather than being sent for landfill.”

The local waste incineration plant commenced operations in 1977 however production was later moved out of town due to environmental concerns with Albertslund then investing in the waste incineration and recycling company Vestfor alongside several other Copenhagen Municipalities.

The Solar Prism, engineered by Cenergia and other partners of two EUDP supported projects in Denmark, is an enhancement of the “Active House” concept ( www.activehouse.info ) providing a total zero-carbon home renovation solution in one complete installation. The Solar Prism is part of the so-called Solar Solutions concept from the Danish compagnies VELUX and Danfoss and it is designed to be installed into the flat roof of existing homes. It features a complete range of technologies designed to harvest solar energy, optimise energy efficiency and improve indoor climate using natural daylight, ventilation and heat recovery.

The elegant, out of the box building renovation solution incorporates a highly insulated façade developed in cooperation with Rockwool, roof windows from VELUX, a heatpump from Danfoss and both PV and thermal solar technology in keeping with the original building design and is fully customised to individual household needs.

Both for the Solar Prism as well as for housing renovation in general, a new and very efficient heat recovery ventilation solution has been developed. This is the ceiling mounted compact heat recovery ventilation system from Øland / Ecovent which includes building integrated duct work and up to 90% efficient heat recovery whilst providing simultaneous ventilation.

Albertslund Municipality, The Danish Social Housing Fund, Kuben Management, Rubow Architects and the Technological Institute in Denmark have been important partners in the mentioned development work

SUSTAINABILITY IN BUILDING

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Albertslund Municipality

This sustainable approach to waste management marked an important first step in addressing just some of the issues affecting energy supply in the municipality but plans were to extend much further in line with government targets to reduce energy consumption linked with growing demand for renewal of the city: “We set about on a major renovation programme to improve the standard of buildings in our community.

“We have been working very closely with a number of key technology partners to develop a complete package for improvement of each individual building through improved insulation, ventilation and use of sunlight.

“The entire solution is designed as a complete installation with little interference inside the property therefore causing minimal disruption to the residents whilst the renovation is completed.

“The traditional way of approaching this type of renovation is to move people out of their homes sometimes for up to a number of weeks while the work is carried out.

“We wanted to show that there is a better and more effective approach to building renovation.”

The result was a standardised and cost effective solution specifically for the improvement of prefabricated buildings that could be rolled out quickly in large scale whilst dramatically improving the energy efficiency and indoor environment of a wide range of building types. This was to become known as the “Albertslund Concept” and was successfully implemented using a test group of 9 buildings in 2011. The concept also exploits the typical flat roof building design through use of solar power to provide further source of clean energy for each home.

The complete home solution features insulated facades, advanced ventilation and heat recovery system, replacement windows, solar collectors for hot water and photovoltaic

solar cells for electricity together achieving a 70% reduction in energy consumption.

The success of the test project has led to Albertslund achieving the accolade of Nordic Energy Municipality 2011.

This award recognises the municipality that has undertaken the most innovative energy projects supporting energy-related climate efforts in the Nordic countries. In being selected for the award Albertslund was recognised in particular by the Nordic Energy Municipality Committee for its dialogue with citizens and development of strong technical partnerships involved in the project.

The results from the test project are now being used as part of a renovation programme for 550 townhouses in Albertslund South with a further 1000 buildings due for renovation later this year using the same principles.

Energy saving in the community The Danish energy sector features strong regional autonomy for energy supply with local companies often owned by the municipalities or by the consumers themselves as co-operatives being responsible for utility supply including heat and electricity. Revenues are secured from direct billing of customers within the supply area and the supplier is responsible for provision of services on a not for profit basis with surplus revenues paid back to consumers through lower rates. Municipality suppliers are then awarded further subsidies from central government for achieving reductions in total energy consumption against a minimum set target of 2% annually. The Albertslund concept goes further in its efforts to reduce energy consumption by providing consumers with proactive tools and incentives for effective energy management as Hans-Henrik Explains: “As this is a community based business it is in our interest to help our customers save and reduce energy consumption.

“We provide each customer with an individual green

account analysing energy use for the household and the information is used to reach practical solutions to save energy and improve efficiency.

“We have used the green accounts very effectively to reduce energy consumption and to reward our customers who save energy.

“Very simply, customers who save energy are rewarded through lower bills and those who don’t will pay more.”

Albertslund has made these green accounts available to view online allowing customers to check energy usage in real time and compare energy usage with their neighbours through a further green account summarising usage for each housing area.

Hans-Henrik, alongside a specialist team including Project Leader, Niels Hansen who is responsible for the Albertslund Energy Saving Actvities Plan and a key member of the team behind the Albertslund concept also operate a successful citizen involvement programme with a council of users representing each of the 50 housing areas in the district who meet regularly to discuss matters affecting the supply area.

Community feedback is often used to develop strategies and action plans designed to improve services for consumers.

Efficient distribution Albertslund continues to invest in its district heating infrastructure as a means of enhancing efficiency by further improving the distribution system. The current challenge is to reduce the amount of energy lost as heat to the atmosphere during transmission, currently around 20% from source to end user. Reduction in this level of loss is achieved through converting the system to operate at lower temperature which reduces the cost of heat production, an even more important factor considering a significant amount of municipal budget is spent on procurement of heat for the network. Albertslund

is also embarking on a series of projects to upgrade large sections of pipeline within the network and improve pipeline insulation therefore also reducing loss of water temperature during transmission. Hans-Henrik explains: “One of the key challenges in managing any district heating network is keeping heat loss to a minimum. By reducing temperature of the system and by ensuring the pipeline is well-insulated water temperature can be maintained much more effectively. We are making a series of renovations to the network over the coming year designed to improve heat retention during transmission.

“Heat production comes at a price and with such a large network covering 97% of homes in the district we must ensure that distribution to the customer is as efficient as it can be.”

Setting the standard Albertslund continues to set about making systematic improvements across all areas of energy use from responsible heat production for the district heating system and investment in the transmission network to efficiently provide hot water for the entire community. Most impressively the Albertslund concept provides an example to the rest of the world as to how a standardised and cost effective approach to demandside management can be implemented on a large scale whilst also ensuring minimal disruption to residents. Renovation of existing buildings can provide one of the most effective ways of improving energy efficiency by application of modern technology to even the most inefficient of building designs therefore significantly reducing demand. Clearly lessons learned from the past can provide opportunities for the future - there can be little doubt that the Albertslund concept sets a clear standard for how such projects should be approached throughout Europe.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 41

Nu Metro www.numetro.co.za +27 11 280 3106 Written by Ben Walker

HOLLYWOOD STUMBLES BUT NU METRO WINS SAVVY SOUTH AFRICAN CINEMA FANS Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 43

Nu Metro

In a tough market leading South African sector player Nu Metro Cinemas is retaining its share with inventive twists in the marketing plot and giving audiences the perfect cinema experience, General Manager Danie van der Werwe tells Ben Walker.

“I’ve spent several years in Hollywood,” said writer Wilson Mizner, “and I still think the movie heroes are in the audience.”

His heroes are not what they were. Last year Hollywood audiences dropped to a sixteen year low, a trend partially cushioned by Nu Metro Cinemas in South Africa with high profiled movies and an imaginative package of audiencefocused exclusive events and offers.

‘The Twilight Saga; Breaking Dawn’ (negative reviews; $702 million worldwide sales) was a serial sell-out, with

‘Hangover Part II’, and ‘Fast and Furious Five’ other major hits, says Danie van der Merwe, General Manager of South Africa’s second largest cinema operator, Nu Metro.

