Endeavour Magazine May 2019 by Littlegate Publishing

MAY 2019

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FIESTA ST LINE X

BANRO CORP LTD.

A PHOENIX RISES

CAPEX Co-Leading By Example

BELL EQUIPMENT Strength And Heritage

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HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS Managing Editor Alice Instone-Brewer editor@littlegatepublishing.com Managing Director Alex Hilling-Smith alexsmith@littlegatepublishing.com Sales Manager Emlyn Freeman emlynfreeman@littlegatepublishing.com Head of Editorial Research Paul Bradley paulbradley@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher James Lapping james@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher Alex Hayes alexhayes@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher Dennis Morales dennismorales@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher David Kimberley david@littlegatepublishing.com Corporate Director Anthony Letchumaman anthonyl@littlegatepublishing.com Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com CEO Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com For enquiries or subscriptions contact info@littlegatepublishing.com +44 1603 296 100 ENDEAVOUR MAGAZINE is published by Littlegate Publishing LTD which is a Registered Company in the United Kingdom. Company Registration: 07657236 VAT registration number: 116 776007 343 City Road Suite 10, Thorpe House London 79 Thorpe Road EC1 V1LR Norwich, NR1 1UA 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.

EDITOR’S NOTE

e have just come through April and, with it, the year’s Easter celebrations. Whilst working on this month’s magazine during that Easter season, a theme of new beginnings, recovery and rebirth emerged in the companies we’ve spoken with. We had the pleasure of speaking with Banro Corporation, who told us all about their victorious return following a period of bankruptcy. The company is back and better than ever, with new structures, systems and a smoother than ever supply chain, as well as many lessons learnt from the ups and downs behind them. We also spoke with Ethiopian Airlines, who experienced a tragic event in March when one of their flights crashed. We looked into what had caused the fatal accident, and how the airline that has always been highly respected for its safety is responding to these losses, and why they are still an airline to bank on. More a revitalization than a recovery, we also took a look at Dundee Precious Metals, who took the financial gamble of investing in a closed mine that had begun operations way back in the late ‘50s, and transformed it into a modernised system that absorbed much of the company’s profits during its transformation. Now, that investment is heavily paying off, and the company is turning its attention to new developments with similar promise. We also spoke with Mehran Bottlers, the creators of Pakola, a fizzy drink that represents new beginnings through its links to the early Independence Days of Pakistan. The patriotic beverage continues to connect the hearts and minds of Pakistanis both at home and abroad through its now iconic taste and its links to the birth of their nation. We heard from these and many more exciting companies besides, such as the South African Space Agency, who explained their work on space weather to us, and how heavily that work can impact aviation, communications, and many other industries that we rely on. Find out about them and more in the May issue of Endeavour Magazine. Alice Instone-Brewer

Endeavour Magazine | 3

CONTENTS

FEATURES 13

A Phoenix Rises Banro Corp. Ltd.

Co-Leading By Example 27 Capex A Weather Eye 33 SANSA 41

A Taste Of Pakistan Mehran Bottlers

A New Malaysia 49 DMIA 55

Back In The Air Ethiopian Airlines

Safety-Driven Construction South East Construction

Strength And Heritage Bell Equipment

Shipshape And Correct Scamp Worldwide Network

The Pride Of Vietnam Masan Resources

The Sum Of Its Parts Anaconda Mining

A Careful Investment Dundee Precious Metals

A Greener Future 107 Menlyn Maine Reaching Further 113 Ecobank Anaconda Mining 4 | Endeavour Magazine

119

No Milk Spilt PT Ultrajaya Milk Industry Tbk

Scamp Worldwide Network

ARTICLES 6

Business Headlines

Africa Asia Middle East America Europe

Amazing World

46 The Petrifying Lake 102 An Eye On The Tiger Automotives 74

Fiesta ST Line X

SANSA Endeavour Magazine | 5

BUSINESS HEADLINES AFRICA Cyclone Kenneth fears for East Africa Residents in Tanzania and Mozambique are bracing for Cyclone Kenneth, which is approaching winds of 205km/h (125mph) and bringing torrential rain. Communities in northern Mozambique and the southern Tanzanian region of Mtwara are being warned to seek higher ground and shelter. UN officials say they fear it could mean a “humanitarian catastrophe”. In March, Cyclone Idai caused hundreds of deaths in the same region. More than 900 people died when the storm brought devastation to Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, and at least three million people were left in need of humanitarian assistance. Forecasters warn that Kenneth will be slowmoving, meaning heavy rain for several days. Flights have already been cancelled and schools closed as Mozambique braces for the storm to hit. It has already hit the island nation of Comoros, where the cyclone reportedly killed at least three people and the country’s two main islands saw power outages.

expected in coastal areas and a severe weather warning is still in place. The raging floods damaged businesses, homes and at least two universities, while hundreds of people have been displaced. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has been visiting those who lost family members in the floods. Ban on insulting Rwanda’s president upheld Rwanda’s Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to a law that says it is a crime to insult the president. The law, which was introduced last year, means that anyone insulting President Paul Kagame faces between five and seven years in prison. Lawyer Richard Mugisha had argued that the law was unconstitutional, as it undermines freedom of expression. The court ruled that it should remain due, to the responsibility that the office of President holds. However, the same court ruled that a law which prohibits writing articles or drawing cartoons that humiliate MPs, ministers or other government officials should be annulled. Mr Mugisha had also argued against articles which criminalise adultery. The court rejected that appeal.