“Our audiences are very sophisticated and know what they want.” And with twenty-two sites and six of the country’s top ten cinema screens, Nu Metro is concentrating on developing the premium side of its cinema division.

Acknowledging the Hollywood Big Dip, van der Merwe recognises the industry’s shared trans-Atlantic and global challenges. “The South African cinema market is saturated Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 45

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ABI PARTNERS WITH NU METRO FOR GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE As the soft drinks division of South African Breweries, Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI) aims to be the premier customer and market development organisation in South Africa. As such, their long-standing partnership with Nu Metro is one in which business decisions are made collaboratively, resulting in a focused approach to reach mutual objectives.

As with all its customers, ABI’s partnership with Nu Metro has at its core, assisting their customers to provide a great experience for their customers – after all, what would movies be without the popcorn and the Coke?

It’s all about Customer Service Recently, ABI’s focus has been on replacing the old fountain and vending equipment with the latest technology. This involved conducting a demand analysis during Nu Metro’s busiest period to assess each cinema’s requirements.

ABI then fitted standardised equipment so that Nu Metro’s service counter staff would only need to understand how one machine works, enabling them to focus on their customers.

Training for all Nu Metro service counter staff, including their managers, has been implemented and will continue on an on-going

basis. The new technology also features early warning systems that advise the operators of any potential problems in advance so that ABI can react quickly and ensure that the flow of Coca-Cola is never interrupted.

Quality is key The new machines are highly advanced.

Upgraded water filtration systems and water lines mean that the supply of clean water is constant and that it complies with the stringent Coca-Cola Quality Standards. After installing all the new machinery, ABI has undertaken to conduct random quality checks on the soft drinks dispensed so that they can ensure that it is always up to standard.

Sustainable Development is core to ABI’s business All the new systems that have been installed at Nu Metro cinemas are fitted with Energy Management Systems (EMS) that ensure that Nu Metro now uses less energy to provide customers with their ice-cold Coca-Cola: sustainable development is core to ABI’s operations.

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“We have probably the cheapest ticket pricing in the world - typically R35 - and a lot of discounting schemes. Even so the market is not growing; in fact it is now over-screened, and the roll out of digital and the costs involved will probably see a couple of the older cinemas closing doors.” Danie van der Werwe ,General Manager

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+27 83 252 6789 Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 48

and very stagnant. We have twenty six million moviegoers and this has been the case for the past ten years, moving upwards only slightly with the advent of 3D. The cinema industry is an unrelentingly tough market place. Consumer alternatives and sophisticated and cheap stay-at-home technology are making it so. ”It’s not any one thing, it’s a little bit of everything,” says Jeff Goldstein, general sales manager at Warner Bros, explains: “Consumers are being more specific with their choices on how to spend their money.

The options are a little greater than they were a few years ago with gaming and social-networking opportunities.”

Van der Merwe agrees. “The advent of all the new forms of entertainment, the ease of accessing content over the internet, and movies on demand from television channels are all impacting on the

Nu Metro

whole movie going experience. No question.”

Launched in the early nineties as a small cinematic distribution company Nu Metro grew fast. Starting with the acquisition of home entertainment and theatrical distribution licenses in South Africa, it began to expand rapidly within the wider entertainment industry.

By the late nineties it was identified with the lion’s share of home entertainment within South Africa, representing giants such as 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers and Walt Disney, and by 2002 Paramount and the BBC. Currently the Home Entertainment division – Cinemas, and Film

Distribution are the other two Nu Metro operational arms represents Paramount, DreamWorks, Universal, Sony, Warner Brothers and the BBC as well as numerous independent film makers and studios.

Nu Metro Home Entertainment is the South African market leader in DVD and Blu-Ray, distributing DVDs into major retail outlets and rental video stores as well as interactive console and PC-based games. But sales have been impacted by the recession and drop in disposable incomes.

Over on the Big Screen 3D is driving incremental business and attendances. It’s new and interesting and consumers are responding to the format, and for the moment it seems to be rejuvenating the cinema business in South Africa and across the world. And with full digitalisation at forty-four of its screens across South Africa, Nu Metro is running fast with the shiny new ball.

But might it

all be a passing fashion?

According to reports from international sources, 3D is a fad and a fading one, with the number of films falling from forty-seven in 2011 to thirty-three this year.

It’s a view backed-up by Enders Analysis whose research reveals 3D took a lower share of box office receipts in 2011, hit by the success of foreign content and the rise of 2D in 3D dual release box office receipts. “The period of experimentation is over. The reality has set in and the momentum has gone,” says Enders, an entertainment research service with a special focus on new technologies.

Danie van der Merwe disagrees. “I don’t think it’s a fad.

It’s here to stay and I think there will always be 3D content coming through, especially for action sci-fi blockbusters, with thirty to forty films coming through being the norm.

And this will attract people to immerse themselves in the 3D experience. The traditional romantic comedy doesn’t require this and will still be found on the 2D format.

“So I think there will always be this

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Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 51

Nu Metro

mix and I don’t see 3D taking over any time soon. However the studios will realise they must provide good quality 3D and not just conversions. The public knows the difference, it will not pay to see bad quality 3D, and so the word would go out. And yes, content is still king.”

And for Nu Metro a dual crown - content and customer focus. “When you come to one of our complexes you will have a great experience, starting with service levels from the moment you walk through the door, ease of purchasing tickets right through to the confectionary offering. And once inside the cinema - all that digital brings, great sound and quality 3D. “At Nu Metro we deliver a great service and experience.

We are very focussed on being the best in the market place, very customer-centric and alert to the wants and interests of cinemagoers in a particular market. We have quality partners and a great staff ethos and culture - over eight hundred professionally qualified employees from cinema floor to manufacturing and warehousing, all enthusiastic and working as a team.”

Looking five years ahead, van der Merwe sees a reduction in the number of movie complexes. “But the cinema will still be the core, very much alive and kicking - and in the new theatres and complexes going from strength to strength.

“Avid cinemagoers want to see and experience the movie in the big format, with the sound, their friends around them, and experiencing a true entertainment evening. And with Nu Metro they will find it all.”

SECRET CUSTOMER As a respite from the usual daring and dangerous missions Endeavour Magazine send me on, it was a pleasure to discover they were sending me to my local Nu Metro Cinema at the Westville Pavilion to do nothing more dramatic and dangerous than taking my family out to watch a movie. The film selected - John Carter 3D. Having experienced cinematic excursions in the past, with cinema chains around the world, I have to admit that Nu Metro Cinemas has a class of its own, which is apparent in the little details.

Firstly the experience begins not in the cinema at all but outside in the foyer where you walk into the spacious area, looking at the marvellous posters for the films and the plush carpets leading into the cinemas. The design of the dĂŠcor surrounding the cinema, adds to the effect of this being somewhere different, a place where adventures are had.

There are a few things that I am a stickler for, cleanliness is one of them. I judge places very quickly on how clean they are, if there is chrome it needs to be polished to a mirrored shine, if there is a carpet it must not be frayed, if there is overhead music it must be clear and Nu Metro

Cinemas impressed me with all of these. It was almost as if someone had gone over the entire complex before I had even arrived to polish and clean and remove any dust.

While I got the tickets there was an area for my kids to disappear to for a little bit so I could do the grown up stuff.

I was served by a polite and cheerful attendant behind the counter who greeted me first with an enthusiastic smile, she sorted out my tickets, helped me select the best seat - asking questions like did I have kids and would I like extra leg room (the difference between being on the aisle or in the middle) and before I knew it I had all my tickets, plus enough flavoured popcorn and coke to feed a small army.

While my kids dragged me through the corridor leading into the main complex, and to our seats, I found them immensely comfortable and spacious with leg room for me to stretch out if necessary. Good music played over the speakers until the film started (exactly on time) and the film began.

Brilliant. Simply Brilliant.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 53

Adcan Marine Suppies demetre@adcan.co.za +27 39 976 1321 Written by Chris Farnell

FAMILY VALUES

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 55

Adcan Marine Suppies

Adcan Marine Supplies is run by a family who has taken their passion for fishing and turned it into a quality wholesale business. We asked them how they did it, and how being a family formed the way they do business.

As with lots of family owned companies they too have their names in the name. Each letter in the name, ADCAN, stands for someone in the family, A-Alexandros (DAD), D-Demetrios (SON), C-Cynthia (MOM), A-Arthur (SON), and N-Nadine (SISTER(late)). Since it was founded 36 years ago it has grown with the family. Today the company, a wholesale distributor of a broad range of both bait and seafood to both the retail and restaurant markets, has two branches and its own fleet of twelve refrigerated vehicles covering an area of the South African coast including KwaZulu-Natal and Port St John. And this was all started by one man selling bait out of the back of his car. Company director Demetrios Stamatis explains.

A Long Way From The Boot of A Car “The company started in 1976,” he tells us. “Dad was a commercial fisherman and battled to find a good source of bait in Kwazulu Natal, so he went in search of a bait supplier further afield, and eventually ended up becoming an agent for Sneakiest Sardines. He then started the distribution out of his own car to bait customers up and down the coast of Kwazulu Natal. He grew the business from one freezer and his personal car till 1988 when he moved to new freezer premises, because he’d outgrown his old facility; he started to acquire a fleet of refrigerated vehicles, and this is where we’ve been based since then.”

The company’s origins as a small, family run business have made a big impact on the way that it works.

“I think being in a family business makes it easier to make decisions on what to buy and when to buy. We have been able to keep the business in line with our passion and values. Being passionate about the business has helped us strive to keep the business going on the right track through all life’s difficulties. We have strived to retain the family ways in the business, having staff members form bonds to the business. The organisation of the company is a real family effort, with everyone pitching in and everybody having something to offer. More than that, it’s a realisation of the family’s dreams.” Demetrios says.

“It’s a family business with mum, dad and two sons,” Demetrios says simply. “It has been mum and dad’s dream to put it all together. With dad being the entrepreneur and mum managing the finances and making sure that all the paperwork and payments are completed properly, they’ve shared out the responsibilities and made a really great team.

And now, my brother and I have been brought in to grow the business and help manage it.”

An Extended Family “We’ve got staff who have been in the business since its inception, and they have grown up and overcome personal problems while working for us. We really bring them into the company, offering them opportunities to take up shares in new related business adventures.

Of course, with the advantages that come from having a family business there also come a number of responsibilities, and Adcan is extremely careful about who it invites to join that family.

“When you have worked with staff members for years, you get a bit of a feel for them,” Demetrios admits. “So eventually you’re able to try out new people and find the

people who best fit into the family. That’s key, if they don’t fit into the family they’re not going to fit into the business.”

Overcoming Challenges However, it hasn’t always been an easy rise. The financial crisis has affected virtually every market adversely, and the seafood market is no exception. However, despite this, Adcan Production AndPRODUCT Distribution LISTOf Value-Added has been able to grow consistently throughout the last year.

Seafoods To Local Wholesale And Retail Markets “The biggest challenges we’ve faced has been making sure MOLLUSCS CRAB we have the correct licensing in place,” Demetrios explains.

King Crab Claws Mussels - 1/2 Shell (Chilean, Chinese, King Crab Legs New Zealand) “In the seafood business there are a number of areas that Soft Shell Crab Mussel Meat you need licenses for. It is a small hurdle, but it can be the Snow (Opilio) Crab Clusters Clams - Whole Scallop - 1/2 Shell (roe on) most difficult to accomplish because there is a lot of red Scallop - Meat (roe on) tape and you can constantly need to be checking where the boundaries are. However, we have now been able to bring SURIMI HAKE in a third party that makes it their business to cut down on Crab Salad Cut Fish Caked red tape. So they’ve done a great job of helping us attain the Crabsticks Fish Fingers Fish Portions (crumbed) licenses and permits we need.”

Haddock Fillets (smoked hake) Now Adcan Marine Supplies is looking to the future, and Hake Fillets, H&G, Bellies and Loins Hake Roe it’s planning to build on its previous successes.

“There’s always room for improvement in the costing of HERRINGS KINGKLIP our stock and our expenses,” Demetrios says philosophically.

Kingklip - Baby dressed Herring - Bismarck “We’re currently looking at new markets that are seeing growth Kingklip - Fillets Herring – Flaps (Norwegian) Kingklip - Headed & Gutted Herring - Kippered right now, but which we haven’t moved into yet, so I think we’re Kingklip - Portions Herring - Rollmops Cephalopods, Crustacea, Molluscs and a wide going to be looking at expanding in the near future.”

Herring - Salted It looks like Adcan Marine Supplies is just going to keep variety of Fin Fish including Herring, Mackerel, LINE FISH LOBSTERS growing. They’ve come this far because they’ve stuck close Salmon and LobsterSoles - Whole Raw Croaker to the family values they started out with. If they go on as Lobster - Tails Kabeljou – Portions Lobster - Whole Cooked Rock Cod www.oceana.co.za/divisions/bat they started, they’ve got a bright future ahead of them.

Sweetlip Trevally – Portions Yellowtail

FRESHWATER FISH

LONGLINE FISH

Bassa (Pangassius) - Fillets Tilapia - Whole

Angelfish - Black Angelfish - Grey Blue Shark Dorado Gastoro Moonfish Oil fish - Rough Skin Oil fish - Smooth Skin Sailfish Spanish Mackerel Sukiyama Swordfish

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 57

Continental Coal www.conticoal.com +27 11 881 1420 Written by Don Campbell

DIGGING DEEP TO GET AHEAD Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 59

Continental Coal

Coal has a long history in South Africa. It has provided fuel for homes, warmth for families and energy for businesses. The mining of coal provides jobs for thousands of South Africans and produces the country billions in revenue every year.

As technology has changed the competition in this industry has increased exponentially and companies have had to expand and diversify to ensure their place in the future.

Continental Coal Limited is a South African thermal coal producer with a portfolio of producing and advanced coal projects located in the area’s major coal fields. Currently operating two mines, Vlakvarkfontein and Ferreira and producing thermal coal for the export and domestic markets, the Penumbra Coal Project their latest endeavour and is what Daemon Sands is having a look at.

There is a list of activities that enhance Continental Coal’s offering and increases the gap between them and other companies in this industry such as a high quality portfolio of advanced development/pre-production mines and a fantastic location in one of the world’s largest and most developed coal mining regions. Also, the surface infrastructure in their region is well established with solid rail, road, port and power availability to support their conventional open cast and underground mines.

Fundamental principles in this industry are a rare thing especially in South Africa’s bullish coal market but operating with a strong financial platform and robust operating margins, maintaining a close relationship with EDF Trading to review future opportunities has given them an exceptionally good outlook for the future where there are consolidation opportunities in SA, growth potential in Mozambique and other Southern African Countries.

PENUMBRA Penumbra is the next big development for Continental Coal, an underground mine development it has taken the mobilisation of all key contractors to the development site and the commencement of civil works. The shaft portal excavation, terracing and pollution control measures commenced on 7 September 2011.