China cancels Ethiopia’s interest-free loans China has cancelled all interest-free loans it had advanced to Ethiopia as at the end of 2018, the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s office confirmed April 24th. Analysts estimate that since 2000, Ethiopia has borrowed over $12bn from China, including funding for the Addis Ababa – Djibouti electric railway line linking the country with Djibouti, its South Africa’s flood death toll rises main import / export route. Floods and mudslides in the South African This announcement was made prior to city of Durban and the wider KwaZulu-Natal 2019’s Belt and Road forum. Representatives province have killed at least 60 people. from over 100 countries, including 40 leaders More than 1,000 people have been displaced, of foreign governments, attended the forum, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who which was first held in 2017. has flown into the region to visit the affected This decision comes soon after China forgave areas. Cameroon its $78 million debt in January. The Southern and eastern parts of the country move, according to Beijing, was intended as have been badly hit by torrential rain in the last support to help ease economic hardship in the few days. More flooding and strong winds are central African country. 6 | Endeavour Magazine

ASIA Easter bombing in Sri Lanka On Easter Sunday, suicide bombers killed at least 359 people and injured more than 500 at churches and top-end hotels across Sri Lanka. Evidence is mounting that local jihadists linked to the Islamic State carried out the attack, and police have made a number of arrests. Hundreds of Sri Lankan families are in mourning. One of the first victims to be identified was celebrity chef Shantha Mayadunne. Other Sri Lankans killed included members of church congregations and staff at the hotels targeted. Most victims were Sri Lankans, but at least 38 foreigners are among the dead. The confirmed international casualties are from the UK, Denmark, Portugal, India, Turkey, Australia, the Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, Spain, Bangladesh, the US and China. Sri Lankan authorities believe that a littleknown local militant Islamist group known as National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) was to blame. IS claimed it had carried out the attacks, and released s video of men it claims were the bombers, pledging allegiance to the group. All but one of the men have their faces covered. The man with his face uncovered has been named as the bombers’ suspected ringleader, Islamist preacher Zahran Hashim. The attacks were the worst to ever occur against Sri Lanka’s small Christian minority, who make up just 7% of the 21 million population.

yen ($28,600; £22,100). Many were children or teenagers when they were operated on. They now have five years to apply for compensation, which will need to be approved by a board of experts.

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters given jail time Four Hong Kong activists have been sentenced to up to 16 months in prison for their role in pro-democracy demonstrations. Four others received suspended sentences in April, while one had their sentencing deferred Japan sterilisation law victims get until June. compensation and apology The nine activists were found guilty earlier Tens of thousands of victims of forced sterilisation in Japan are now entitled to in April over their involvement in the ‘Umbrella Movement’. compensation. Demonstrators paralysed Hong Kong in Under a eugenics law which was in effect from 1948 to 1996, people were made to 2014 when they demanded the territory’s right undergo operations to prevent them having to pick its leaders. Judge Johnny Chan handed down the children that were deemed “inferior”. Many of the victims had physical or cognitive sentences at the West Kowloon Magistrates disabilities, mental illness or behavioural Court, citing the “excessive inconvenience and problems. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has suffering” the movement caused. The protests started in reaction to a issued an apology for the “great suffering” they decision made by China that it would allow experienced. Under a new law that was passed in April, direct elections in 2017, but only from a list of surviving victims will each receive 3.2 million candidates pre-approved by Beijing. Endeavour Magazine | 7

MIDDLE EAST Coalition strikes on Raqqa ‘killed 1,600 civilians’, activists now say According to recent claims by activist groups, more than 1,600 civilians were killed in US-led coalition air and artillery strikes during the 2017 offensive to dispel the Islamic State group from the Syrian city of Raqqa. The coalition claimed there were 180 civilian casualties in its campaign. Amnesty International and monitoring group Airwars said they had carried out investigations at 200 strike locations and identified 1,000 of the victims. Commanders say all feasible precautions to avoid civilian casualties were taken and that the decisions to strike complied with the law of armed conflict. Coalition states - including the US, UK and France - have conducted 34,000 strikes in Syria and neighbouring Iraq since 2014. In March this year, the coalition-backed Syrian Democratic Forces alliance captured the last pocket of land held by the jihadists, bringing a formal end to their self-proclaimed “caliphate”. Fire at Islam’s third holiest mosque A fire broke out at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem at the same time as the Notre Dame fire. Footage shared on Twitter showed smoke and flames emerging from the roof of a guard booth on the rooftop of the Marwani prayer room. Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said firefighters arrived the scene and put out the fire within seven minutes. The fire did not cause any injury or damage to the structures of the mosque. Police are investigating the cause of the fire but information has suggested that it may have been caused by children playing around and setting the fire. The Al-Aqsa, known to the Jews as the Temple Mount, is Islam’s third holiest site and central to the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict. Israeli spacecraft crashes in final moments before moon landing

8 | Endeavour Magazine

Israel’s Beresheet, the first privately-funded mission to the moon, has crashed. The spacecraft aimed to perform a soft landing on the moon and would have made Israel the fourth country to do so. So far, only the far larger countries of the United States, the former Soviet Union and China have done it before. The $100 million spacecraft, built by SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries, lost communications with the control room in Israel during the landing sequence. As program managers who had been watching the mission in real time tried to re-establish communications, they also dealt with issues in the spacecraft’s main engine. At the time of the communications failure, the Beresheet was traveling at approximately 2,110 mph and was about 120 kilometers (74 miles) from its intended landing site. The spacecraft crashed in the last part of its journey, moments before it was supposed to land. SpaceIL was founded eight years ago to compete for the Google Lunar XPrize. The contest offered $20 million for the first privately funded team to launch a spacecraft to the moon, transmit high-definition video and travel 500 meters in any direction. The XPrize was cancelled in January 2018, but the Israeli team decided to continue its pursuit of the moon landing. The Beresheet spacecraft was launched on board a Falcon 9 rocket in late February. It traveled a total of 4 million miles to the moon, soaring around the Earth before entering orbit around the moon.

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AMERICA Facebook broke Canada privacy laws, watchdog says Social media giant Facebook committed “serious contraventions” of Canadian privacy laws, the country’s data watchdog says. The federal privacy commissioner said the tech firm had also failed to take responsibility for protecting personal information. An investigation into the company was launched in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Facebook disputes the investigation’s findings. “The stark contradiction between Facebook’s public promises to mend its ways on privacy and its refusal to address the serious problems we’ve identified - or even acknowledge that it broke the law - is extremely concerning,” privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien said in a statement. Mr Therrien said his office planned to go to court “to seek an order to force the company to correct its privacy practices”. The investigation - launched in March 2018 found that Facebook had failed to obtain valid and meaningful consent from users and their online friends. The privacy commissioner’s office recommended the company allow for an audit of its privacy policies and practices over the next five years, and ensure it obtains “meaningful consent” from users installing third-party apps.

US election 2020: Joe Biden launches presidential bid Former US Vice-President Joe Biden has declared a presidential bid, putting an end to speculation. 10 | Endeavour Magazine

The 76-year-old, who has already run twice for the presidency, enters a crowded race for the 2020 Democratic nomination against 19 other hopefuls. They include Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders. Mr Biden, who served as President Barack Obama’s deputy for two terms, recalled President Donald Trump’s much-criticised remark that there were “very fine people on both sides” of the deadly Charlottesville white nationalist riots of 2017. “With those words, the president of the United States assigned a moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it,” Mr Biden said. Parkland, Florida shooter could inherit $432,000 Parkland school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz’s public defenders asked to withdraw from his case, as the defendant stands to inherit more than $432,000 through an insurance policy. Cruz will inherit money from an insurance policy for his late mother, Lynda Cruz, who died of pneumonia in November 2017. The public defenders argued that state law bars them from representing a defendant who can afford private attorneys. “It has come to the attention of undersigned counsel that Nikolas Cruz is a beneficiary in a MetLife life insurance policy and is entitled to half of a death benefit valued at $864,929.17 as of April 23, 2019,” the Broward County Public Defender’s Office said in court filing. Cruz faces 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder after he carried out a deadly school shooting in at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in Feb. 2018, within months of his mother’s death. Cruz confessed to the shooting and faces a possible death sentence, though a trial date has not been set.

EUROPE Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank abandon merger talks Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank have abandoned merger talks, citing concerns that the deal would have been too risky. The German banks only entered formal merger talks last month, and the German government had been supporting the tie-up, with reports saying Finance Minister Olaf Sholz wanted a national champion in the banking industry. The government still owns a 15.5% stake in Commerzbank, acquired after the bank was bailed out following the financial crisis. The deal was seen as a way of reviving the fortunes of both banks. Combined, the banks would have controlled one fifth of Germany’s High Street banking business with €1.8 trillion ($2tn; £1.6tn) of assets, such as loans and investments.

and Luhansk, seized by Russian-backed separatists in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. “For many years already - about 10 years Poland has been giving out passports, Hungary has also been doing so, to Hungarians, and Romania... so are Russians living in Ukraine worse than Poles, Hungarians?” Mr Putin said in Vladivostok. Mr Putin had said earlier that people living in those areas were “completely deprived of civil rights” and could not “move normally” or “realise their most elementary needs”. “We have no desire to create problems for the new Ukrainian authorities,” Mr Putin added.

Notre-Dame spire burns down On April 15th, a fire engulfed the roof and spire of Paris’ medieval cathedral of Notre-Dame. The 850-year-old building’s spire and roof collapsed but the main structure, including the two bell towers, were saved. The cathedral’s art works and beautiful stained-glass rosaries are also intact, and the cathedral’s massive 8,000-pipe organ has come out unscathed. Police believe that human error, rather than a computer glitch, caused the 35-minute delay in alerting the fire brigade. Prosecutors suggested a short circuit in a lift installed to carry construction material could have started the blaze. However, this Russia offers passports to people in eastern theory appears unlikely given that it started Ukraine territories nowhere near the lift and its cables, according President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on to investigators. April 24th that makes it easier for those living A more likely scenario was a short circuit in in eastern Ukraine’s separatist territories to electric cables in the spire, which were turned access a Russian passport. on in 2012 to ring three bells inside while the The move is seen as a challenge to Volodymyr cathedral’s main bells were being repaired. Zelensky, the former comedian elected These were supposed to be temporary, but president of Ukraine the previous weekend. were still in place and active on the day of The Zelensky team said that through the fire. the decree Russia had “acknowledged its President Emmanuel Macron wants Notreresponsibility as an occupier state”. Dame to be rebuilt within five years, and “This decree is not bringing us closer to has launched an international architectural achieving the ultimate goal: a ceasefire,” it said. competition to replace the roof and spire, The decree is aimed at people living in the prompting debate over whether this should be unrecognised, self-styled republics of Donetsk a copy or an entirely new design Endeavour Magazine | 11

12 | Endeavour Magazine

A PHOENIX RISES Banro Corp. Ltd. chevron-square-right www.banro.com

Bouncing back from periods of challenge takes more than sheer grit; it requires connections and trust within the industry, careful restructuring and an informed level of market awareness, all of which the Banro Corporation is aptly demonstrating in 2019. We spoke with Dirk Lourens, Group Head of Supply Chain Management for Banro, to catch up with the company following a challenging couple of years, and to discuss their successful turnaround for the year to come.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

gold mining company that operates within the Democratic Republic of Congo, Banro Corporation has experienced its fair share of difficulties, but it also has its impressive claims to fame. From 2006 to 2014, the company was at the height of a 20-year presence in the African gold mining industry, having become the largest gold mining company in the DRC. The company still has more resources in its portfolio than any of its competitors in Africa; the company offers a 1.0Moz reserve and 8.5M oz Au global resources, with potential for a further 10Moz in identified projects in an otherwise largely unexplored land package. These resources include two operational mines, found in South Kivu and Maniema, as well as 17 exploration licences and a number of mining licences. However, things have not always been as positive as they are now. November 2017 was a difficult time for Banro, but the company is making a strong return that is not only fuelled by optimism and effort, but has been carefully considered. This strategy addresses both an improved operational efficiency moving forwards, as well as improved communication, and a responsible approach Endeavour Magazine | 13

BANRO CORP. LTD.

to preventing repeats of the difficulties that occurred in the past. A challenging year To understand Banro’s regrowth and its new strategy for success, one must first understand what happened in November 2017. We spoke with Dirk Lourens, who was upfront in explaining: “Banro came under financial stress in 2017 due to security issues at its Namoya operations, as well as historical community matters at the Twangiza operation.” These security issues tragically left people vulnerable to attack from violent local groups during late 2017 and early to mid 2018, as well as Banro’s sites experiencing attempted robberies and other security threats. During this time, Banro went into financial distress in Q3 of 2017, and through a bankruptcy proceeding in November that year.