Activities at the Penumbra Coal Project site have increased significantly since 2011 as excavation of the boxcut, major civil works and environmental and pollution control measures proceed. The level of production from the Penumbra Coal Project is forecast to achieve a targeted rate of 750,000tpa run-of-mine a mere six months after first coal in the third quarter of 2012.

The Penumbra Coal Project has been developed at a capital cost of ZAR320m (approx. A$40m). The major of the capital expenditure will be incurred on development and infrastructure of the underground mine. There is no major additional capital expenditure associated with the coal wash plant, as the run-of-mine coal produced at the Penumbra Coal Project will be beneficiated through the existing processing operations which are currently processing production from the Ferreira Coal Mine.

In September, the box-cut, which serves as the first step in the excavation of most mining areas consisting of a single rectangular cut made in the surface of the earth, forming a box shape.

In basic surface mining, workers start by using the drill and blast methodology to create a box cut at the shaft site. The earth and rocks removed from this cut were used to create the terrace on the site for the surface infrastructure. This was promptly followed by the sinking off the two decline shafts, which have been positioned in order to access good quality coal with as little on-seam development as possible.

“Excavation of the box-cut into un-weathered and competent bedrock and mining of twin declines at a 1:7 inclination from the high-wall will proceed down to the C-Lower coal seam.

The declines will be approximately 390m long, one equipped with a conveyor and the second serving as a trackless equipment travelling route.

The declines will also serve as the primary ventilation intakes of the mine. Two mechanised

coal production sections are planned, each with a continuous miner, both sections equipped with two shuttle cars each.” – Detail from conticoal.com Companies with reputations as strong and as respected as Continental Coal always provide the benchmark standards for their industries and credit can be passed down-the-chain to the businesses involved in the providing the services, materials and equipment to various projects.

Especially today, the mining industry is a highly competitive industry and new opportunities need to be capitalized and worked upon as soon as possible to ensure the longevity and strength of a corporation. This has a knock on effect throughout the business, affecting not only the company but the employees. As mines age they require fewer staff so expansive projects such as Penumbra become essential.

Continental Coal’s community involvement and social responsibility commitment is aimed at encouraging economic development in the areas in which it operates.

This approach allows and encourages local people to work together to achieve sustainable economic growth and development. Continental Coal is thus promoting economic benefits and improved quality of life for all residents in the municipalities where it’s operations are situated. Continental Coal aim to assist local government and community structures to implement their own development priorities and realise new economic opportunities through the profit gained at our mining operations.

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Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 61

eThekweni Municipality www.eThekwini.gov.za +27 31 311 4801 Written by Jack Slater

LOOKING AFTER “SOUTH AFRICA’S PLAYGROUND” Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 63

eThekweni Municipality

Every country has its gem and eThekwini Durban is South Africa’s, a vibrant crossroads of culture, peoples and tourism all bubbling beneath a subtropical African sun. Thanks to the busy natural harbour, beautiful white sandy beaches and high reliable surf the city has attracted tourists and businesses alike, developing a fast-paced-fun-based culture that is discernible in both.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 64

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One of two major ports in South Africa and starting life as a harbour the corporate bubble of the city has expanded from that point and developed around it, with many opportunities for businesses to become involved and so much of the city’s industry is focussed around manufacturing, logistics and freight. This is juxtaposed with a strong retail, hospitality and commercial sector to draw in the tourists and the fun loving citizens.

The people of EThekweni, (Zulu from itheku meaning ‘bay / lagoon’) Durban are easy to spot. Active and busy, always on the look-out for a new adventure, a new activity and more fun, Durbanites work hard and play hard and in response to this the beach front promenade has been developed thoroughly to accommodate not only for the million visitors a year to the city but the people who have chosen to make it their home. Featuring attractions like uShaka Marine World with its world famous underwater restaurant, the Mandela Stadium and the flea market. With a population of 3.5 million people comprised of a diverse blend of nationalities, cultures and religions the city’s management has endeavoured to accommodate for everyone and the result is a playful paradise.

Naturally hilly with gorges and set in a sub-tropical belt the city and the surrounding suburbs nestle within nature and rely on a precarious balance. The trees rise in explosions of luscious green in the middle of the business district, purple and pink jacarandas, palms and pines thrive in the humidity playing home to millions of birds, pigeons, yellow-

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Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 66

billed kites, indian-mynas and of course the Hadeda Ibis or har-dee-dar bird with the call that everyone recognizes instantly.

In additional EThekwini hosts Mr. Price Pro (www. mrpricepro.com), the international surfing competition which is held in the middle of July, the country’s winter season, it hosted the African World Cup in 2010 and supports all the major South African sports with a vigour (especially the Natal Sharks Rugby Team) and despite its youth as a city (founded in 1824) it boasts a history full of architectural wonders and hidden treasures to match much older cities from around the world.

What about the business?

Business in EThekwini Durban flourishes thanks to the “best managed port in Africa,”, the high levels of education that South Africa offers and the opportunities that the government provides to previously disadvantaged communities. As South Africa’s third largest city (next to Cape Town and Johannesburg) and the largest in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal the infrastructure of the city is a priority and the roads and rail transport are highly developed and maintained. The security of the various businesses has been strongly addressed with the direct result being the highest level of trained guards and attendants in the country.

The City Manager Sibusiswe Sithole who was unanimously selected for the role in December 2011, has no little task in safeguarding the city’s various operations and developments, but has paid keen attention to the businesses and the communities of the city by looking after the small but important details. His approach and his passion for progress and results was clear from the start: “Firstly I will need to assemble a team that will complement my weaknesses and strengths. And I don’t want people who will not challenge me. When I am saying something that is not really right I need a person who will tell me that I am wrong,” – Sibusisiwe Sithole. December 2011.

Over the years, Durban has had to change fundamentally in order to accommodate and assimilate itself within the context of the new South Africa and continue providing services to all of the city’s residents.

The City spends billions of Rands yearly in providing vital services for its residents, and investing in its MIIF (Municipal Infrastructure Investment Framework). Its functions, service delivery and growth are not possible without effective revenue collection and expenditure, excellent financial management and reporting and viable and sustainable budgeting.

The City’s service delivery sectors are divided into administrative clusters, each with their own focused and clear roles and responsibilities. They provide organisational support, services and infrastructure to residents across eThekwini and each is responsible for its own planning and budget in accordance with the city’s overall plan.

“By 2020, eThekwini Municipality will enjoy the reputation of being Africa’s most caring and liveable city, where all citizens live in harmony.” – Durban.gov.za To realise this vision, there are basic elements that the citizens, the business community and visitors must enjoy first. Things like, ease of movement in the Municipality, a safe environment in all parts of the municipal area, access

eThekweni Municipality

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DONNIE RUST’S DURBAN Sand. Sea. Sunburns.

While I have travelled the world since leaving the humid, vibrant bosom of my home city, I spent two decades of my life in Durban and the city is largely responsible for my enviable outlook on life and my general go-getter attitude. J Let’s break it down. A city’s spirit is made up of three key ingredients: the people, the activities and the amount of time you can spend in a bathing suit.

If you doubt the validity of this, spend some time in London where the sun can’t be seen through the clouds of insane pigeons and the only smiles you see on people’s faces is when one of them fly into Big Ben. In Durban I spent so much time in the ocean riding waves on my surf board or snorkelling and became accustomed to the taste of the sea in my mouth that I used salt on my Pronutro (a mainstay in any South African child’s breakfast regime) instead of sugar. Girls wore bikinis, sunglasses and sunscreen and there was so much to do that I simply couldn’t fit it all into twenty years.