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Dirk continued; “Under the guidance of Brett Richards, Chairman and CEO, Banro emerged from its bankruptcy process with a financial restructuring and embarked on a major rehabilitation project to re-establish the company as a premier central Africa gold mining company.” This emergence began in 2018, and continue into 2019, and will come into effect over the next few months. Whilst some companies might seek to bury the past, Banro is instead fully transparent, acknowledging the issues that occurred and showing that it is ready to not only recover, but come back better and stronger, both in the issue of security and as a wider business. The company has learnt from its mistakes and has embraced this chance for change not only in the way it structures its operations and financial decisions, but also in its communication with local communities, and in strengthening and re-building links with its partners and suppliers. It takes a certain kind of determination and commercial intelligence to bring a company back from financial difficulty, and it takes an open honesty and ability to come back stronger after incidents that could have shaken local bonds. Banro has focused on repairing and improving those local bonds through increased communication with the traditional leaders in its communities, and an emphasis on cooperation between themselves, these groups and their security teams. As well as working with these groups to rebuild, however, the company also needed to turn to its supply chain and the effects of its period of bankruptcy. Strong connections Banro has been in operation for 20 years, and those two decades of business ties meant that when it hit financial stress, all was not lost – strong relationships prevailed. Even so, these financial challenges, and the challenges that surrounded them, meant that confidence needed to be rebuilt. Banro may have been blessed with loyal suppliers and partners, but it didn’t want to take this good fortune for granted. “Challenges are evident in cases such as these, but maintaining supplier confidence

2018/08/06 3:16:31 PM

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General Business Entreprises (GBE) is a Congolese owned company. Since 2006, we have been supplying petroleum products (Diesel, Gasoline, Jet A1 & LPG); as well as lubricants and greases for vehicles and heavy machinery to clients throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through our fuel supply channel, the oil & gas products supplied by GBE are directly sourced from the Arab Gulf through the Tanzanian Bulk Procurement System. GBE strives to insure its operations are fully compliant with HSSEQ regulations and with the local laws of countries in which we operate. Our commitment to customer satisfaction coupled with the high quality of our service delivery has allowed us to become one of the leading suppliers in the DRC. Through our sister company â&#x20AC;&#x153;GBE Logisticsâ&#x20AC;?, we have invested in transport logistics by acquiring robust trucks in order to support fuel delivery to BANRO/Namoya Mining SA. Our clients include Locals, NGOs as well as international companies such as BANRO Corporation.

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BANRO CORP. LTD. and trust is key in overcoming obstacles.” Preserving these relationships went both ways – suppliers were flexible with Banro when it came to their payments, and in kind, Banro made absolutely sure that they were paid in as timely a way as possible. Some of these key partners and suppliers include Engen, Banro’s primary energy supplier, Total Mining (Pty) Ltd, LTG Freight, and the largest single-site precious metals complex and smelting company in the world, Rand Refinery. A reliable, efficient and trustworthy supply chain can benefit a company greatly, beyond the obvious benefits of receiving the goods and services that they need. A good chain can reduce input costs through effective pricing negotiations and the efficiency of the supply processes. It can also reduce how much working capital is tied up in inventory; instead of stockpiling goods that aren’t needed, careful collaborative demand planning can keep the communication of stock needs clear, and through reliable

16 | Endeavour Magazine

logistics, have items stocked as and when they’re needed. Therefore, it is Banro’s goal to create a seamless supply chain, combining loyal companies from the past with new ones. Dirk’s end-goal is to create a chain that “professionally supports Banro’s goals with standardized levels of performance excellence across the group.” A part of establishing this network has been focused on fostering human connections, as these relationships are as important to Banro as a wellnegotiated deal. Collaboration within a supply chain is critical in managing the chain beyond traditional or transactional methods. It involves rethinking the way your business is managed, both internally and externally, and the ways in which employees and partners relate to each other. “There must be someone in charge with full responsibility for what happens within the supply chain across the extended business,” Dirk explained. “I report directly to the CEO and

A PHOENIX RISES have the full support of Senior Management and CFO.” “It’s not a question of how much is spent on supply chain improvement, but how wisely.” Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) is a comprehensive approach to procurement managing and capturing the post contract value from key business relationships. SRM enables procurement to operate at a strategic level, by adopting a more collaborative approach and developing a closer relationship, which generates more value from the relationship in terms of innovation and efficiency. However, this does involve more time; therefore, an assessment should be carried out as to whether the potential value is greater than the cost of the time required. “Frequent interactions and close relationships with our suppliers have proven to have had a positive effect on the exchange and flow of information and knowledge, improving processes and performance, creating value and improving levels of efficiency and effectiveness.”

ATS has been operating in DRC ANYWAY. since 2008 and with Banro Mining Corporation forNon-existent over 10roads. years. ATS is Rivers without bridges. We take every challenge in our stride to set skilled in developing local-to-source up and supply our clients’ camps. supply chains within client communities resulting in over 90% local procurement and a 95% localANYHOW. employment rate in our Remote camps often start asBanro a mere GPS operations. In co-ordinate. partnership with We establish reliable supply chains andATS developis dependable local Mining Corporation, currently support to link these sites to the world. looking to improve water treatment facilities while conducting a feasibility study to create ANYWHERE. a plastic recycling plant and a small bottling plant business ATS has cross-continental reach. No matter how limited the existing infrastructure or owned and operated by the community. supply connections, we find a way to make African investment a return. This is just one your of the ways ATSdeliver creates real transformations in communities; DRC through trainingGoma and development, and Le Volcan Quarter, 49 De la Corniche Avenue small business empowerment.