At every available corner the sub-tropical vegetation is practically frothing to get out. Around the highways, around the suburbs, even in the middle

of the city where executives in suits are going about their business you have lines of giant trees. The smell of the ocean is thick in the air and it’s never quiet, along the miles and miles of promenade rickshaws are being dragged along by fleet footed Zulus with the most extraordinary headgear, music is playing at every turn and those curious nick-knacks that are so sought after in other parts of the world are available.

During the summer the sunshine and humidity steam cooks everything and in the evening the skies blacken and the clouds drop their payload in brief but absolutely drenching rain showers while everyone sits inside in their underwear sweating.

Food… oh the food, I’ve never eaten like I have there. Nothing else in the whole world tastes as good as it does in SA. You haven’t eaten meat until it comes off a flaming braai until it’s handed it to you on a plate with a fresh potato salad with everything smothered in monkey-gland-sauce.

South Africa is the best place to have grown up in and Durban is my number one choice. There is so much to offer and always something else to do which is why Durbanites are always looking for the next thing to do.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 69

EWEA www.ewea.org 16 - 19 April 2012 Bella Center Copenhagen, Denmark

GENERATING CHANGE

by Daemon Sands Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 71

EWEA

On September 1982, a handful of European manufacturers of agricultural machinery flew to California to assess the market for wind energy. A month later they returned with enough orders to begin serious production of wind turbines. Within that year, 2530 turbines had been shipped and installed. The following year over 350 wind turbines, with a total capacity of 20 MW, were exported. The “California wind rush” had begun and the modern wind energy industry was born.

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) was formally launched in Stockholm. EWEA was an initiative to bring together a large body of experts working in this industry through Europe, to combine ideas and pave a solid future.

This is an industrial success story: In 2007, EWEA turned 25. To celebrate and commemorate this achievement a new strapline was adopted, “25 years – powering change”.

No doubt it’s an appropriate line, one that directly reflects their association and the industry’s past achievements and future goals.

Wind turbine generators have grown from 55 kW in 1982 to 5,000 kW today, rotor diameters from 15 metres to 126 metres and global installed capacity is now 194,000 MW compared to 100 MW in 1980. In Europe alone the wind energy’s share of power supply has increased from 0.001% to 4%, and associated manufacturers continue to dominate

the rapidly growing global market.

Indeed, wind power is one of the biggest European industrial success stories in the past quarter of a century.

In 1982, EWEA took on the challenge of promoting wind energy to become the driving force behind the development of a sustainable energy supply. The road to this achievement has been long, requiring a great deal of research and development and a strong, focussed passion for success.

During the association’s adolescence many of the cornerstones that have shaped the way we look at the industry today had not yet been realized, and it seemed that they had more words than they had megawatts. But progress, even when slow, is still progress and today things are different - today the megawatts are there. In 2010, renewable energy accounted for 41% of all electricity generating capacity installed in the EU, 17% of that was wind power. New EU-wide legislation had set a target of sourcing 20% of all energy from renewable sources by 2020 and in the electricity sector, 34% of all

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 73

EWEA

consumption will be met by renewables by that same year.

Wind power will account for 15% to 18% of all electricity consumption by 2020. (Figures garnered from EWEA website www.ewea.org) Key decisions have to be taken and these will have a tremendous impact on the future of EWEA and the future of energy in the EU and inevitably the world. EWEA wants wind to be the leading technology in transforming the global energy supply structure towards a truly sustainable future, based on unlimited, clean and competitive renewable technologies.

Our previous century was marked by a fight for the control of a depleting fuel resource, where the people of

the countries involved often suffered for it. This century’s fight will see the countries and regions following strategies of development, deployment and exportation of renewable technologies to a world that will soon be unable to continue without it.

Location for the base of operations is as important as the location for the setup of wind farms, and as the voice of the wind industry, EWEA is ideally situated in Brussels within close proximity to the key European decision makers. As the voice of the wind industry, it is their role to actively promote the use of wind power globally and to ensure that they are within the limelight.

Now benefitting from over 700 members from almost 60

countries including manufacturers with a leading share of the world wind power market, component suppliers, research institutes, national wind and renewables associations, developers, electricity providers, financers, insurers and consultants. This network is responsible for the strength of EWEA. The lobbying activities undertaken by EWEA create a suitable legal framework within which members can successfully develop their own businesses, as in any industry the future relies on new ideas coming from young companies that thrive due to the fertile groundwork put in place by the powerful giants already established.

To ensure transparency, EWEA voluntarily registered

itself to the European Commission directory of interest representatives, thereby subscribing to the European Commission Code of Conduct.

All in all EWEA is the driving force of this industry, a catalyst between the great companies that are directing how the future of energy is generated, not only for Europe but the world.

EWEA is a founder member of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) which groups the eight key renewable industry and research associations under one umbrella organisation. EWEA is also a member of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 75

JRA: KEEPING THE HEART BEATING

by Jack Slater Any South African will tell you that driving on the roads in South Africa in the late twentieth century was akin to finding yourself in a spaghetti western movie, however instead of a calmly grinning John Wayne, you would have Charlie Sheen in a Stetson with a loaded pistol. In a culture as ever changing as South Africa during the late 90s there was a general upheaval of duties and responsibilities, a priority scale of addressing issues, an increase of vandalism and on road-taxi violence coupled with a fall out of government control.

Like arteries leading into and out of a heart the roads of any city serve everyone there. Without them all the activities of South Africa’s economic hub would be brought to a grinding halt, so when the Johannesburg Roads Agency was formed on January 1st 2001, it was as a result from a screaming need.

With the City of Johannesburg as the sole shareholder,

the company is able to focus entirely inwardly, looking after their own network twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. At their core they control the entire development chain from planning and design, to construction and operation.

They are also responsible for the control, rehabilitation and maintenance of the roads and are the people citizens call when something goes wrong. This includes things like storm water infrastructure, sewers and pothole repair.

When you drive through Johannesburg, the bridges, culverts, traffic signals and signs, the footpaths and the road markings are all projects developed and actioned

by JRA. The fences and barriers on the roads, the rail protectors, the underpasses and overpasses - ever ything that is needed to keep traffic moving and people safe is controlled by the JRA. This is reflected in the company’s vision, “To provide a sound transit infrastructure management system in support of

enhanced mobility”. In essence, the JRA regards itself as the ultimate catalyst that makes other services and opportunities in the City achievable, whether it is water, electricity, waste, schooling, health, employment, or recreation. However, the provision of transport infrastructure cannot be seen as an end in itself but rather the means to a better quality of life for all.

Don’t think for a moment that the company is plugging a hole in the wall (as in reacting to problems), they have an aggressively targeted approach to not only maintaining but improving the state of roads and road safety. Illustrated easily by one of their current projects to upgrade the road network traffic lights with solar panels to ensure the lights are able to function independently on electric shut offs (which are currently causing much trouble across South Africa.)

“The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) is currently implementing the “Total Energy Solutions Project” for traffic signals (robots). The back-up solution in times of power

outages is to have all traffic signals powered by alternative energy subsequently saving 56373 Mw/h on energy consumption. The solutions will include use of renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power and alternative energy sources such as fuel cells and UPS uninterruptible power supply batteries”, Sipho Nhlapo, Operations Manager.