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Endeavour Magazine | 17

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A change for the better To learn from the past and sufficiently prepare for the future, Banro has many plans. The company’s updated operating ethos centres around two concepts - uniformity and standardisation. Dirk broke the company’s plans down for us: “The company seeks to transform its supply chain in a way that reduces costs and increases efficiency, whilst also rebuilding relationships. This process includes a new emphasis on “effective and accurate demand planning” that better couples works with stakeholder demand, both internally and externally. It also involved a complete restructuring of Banro’s operations, from its staff to its processes and systems, seeking to standardise its practices and to increase the communication and effective collaboration between its supply chain and line management. Most key was the objective to integrate Banro’s operations in a way that increased visibility.”

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A service experience that is both professional and personal 20 | Endeavour Magazine

Dirk Lourens Group Head of Supply Chain Management Banro Corporation

BANRO CORP. LTD.

Banro isn’t just looking to recover – it’s looking to grow, and to keep going. The company is seeking, in the coming months and years, to not only sustain and maintain its current capital, but to acquire new capital via plant upgrades and other physical improvements. It also seeks to carry out focussed exploration across its projects, whilst simultaneously attempting to reduce its mining overheads by 20%. All of this is a tall order. The strategy will involve scaling back in certain areas, and closing parts of the company’s operations that are no longer valueadding. Therefore, the Canadian company plans to close its Toronto office, and must also part with some staff at the Kinshasa office. However, these decisions allow for growth in other places that need the input. “The last seven months were difficult to manage through, with challenges and negative forces coming at us from every area of the business; from external forces to internal forces, all working against Banro and trying to disable

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the business in their own way. These forces were compounded by the state of disrepair of the operational equipment required by us to perform to expectation and to our full potential.” Having secured a substantial financial injection, as well as saving on areas that needed to be pruned or slimmed down in the name of efficiency, Banro is able to invest in these key areas of the business: “The capital injection creates a working/ operating environment and mine plan (access to ore) that is sustainable for the respective life of our mine(s). This operating environment will deliver near capacity production and c.$700$750 cash costs at both mines.” The right people for the job Integrity cannot stay at leadership level - a company needs excellence throughout its staff from the ground up in order to conduct its operations at the greatest standards. Banro’s people are as important to it as ever, and as greater steps have been taken to protect its operations, it is also continuing to invest in its people’s talents, as well as their involvement with the company. “At Banro, we live by values to create a sustainable future for our host communities and all stakeholders by developing and investing in our people, applying our processes and leading with integrity.” You might think that with gold mining being such a competitive industry, quantity of staff would overtake the desire for quality, but Banro is actively rejecting this recruitment model. In fact, Banro is seeking out the crème de la crème of mining professionals and rewarding them appropriately: “We have approximately 1800 team members, most of whom are labour hire. Banro has a philosophy of continued development of employees: the supply chain department, in particular, has a well designed, developed and implemented training programme, mainly based on the best practice scenarios of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Chain Professionals (CIPS). Promotion from within is encouraged, for value adding and a confident employee base.”

A PHOENIX RISES

By instilling a sense of pride in each and every member of staff, Banro is building a sense of community deep within its operating style. Everybody has a role to play and nobody is surplus to requirements, with those that commit to the approach being promoted and elevated. That’s a winning formula for happy, motivated and loyal staff. Skyborne Hospital is proud to celebrate Future plans Consider for a moment where Banro has 10 years of providing medical support risen from and you’ll understand how critical to Banro Corporation. these benefits are, and why having experienced Through our partnership with AMREF and confident people in charge of such endeavours is vital. Dirk himself has only been Flying Doctors, we can evacuate our with the company for nine months, one of the patients from remote locations and DIRECTOR: John Mwanzia fresh faces with a new outlook that came in themR.Dto ADDRESS UVIRA: 06 Av. Lumumba,transport Kavinvira, Kilomani, Sud-Kivu, Congodestinations where CALL BUKAVU: 7522411,243890014208 and helped existing leaders like EMERGENCY Brett to go +243 99they EMERGENCY CALL UVIRA: +243974564474 can receive extra care. Our medical back to the drawing board and improve upon Email: skybornehospital@gmail.com facilities are located in Bukavu, Twangiza, Web: www.skybornehospital.com Banro’s set-up as it was at the time. Dirk comes Namoya, and Uvira, all providing medical from a background in the mining industry, but support to clients like Banro. in response to Banro’s situation, and in fact all

Proud to support BANRO COR for over 10 Years

Proud to support BANRO CORP for over 10 Years DIRECTOR: John Mwanzia, +243995942800 ADDRESS BUKAVU: 061 Av. Maniema, Commune d’Ibanda, Sud-Kivu, R.D.Congo. EMERGENCY CALL BUKAVU: +243 99 7522411,243890014208 EMERGENCY CALL UVIRA: +243974564474 Email: skybornehospital@gmail.com, skyramjsm@yahoo.com Web: www.skybornehospital.com

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BANRO CORP. LTD.

strategizing when it comes to leadership, he feels that there is no magic cure-all solution: “There is no right answer; there is strategy, execution, and iteration.” This ability to try, learn and try again is what Banro is now executing. Dirk also promotes “mindfulness”, “honesty and integrity, self-awareness, vision and courage,” all of which it takes to march forwards with plans that are ambitious yet insightful and aware of where one must grow. This vision combined with this self-awareness is a formidable combination, and it is competitors without such insight that should beware being overtaken. This said, Banro does have a clear plan for the future. Long-term, Banro is looking to continue its planned growth, and in particular to develop its slew of exploration contracts. The company has traditionally focussed its exploration efforts on bulk tonnage, low grade oxide deposits, enjoying notable success in this area with the development of the aforementioned 8.5Moz