Road Safety & Management Support, JRA x 5091 As part of a growing trend in South Africa of companies having the opportunity to grow and diversify at great speeds due thanks to increasing demands for specific services, JRA continues to supply top services and intelligent solutions to a number of projects across the board. While every effective project has a comparatively small effect on the whole, they add up quickly to offer a brighter and more stable future for upcoming generations.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 77

Umso Construction 25 Ray Craid Crescent, Beacon Bay, East London 5241 Postal address: PO Box 2394, Beacon Bay 5205 Telephone: +27 (0)43 748 4747 Fax: +27 (0)43 748 4677 Email: info@umso.co.za | Website: www.umso.co.za

15 YEARS OF SETTING TRENDS WITHIN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 79

Umso Construction

YEARS OF EXCELLENCE Umso Construction ushers in a remarkable milestone fueled by passion, determination and world class services.

Umso Construction (Umso) specialises in general Civil Engineering services, including but not limited to, roadworks, water and sewer reticulation, concrete structures, bridges and box culverts. Founded in 1996 as a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) company, in 2004 Umso transformed into a prominent Historically Disadvantaged Company (HDC).

With its head office based in East London within the Eastern Cape Province, the company, through successive execution of quality work, has expanded its client base throughout the entire country. Umso’s regional offices throughout the country are within the following regions: Eastern Cape, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng Provinces, Umso’s client base includes both the public and private sector culminating in projects such as Gautrain, Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, Coega Development Corporation IDZ, including the Multi- Purpose Pipeline (Durban to Johannesburg).

With such breadth of achievement by a growing company, a natural question arises - how is this achieved? Quite simply, Umso invests in its people and service delivery.

“Umso is a construction company that marries profitably and commercial pursuits seamlessly with community development and the betterment of residents it serves.”

Investing in what works Boasting over 160 units of various construction and workshop equipment, its workshop is comprehensively equipped with all the required tools and equipment. The standard set by the workshop operations has made it possible for Umso to be one of the few companies accredited

by Mercedes-Benz as a fully fledged service centre. This

accreditation lends to many benefits amongst them is reduced on-site downtime due to a breakdown or scheduled service. The magnitude and size of projects Umso takes on dictates its investment in new equipment. Furthermore, the ever increasing size of its fleet is congruent with the increasing requirement for more competent technicians and support staff. As a result Umso has an internal training programme and its workshop registered with the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (MERSETA) as an approved training facility. From this programme annually a pool of qualified technicians is produced that enables the company to meet its human resources requirements, yet more importantly, allows Umso to provide deserving underprivileged individuals with a valuable skill. Showing that Umso cares not only for its staff, but for the communities it serves.

Caring for the community Umso understands the reality and conditions suffered by the vast majority of residents in the communities it serves.

Hence it has undertaken to make a difference by committing to pursue a wide range of corporate social investments (CSI) initiatives. These CSIs take the form of school educational programmes, orphanages and retirement homes, community sports, child-headed home support programmes, family nutrition programmes and community awareness programmes. The company’s participation is often triggered and driven by similarities of its experiences as members of these communities that are so diverse in fortunes. This participation has been entrenched in Umso’s organisational culture and continues to be our way of life.

Leading by example Good companies become great through dynamic

leadership, something Umso is not short on. Umso’s management and key staff consists of approximately 200 employees, supplemented by another 500 permanent staff and about 1200 project-based individuals. This workforce is lead by a competent management team comprising adept professionals that oversees core functions of the business at operations and divisional levels. Their duties include dayto-day operational activities ranging from project delivery schedules to client liaison. They are supported by teams of managers, engineers, foremen and construction supervisors whose contribution is central to the company’s capacity to deliver services.

STATISTICS/ DEMOGRAPHICS/ HISTORY Year founded: 1996 Employees: ±1 000 Branches: Six Memberships: SAFBEC Current customer base: Municipalities (Metro, District and Local), Department of Roads & Public Works, organs of state entities (Transnet, SANRAL, infrastructure agencies such as IDZs), private sector NATURE OF BUSINESS Activity: Civil Engineering and Construction Products/services offered: Engineering and Construction services: roadworks, road expansion, haulage, stockpiling, concrete water retaining structures, pre-cast concrete water reservoirs, pressed steel water reservoirs, water purification and water reticulation CONTRACTS & AWARDS Environmental health & safety standards: Committed to ensuring the highest Safety, Health and Environmental Standards (SHE) Major Contracts: Construction of Ring Road (Phase 1&2) and

Dedisa Road, in Coega IDZ, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape (R83.4 6-million), Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project Package E - 10% JV participation, Johannesburg, Gauteng (R2.08-billion), Olifants River Bridge & Road near Penge – Sekhukhune, Limpopo (R46.7-million).

Awards: 2009 FEM Award of Excellence – 2nd Place TRAINING & CSI Training programmes: Committed to the transfer of skills through on-thejob-training, mentorship and constructive feedback Employee incentive schemes: Developing and training employees at all levels so they can reach their full potential, with a particular focus on those who were previously disadvantaged Empowerment initiatives: Participation in community development projects where local sub-contractors are given preference and are invited and assisted to price all subcontracts and promote enterprise development CSI initiatives: Supports school educational programmes, orphanages and old-age homes, community sports programmes, child-headed homes support programmes, family nutrition programmes and community awareness programmes EMPOWERMENT STATUS Black Empowerment Level: Shareholding: >50.1% Executive directors: >50.1% Non-executive directors: 25.1%-50% Total staff: 5%-25% Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 81

Altech UEC www.uec.co.za +27 31 408 2759 Written by Chris Farnell

VANGUARD OF A DIGITAL ERA Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 85

Altech UEC

When you think of South Africa, a thriving electronics industry may not be the first thing that jumps to mind. Yet with the expansion of companies such as Altech UEC that could soon be set to change. This is not accidental. Heavy investment in the electronics manufacturing industry is among the many strategies South Africa is employing to climb out of the economic slump of the last few years and boost job creation.

Altech UEC’s Manufacturing Director, Jannie Viljoen, explains.

“With the advent of the switch to digital terrestrial television (DTT), South Africa is expecting massive growth within the digital and electronics manufacturing sector. Our government is pushing for job creation, so while staying compliant with World Trade Organisation regulations, they’re putting some import barriers in place that will allow local businesses to compete favourably with imports from

their own products, but provides a valuable resource that they can offer to other businesses.

“The economic spin-offs are destined to be huge - from technical support to retailing - while the increased demand for broadcast content, especially regional-based programming, will create more jobs for local content producers and their supply chains. New jobs will be created all down the delivery chain, while millions will be able to benefit from better education and communication through new electronic means,” said Venter.

“We see ourselves engaging with more contract manufacturers,” Viljoen says. “Increasing our volumes is crucial because the dilution effect on our overheads is huge. So we’re not just going to build our own devices, we will offer our services to the market to manufacture a wide range of electronic devices such as LCD televisions. With this strategy we aim to increase our volumes by up to 40 percent.”

The new facility is a major part of Altech’s strategy going forward.

“Quality and cost are crucial factors in the manufacturing industry. While we’re at a disadvantage to manufactures in countries with extremely low labour costs, we can apply advanced manufacturing technologies and processes to level the playing field to produce quality products, while allowing us to compete on cost,” Viljoen says.

“The new generation STBs will enable millions of people in South Africa, Africa and across the world to access digital television - a medium through which they will discover the world around them in all its richness, diversity and endless possibility.”

Jannie Viljoen, Manufacturing Director the East.

“This is a great opportunity and we have ideally positioned ourselves to participate in this growth and support government’s policy by investing in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Not only will the factory employ more people, but associated services such as packaging, delivery and installation will create tens of thousands of small business opportunities in the future,” he adds.

Launch Pad For A New Industry The new Altech UEC high technology manufacturing facility in Mount Edgecombe was a huge undertaking for Altech. Described as a “story factory” by Altech CEO Craig Venter, the 13 500m2 world-class facility has the capacity to manufacture more than three million television set-top boxes (STBs) per annum.

“The boxes we manufacture here deliver stories to people’s homes,” Venter said at the official opening last year.

“The new generation STBs will enable millions of people in South Africa, Africa and across the world to access digital television - a medium through which they will discover the world around them in all its richness, diversity and endless possibility.”

The facility not only gives Altech more capacity to deliver

The Digital Migration The factory is essential for another reason. Demand for set-top boxes is expected to multiply in the near future, as South Africa migrates to digital terrestrial television.

“Roughly nine million households in South Africa will need a set-top box to convert to digital transmission once analogue switches off,” Viljoen says. “However, that is a small part of the potential once you factor in the rest of Africa. For example, it is estimated that Nigeria alone has between 40 and 50 million televisions that will require a settop box once that country switches to DTT.” If Altech wants to compete globally, it faces some challenges.

“In the rest of Africa we do not have a particularly wellknown brand name,” Viljoen admits. “From a manufacturing perspective that means we need to position ourselves with

that in mind, so we’re competing on cost and quality. As far as the wider company is concerned, we’re using our global expertise to provide value added services and solutions, from systems integration and professional services through to end-to-end solutions and support.”

It’s a strategy that’s been working well for Altech.

Viljoen explains: “We’ve faced tough competition across all the markets in which we operate, but our successes in the African market have carried us through.”

A Winning Team Of course, that success wouldn’t be possible were it not for Altech UEC’s employees.

“Perhaps our most valuable employees are our process engineers. They ensure we are in line with the latest technological advances within the electronics manufacturing industry. We’re investing heavily in building their expertise through a series of training activities as well as exposing them to the wider manufacturing market through global site visits and exhibitions. This investment has had some good returns so far,” Viljoen explains.

To continue attracting the skills and expertise that Altech UEC needs, the company not only provides bursaries to deserving students, but through its corporate social investment strategy it has embarked on developing local communities by supporting various projects for schools and children’s homes. The KwaMashu multi-media centre for learning is one such initiative. The multi-media centre is a hi-tech IT centre established to develop students in the areas of mathematics, science, English and life orientation.

Venter agrees: “For South Africa to be globally competitive, we need more than the infrastructure we already have or are planning to build. We need a strong core of highly skilled professionals in science, engineering and technology. We need to demystify mathematics and science and take it into the mainstream so that everyone can participate on an equal basis.”

Building For The Future The electronics industry is an exciting field in South Africa right now.

“The industry received a significant windfall when the South African government implemented import restrictions,” Viljoen says. “The next big thing is going to be digital migration. The government has circulated a White Paper indicating that it wants electronics to be a priority growth industry for South Africa. Altech is one of the largest electronic manufacturers in the industry. With more than 16 years’ experience in supplying the South African electronics industry we have a sizable market share. Our manufacturing experience at the component level enables us to compete favourably with most other manufacturers in South Africa who supply niche, low volume products. With our experience and capability we hope to attract more well-known consumer electronics brands to be assembled locally in South Africa.”

“We aim to contribute positively to the growth of the electronics industry in South Africa. There are obvious commercial benefits for Altech UEC, but we believe that by driving the necessary investments and contributing to job creation we will position ourselves to support government and empower local industry,” Viljoen concludes.

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Top Carpets www.topcarpets.co.za +27 87 1500 999 Written by William Dodd

LAYING IT DOWN Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 89

Top Carpets

As a force to be reckoned with in the South African flooring market, Top Carpets has shown time and time again that it understands the industry. But this is one company that won’t be resting on its laurels - Top Carpets has consistently adapted to match the fluid nature of the market, and it’s not done yet!

Top Carpets is a major presence in the South African flooring market. With representation at 125 different locations, placing it within a 50km radius of any potential buyer in the country, there isn’t a group like it anywhere else in South Africa.

Yet it comes from relatively humble origins.

Bryan Hoyle tells the story: “It was set up 25 years ago when six disillusioned flooring contractors, worried about the state of the market, set up a small buying group. That group had the romantic name of ‘Carpet Purchases’.

Their thoughts were that, by being combined together they should be able to provide some protection against the problems of the day.”

As time went on more members joined, and eventually they reached the conclusion that ‘Carpet Purchases’ wasn’t the snappy, memorable name they needed. The problem was that nobody could agree what they should call it instead.

“So we put it to a design college in London,” Hoyle explains. “They ran a competition, there was a prize winner and they came up with the name Top Carpets.”

Despite the name change, the company hasn’t changed much, aside from in one respect: its growth. From six people, the company now has more than 125 members using Top Carpets buying power. As it’s grown the company has

www.vandyckcarpets.com +27 31 913 3800 Van Dyck Half Page.indd 1

As a proud member of the Green Building Council of South Africa, Van Dyck Carpets is a local manufacturer that pays a great deal of attention to the impact its processes and products have on the environment.

The company is making great strides in the minimising of waste, reduction of energy, reducing the use of hazardous materials, and reduction of emissions – with very low CO2 emissions during normal operations. In addition, recycled materials are used instead of virgin materials wherever possible.

With more than half a century of expertise in carpets and flooring, we offer top quality products at affordable prices. For a wide variety of colours & textures for any area, this is the right place.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 11:38 • 91 28/03/2012

Top Carpets

also broadened its cover, providing full marketing and management assistance to its members and expanding from carpets into other flooring markets.

Changing Markets This expansion has proven to be crucial for the company, as over the last 20 years the market has been going through some tremendous changes.

“Carpeting has declined by 50% in value in the last 20 years,” Hoyle admits. “There are several reasons for that.

“Firstly, here in Durban there’s no such thing as winter.

Winter is 12-14 degrees Celsius through the night, rising to 20-22 degrees during the day. The climate’s like that across the country. So we’ve seen a lot of strong growth in ceramics. They’ve probably been expanding between 15 and 20% year on year. Meanwhile, unlike other parts of the world, here we’ve seen the laminate wood market remain strong because we’re an agricultural country and there’s a strong liking for natural materials. You’ve got cultural issues too. Since 1994 when the country started off on its new path there’s been a lot of emphasis on homes for

“It was set up 25 years ago when six disillusioned flooring contractors, worried about the state of the market, set up a small buying group. That group had the romantic name of ‘Carpet Purchases’. Their thoughts were that, by being combined together they should be able to provide some protection against the problems of the day.” Bryan Hoyle

everyone, and the vast majority of those are affordable entry-level homes, which use ceramics because there’s a perception that they will last longer. So laminate wooden flooring has been showing continued growth at quite a pace and so have ceramics, which means carpets have suffered.”

Fortunately, Top Carpets has been able to move with the times.

Traviata Flooring is a specialised stockist / wholesaler of quality laminate, solid wood and luxury vinyl flooring products. We also stock a full range of accessories, underlays, skirtings and profiles.We offer products for both domestic and commercial applications.

All Traviata Flooring products are backed with written guarantees from major international companies.

Traviata Flooring is a member of the South African Wood and Laminate Flooring Association (SAWLFA).

Traviata products are available throughout South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

it’s the perfect fit.

www.traviata.co.za +27 (011) 453 0296 Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 93

Top Carpets

“When we started this was very much a carpet company,” Hoyle says. “Most of our people came from manufacturing, most of their businesses were centred around carpeting.