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in mineral resources at Namoya, Twangiza, as well as its newest development project at Lugushwa. On top of these, there has also been the exciting discovery of a new and potentially larger deposit at Kihazi, which has Banro feeling hopeful. However, the region has been underexplored, with Banro’s boots only stepping on 40% of its vast landholding to date. With its past difficulties behind it, and the company more efficient and organised than ever, the way forwards seems bright and rich with reward; the company sees huge exploration potential in its near future, and plans are already in place to explore the rest of its landholding in the coming years. If this weren’t exciting enough, Banro has discovered that its permits host more than these large oxide gold targets. Recent work has identified numerous other deposit styles, including very high-grade tourmaline-sulphide breccias, which present a whole new mining opportunity for the company. Banro’s exploration efforts for 2019 will focus on growing the Namoya mining operation and progressing the Lugushwa project through a Scoping Study to Feasibility. This ambition means they are once again courting investors, and they are bringing a strong pitch to the table: their portfolio is vast and the potential within it is rich. Meanwhile, the company’s geology team is going through the same reformation as the procurement department, by expanding into new technologies and creating a leaner and meaner team that will be the recipient of several training programmes design to leverage future exploration successes. From all of this to its smooth and efficient supply chain to the sheer fact of its impressive come-back, Banro has a lot to bank on. The Namoya gold mine’s restart of operations and production on the 1st of April 2019 proved to be even more successful than before, with record numbers of material mined in excess of 23 tons (or 32%) day-to-day, vs the same period in 2018. The processing plant stacked ore by up to 16%. Moving forwards, the company plans to focus on six areas to improve their mining efforts: technology, infrastructure,

A PHOENIX RISES

environment, finance, human resources and operations. It’s been quite a journey for Banro, through some challenging lows but, now, increasingly impressive and promising highs, with even greater things on the horizon. As Dirk has learnt, mining is rarely a straight-forward industry, but it is in these unexpected challenges that the real opportunities for growth occur: “Growing up, I always believed that if I followed the perfect, straight and narrow path, I’d ultimately be happy. As I experienced more of life’s messy, unexpected twists and turns, including the unpredictable and amazing journey that is mining, I’ve come to realize that putting my energy into gratitude versus trying to control every inevita§ble imperfection has freed me, and fuels the positivity that is required to move a department forward. Gratitude allows me as a senior manager to embrace abundance instead of lacking in times of doubt, and for that, I am thankful.

Established in 2008, Simba Logistics has continued to grow its presence in the freight forwarding market for the past 11 years. During this time, its focus has remained on servicing various mines throughout the DRC. In 2014, Simba and Banro started their first venture together. Since this time, Simba has continued to support and grow with Banro through its various mines, and has built a strong presence as a reliable and efficient partner. We are very happy to continue working with Banro into the future, and look forward to increased success together.

1. Transportation to Harsh Locations. 2. Bulk, Containers, Abnormal Moves. 3. Customs Clearance and Fowarding. 4. Contractual Mining. 5. Procurement and Supply of Reagents.

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CO-LEADING BY EXAMPLE Capex chevron-square-right www.capex.co.za phone-square 0027 11 792 4260

Operating throughout South Africa, with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, Capex Projects is a successful project management consultancy that specialises in BIM (Building Information Management) and construction management, including the design of industrial and commercial property.

Written by Ailsa MacDonald

ounded 22 years ago, Capex Projects has successfully collaborated with Zenprop Property Holdings, one of South Africa’s leading commercial property development and investment companies, since 2002, and it is this collective vision that undoubtedly gives them the necessary edge in the face of a challenging industry. We spoke with Andrew Usher, one of Capex Projects’ three Directors and shareholders, who is emphatic about the crucial role that communication and collaboration play in the company’s current stability and future ambitions. Andrew spoke to us highly about the harmonious and “unique” 17-year partnership between Capex and Zenprop Properties, and since he has held his own position at Capex since 2002, it’s fair to say that he knows the partnership very well. Capex Projects are currently expanding their BIM consultancy services to ensure that they are more efficient and, thus, more cost-effective. As Andrew enthuses; ““Our big focus is the expansion of our BIM consultancy service. We have identified this as a new, exciting tool that we are developing from within our company, and with the collaboration of clients (Zenprop) and other professionals.” BIM most commonly Endeavour Magazine | 27

CAPEX

stands for Building Information Modelling, but Capex Projects also expand the acronym to ‘Building Integrated Models’ and ‘Building Information Management’. The key factor in all three is the communication of information and planning; Andrew describes BIM as a tool that “enhances multi-party communication” and “reduces site co-ordination problems”. To apply this successfully, he feels that performing and delivering this service requites “high levels of project team involvement and collaboration.” It is therefore cyclical in nature, giving back what has been put in and, in turn, relying upon effective communication in order to yield positive results. One factor that cannot be altered by financial investment is time, and the clearest method of reducing cost - and thus increasing profit - is effective time management. While a large and complex project, involving several contractors and sub-contractors as well as incorporating material factors and systems, runs a very clear risk of haemorrhaging losses, effective and co-ordinated BIM minimises that risk. By effectively forecasting building performance in relation to environmental factors, BIM can even safeguard against potential future losses. By pushing the boundaries of BIM to improve its efficiently, Capex can save the valuable resource of time, whilst achieving results in ever greater detail, with great coordination and minimal information loss. Focusing on developing BIM to its most efficient degree is almost guaranteed to pay dividends, as each project is like a living structure, and not only has limbs but is a work in constant progress, integrating systems and ideas, requiring energy and resources, time and space, each of which are subject to change. Unfortunately, whilst Capex are ambitious, and ready to apply this forward-thinking planning system, the industry is not as active as they would like. “South Africa’s building and construction industry is stagnant at present.” Economic struggles mean that the government is being frugal in its spending on infrastructure construction and maintenance, and “local and national business sentiment is 28 | Endeavour Magazine

weighing on the negative side in terms of large capital investment.” It can be wearying to fight the tide of poor economic growth or limited government expenditure, and of course the instinctive response is to increasing operating costs, coupled with a very tangible decline in capital investment. However, these choices lead to poor business and a less satisfied customer; instead, Capex Projects is continually developing methods to offer even better services to their clients. Rather than focus on the recent economic downturn, Andrew instead draws his attention to the value and cost effectiveness he can offer his clients: “Our collective construction experience and management style focuses on the ultimate customer service, ensuring value-based solutions that are both efficient and cost-effective.” The South African construction sector experienced a short-term boom in the early 2000s, and as a result, overheads were increased, perhaps optimistically. When the expected government infrastructure spending ceased to materialise, and previously established large capital investments were no longer forthcoming, the construction industry suffered. Of course, it pays to be prudent in times of adversity, but it also pays to be bold. Although Andrew describes the South African construction industry as stagnant, he doesn’t see that as an excuse for his company to flounder. In fact, despite the downturn of recent years (during which 2017 saw a 17-year low in the South African construction industry, which impacted negatively on investment), Andrew enthuses about Capex’s planned “new and innovative construction methods and management techniques and technology”. A confident company doesn’t clamp up during hard times, but continues to grow, ready to receive the positive to external factors when it comes, and true to form, some moderate growth for South Africa forecast. It is of no surprise that Andrew recognises mentorship as focal to the success of the company. With seasoned staff, shareholders, and ‘new blood’ all contributing to their

CO-LEADING BY EXAMPLE

current workforce, it must be impossible for enthusiasm or ideas to go stale. Similarly, Capex’s “flat communication structure” ensures that no individual, once on board, is excluded from the task, and with collaboration both their lifeblood and forte, the more focus that is paid to a Capex project, the more likely the success of the outcome. As a part of this flat communication structure, whilst the company directors lead projects, this is where ownership ends, and collaboration takes over. In fact, Andrew’s “no closed doors” approach is not only a policy he advocates when heading a project, but one he applies to every aspect of leadership, and advocates open and non-hierarchical communication. Some might be tempted to cite that age-old aphorism about ‘too many cooks’, but it seems that Capex Projects has honed the technique, and continues to demonstrate that with an open communication platform, shared success is both the aim and the driving force; as such,

any number of ‘cooks’ is not only manageable, but favourable. Furthermore, Andrew puts all of their successes down to “collective construction experience and management style”; when efficiency, cost-effectiveness and the aim of delivering a professional project are all key, there really is no place for ego. Andrew’s seventeen years as a director and Capex, and as many years invested as a shareholder, is testimony to his underlying confidence and belief in the company. Andrew is evidently committed to, and invested in, its success, and his enthusiasm is an example of the “pride and passion” he highlights as key to Capex Projects’ continued evolution. Yet, he takes no personal credit. How heartening it is that a director of a project management company of such standing, with a long list of completed projects, and a list of new projects currently planned in Sandton, Johannesburg (‘Africa’s richest square mile’), expresses no self-importance when it

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CAPEX

comes to business. Instead, he puts success down to “co-operation, partnership, concerted action, and collaborative innovation.” He considers his role in developments with high profile clients as “fortunate”; we think that sounds like a very modest summary! You only have to take a brief glance at Capex’s portfolio of commercial and industrial projects to confirm this. Past projects include Central Sandton landmarks such as the Sasol Head Office, a R2 billion project developed to accommodate and centralise a workforce of over 3,000, and Katherine Towers Office, an impressive 21,000 square metre development housing the Head Office for Bidvest Bank, as well as the BMW South Africa body in white production plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria. To call Sandton ‘affluent’ would be something of a discredit to one of the most important financial and business districts in South Africa, so with a portfolio of completed projects under their belts as well as new contracts such as the Sky

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Royal Hotel underway, Capex have their feet firmly on the right sort of ground. Andrew admits that it’s not all plain sailing; the industry has encountered its challenges, but challenges such as these create drive, and not only is Capex Projects driven, but it has the technology, innovation and individuals necessary to drive it.

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A WEATHER EYE SANSA chevron-square-right www.sansa.org.za phone-square 0027 12 844 0500

In 2010, the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) opened its Space Weather Regional Warning Centre, and in 2018, this Centre became a part of a wider network working together to assist the aviation sector with space weather information. When it was first opened in 2010, it was tasked with the following: to develop space weather capabilities within South Africa, to improve the understanding and awareness of space weather within Africa, and to provide a space weather operational service to government, industry and the public.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

e spoke with Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell, SANSA’s Managing Director of Space Science, to find out how the agency is achieving this, and how their work on space weather impacts the industries and services we rely on. First off, what is space weather? The idea of ‘weather’ existing in the void of space is odd to imagine, but the term refers to the conditions in space, which in our solar system are largely affected by the sun. Lee-Anne described space weather as “a collection of physical processes, beginning at the sun and ultimately affecting technology on Earth and in space. Space weather is a consequence of the behavior of the sun, the nature of Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere, and the Earth’s location in the solar system.” This might sound like an abstract concept – something that could affect space-based endeavours but that would have limited impact on everyday life, but in fact, space weather can drastically affect many of the systems that our modern world depends on. Therefore, it is important to monitor the sun and continue to study how to measure, predict, and apply data on space weather to assist the many industries it can impact. Endeavour Magazine | 33

SANSA

Saying that our modern world can be greatly affected is no exaggeration: space weather can disrupt satellite and airline operations, communications networks, navigation systems, oil and gas pipelines, and even the electric power grid. We are increasingly dependent on communication technology, from personal use to national security, which is why Lee-Anne argues that space weather science is increasingly essential. “As global economies and individual nations become ever more dependent on these technologies, space weather poses an increasing risk to infrastructure and the economy. Although the frequency of space weather events follows the solar cycle, the exact timing, occurrence and impact of a space weather event on Earth is not known, and therefore, constant monitoring of the Sun as well as other factors in the space environment is required to ensure preparedness for an impact.”