So to adapt we’ve had to show some strong horizontal diversification. We’ve moved into other types of floor, naturally, but we’re also expanding into blinds and shutters.”

New Blood However, the changing markets aren’t the only challenge Top Carpets faces. While the last few years have been hard on everyone financially, one of Hoyle’s major concerns is that there will be enough skilled labour to meet demand once the economy improves.

“We need to make sure we have enough skilled labour at every level to cope with the growth and demand that will certainly come once this current crisis has died down,” Hoyle says. “Here in South Africa it’s a particularly pressing issue because we’re expecting huge growth in the floor coverings industry. With so much of infrastructure being replaced we’re going to see a lot of both commercial and housing projects.

We’re blessed with a fantastic opportunity for growth.”

While Top Carpets itself has only a small team of 35 people at its head office, every one of its outlets is individually owned, so it’s important that a new generation is trained up to meet growing demand. It’s a responsibility that’s been spread across the entire South African flooring industry.

“We’ve got involved in sponsorship and training at a post school level at several places around the country,” Hoyle explains. “Our local manufacturers have also put a lot of money and effort into training programmes so that these staff are ready for the future. There’s also credit to go to firms like Floor Works. The industry itself has a body that looks after wood and laminates, South African Wood &

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 94

Top Carpets

Experts in the field of laminate flooring since 1998, Azura Distributors has now extended its offering of wood flooring to Bamboo, Engineered wood and now Vinyl Wood Planks. Azura has been a market leader in the country, achieving this through great customer service and a wide selection of decors, designs and ranges. With over 100 ranges to choose from, its up to date approach ensures the South African public and neigbouring countries is always in touch with the latest trends and designs from across the globe.

Laminate Flooring Association, who have also put a lot of effort into training people.”

However, despite all the effort that’s going into training this new generation, Hoyle still believes more can be done.

“I honestly can’t tell you where we’re replacing people fast enough,” he admits. “I have a suspicion we’re not and once the market picks up again we’ll struggle to get trained people.”

But Top Carpets isn’t sitting on its laurels. Right now the company is undergoing a major overhaul to bring new blood into the firm.

“Looking at the advantages of bringing in some younger minds this makes sense,” Hoyle says. “We’re also looking at different groups. For instance, gender is currently an issue we’re working hard to address, and we’re consulting with a female economic empowerment group to find out how we can improve things there. We’re getting new blood into the company at every level, every day.”

Hoyle’s confident about the future of the flooring industry in South Africa.

With the market on the up, and the increase in global communications, Hoyle is convinced that South Africa’s industry is a match for any in the world.

“If you take our largest carpet manufacturing company, Belgotex, it’s a world class production facility. So to the surprise of many our product offering is just as advanced as it is in, for instance, the UK. If you were to look at ceramics, a simple investigation would demonstrate our ceramics industry is a world leader in affordable ceramic tiles,” Hoyle says, justifiably proud.

“There’s a strong European influence but the quality of our product is very good. What’s more, we still have this spirit of adventure. We’re always open to new ideas, and that’s one thing that’s allowed us to keep up with Europe and the States. We’ve realised we can be as good as anyone so long as we look, listen and apply.”

Everything you need LAMINATE FLOORS. BAMBOO FLOORING. ENGINEERED WOOD. VINYL WOOD PLANKS. all available at www.azura.co.za

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 96

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SAMANTHA COE MAKING MUSIC MATTER

by Donnie Rust

I love my job, one of the reasons being that you get to see the artists today who are going to be the legends of tomorrow - and you get the chance to make an impression in the hope they’ll remember you when they’re flying in their private jets and turning down staying at the Burj Al Arab Dubai because the sheets aren’t quite up to their standards.

Samantha Coe who has an 8 level in Piano, taught English and music in China, passed a teaching degree at the age of 16 and was teaching classical music at the age of 17 is now a celebrated business woman and highly sought after singer.

Nobody is the least bit surprised about this.

She was involved in a pop band in Holland with Eliot Kennedy as the producer. After she didn’t make it in the Dutch pop group (despite her raging blue eyes and flowing blonde hair), he called her up with plans to create a band around her, called the Wild Flowers. It would involve three other girls, and began to be put together at Realworld - Peter Gabriel’s Studio.

“Peter Gabriel wasn’t involved as such, we were just lucky enough to use his place!” - Sam Coe Two Wildflowers songs written by Sam caught the attention of Eliot Kennedy and Gary Barlow, and they backed up Take That on their “Beautiful World” tour.

Unfortunately, although Wildflowers had the stuff and showcased themselves to all the record companies, online downloads pretty much screwed that idea. It seems the only way to make it big nowadays is to appear on television first before making any decent music. (Thanks Simon Cowell... and your teeth look fake). Afterwards Sam took up a temporary job as a receptionist - which would Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 99

In case you haven’t paid attention: Eliot Kennedy, Peter Gabriel and Gary Barlow have been mentioned within the first four paragraphs. Hope you’re enjoying your office job, bet you’re really happy with your iPad email synch up now aren’t you?

have killed her if she hadn’t spent the time writing songs and dreaming of something better.

Fast forward: she sang the music for an Indian film with Sonny Viswanth who is a South Indian film producer and wanted Sam to be his English connection to the UK. “The musicians who recorded with AR Rahman and who won the Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire worked alongside me and AR Rahman did offer me a job teaching in his school in Chennai!” – Sam Coe November 2009, Back from India, Sam took £5,000 and went forth with an idea of teaching singers who wanted to get into pop music but with a classical training. Classical singing requires more from the individual than pop singing. It is a science that has to be taught - something that many pop artists don’t know about. Fundamentally, she wanted to combine classical training with a contemporary setting.

Enter The Wharf. Started on November 2009, by February 2010, Sam had ten teachers working for her. It was a brilliant time, there was a huge amount of excitement and enjoyment and the future seemed strong.

Then in November 2010 - in what was seen as a personal attack on Sam from people jealous of her success at such a young age, or perhaps hoodlums just trying to pull a prank, The Wharf was broken into, instruments were stolen and the entire area was flooded.

Suddenly Sam was holding onto a homeless music school. She had students, she had teachers- but that was it.

Luckily, or as a direct result of Sam’s natural charisma, there was a good social vibe and Sam was able to pull in some favors from Wensum Lodge who put her up with premises and she was able to keep three quarters of her students. The ones that were lost were

predominantly down to the inability to travel to Wensum.

In 2012, Sam is looking forward to moving into a new facility (away from the water’s edge), an old church that is being renovated in a move to Make Music Matter. It’s a purposebuilt area, where a vibrant and creative atmosphere can be developed and skills and talents can be enhanced.

From personal experience I can say that Sam is able to work miracles. Not only with her personal success and in the face of adversity, but in the lives of every student she has.

“I love the fact I’m able to encourage music to be a part of people’s everyday lives, and something that is accessible to all through our Academy and in-school work. The Wharf not only makes business sense, but also gives back to the community and enriches people’s lives through a musical education. I adore my job, and wake up in the morning buzzing with excitement about what will happen each day, and that makes me one very lucky person!” – Sam Coe. Sam has won a UK Business Award (the Natwest Everywoman Award), which has enabled her to raise her profile as a young business person and also stress the importance of music and the arts to a wider audience even at a time when governments and local councils are cutting funding to such projects.

Donnie Rust, (AKA The Naked Busker) is one of Britain’s foremost comedy writers in the field of business, travel and adventure with over 1 million readers worldwide.

His stand-up comedy is apparently hilarious too. He can be found at: www.facebook.com/donnierust.

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 •101