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SANSA’s space weather research is built upon an eighty-year legacy, conducted at an internationally recognised magnetic observatory and space science research facility. SANSA operates four permanent magnetic observatories in Southern Africa, all of which are INTERMAGNET accredited and deliver continuous high quality magnetic field data, but the Hermanus Observatory which hosts the Space Weather Centre is unique in that it houses a preserved, magnetically clean environment, which allows for compass calibrations and other operations that would not be possible elsewhere. Given the importance of this science, SANSA’s Space Weather Centre is not working alone. In fact, not only is it working within the wider global network of such centres, it has been specifically selected by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to coordinate its efforts with four other centres, for the betterment of the aviation industry. ICAO selected three global and two regional Space Weather Centres to work in collaboration with each other. These centres assist each other as needed, even as far as lending each other staff when certain expertise are called for. To be considered for inclusion, SANSA had to submit an application to ICAO promoting its existing Space Weather Centre, and now, whilst selected for the impressive systems it already had in place, SANSA has until 2022 to bring its centre in line with ICAO’s full requirements. SANSA’s fellow centres are located in the USA, Europe (the Pan-European Consortium PECASUS), and the Australia, Canada, France and Japan Consortium, for the global centre, and a joint venture between Russia and China. The initial requirements to get ICAO’s approval included the need to demonstrate that the Space Weather Centre provides accurate quality information on the impacts on HF Communication, navigation applications and radiation exposure, show that it had institutional support and key partnerships in place, and that it could provide strong ICT support services capabilities. Whilst SANSA’s centre already had a lot of credit to its name, it still has progress that it

Space weather can influence the performance and reliability of technological systems which society relies on daily, such as power grids, navigation and communication systems

SANSA

needs to achieve to meet the 2022 deadline. Lee-Anne broke it down for us: “The SANSA Space Weather Centre needs to expand from a limited-focus, one-speciality domain centre to a fully operational 24/7 centre within the next three years. The team responsible for providing space weather monitoring and know-how will need to be increased, as well as the support team. Several areas of expertise will need to be put in place, including forecast verification support and expertise in solar physics. Priority instrumentation will need to be upgraded and networks expanded to ensure that near realtime data covering the impacts of all domains will be available to the centre.” “An expansion of SANSA’s space weather activities in the African continent is also planned as the designation as a Regional Centre comes with a responsibility for understanding the impact across the region and not only on South Africa. Several new products and services will need to be developed for the operational

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environment, and this will present exciting opportunities for research and development as well as for addressing the needs of the aviation users, and those of other sectors. SANSA is confident that we will make the requirements, and in so doing take a very important step on the international stage for South Africa and Africa.” As we have said, the primary function of the Space Weather Centre is to monitor the space environment. From this data, the Centre produces bulletins, forecasts, warnings and predictions on space weather conditions for use by the various industries that it can impact. However, its operations and research go further than this: “The Centre also studies past space weather events and utilises gained knowledge to improve models, predictions and forecasting procedures; provides training on the interpretation of space weather information; conducts user needs analysis to understand what stakeholders require from

A WEATHER EYE

space weather information; and collaborates +27weather (0)21 959 6925 and closer with space researchers engineers on new models, and growing the info@amayaspace.com geophysical data that is used for predicting www.amayaspace.com the space environment.â&#x20AC;? In summary, they are not only performing an essential service, but are constantly working to improve both what they do, and our understanding of the further impacts that space has on our lives. This work is already impressive enough, but it is only one segment of a far bigger undertaking. Making use of its magnetically clean area, SANSA also produces magnetic technology products, and offers services such as landing compass calibrations, magnetic surveys, geomagnetic modelling and magnetic navigation ground support. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Space Agency also utilises Earth observation images to provide processed information that is important for resource management and allocation, as well as disaster management services. The requirement for these services spans across

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SANSA

all sectors and includes, for example, water resource management, and human settlements mapping,” Lee-Anne told us. In fact, the SANSA’s many services and areas of research are so varied, the best way to learn about them all is to look it up, and see a thrilling reminder that NASA are not the only space agency out there doing ground-breaking work. Speaking of NASA, SANSA naturally collaborates closely with many other global space agencies, including the North American

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giant. It also works with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Space Agency (DLR), and has recently signed a cooperation agreement with space agencies in the UAE and Nigeria. Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell has been with SANSA from the start. She joined the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory as a Researcher in 2004, specialising in ionospheric physics. When SANSA was established during 2010, she was appointed Acting MD of the HMO and was part of the establishment team for SANSA. In April 2011, the HMO became a part of SANSA, and she was instead made MD of SANSA’s Hermanus facility, putting her at the forefront of SANSA’s Space Science Programme, as well as tying her closely to the Agency’s history. Lee-Anne obtained her PhD from Rhodes University, who at the time were the national experts in space physics. She described her passion for this branch of science as being inspired by “the discovery of the unknown, and the utilisation of that unknown to provide applications that help solve problems and challenges.” Continuing to talk about her passion for Space Science specifically, and how the ground-breaking work they do at SANSA can impact lives, she said: “The work that we do is unique, challenging and exciting – every day, someone is discovering something new, stretching the imagination and our abilities. So many great technologies that we cannot live without today originated from the space programme. Our daily work could influence the way the next generation live their lives, run their businesses and/or communicate.” That truly sounds like an exciting environment and industry to work in, and highlights SANSA as a place to watch. As Lee-Anne says, “We could be making a discovery or a decision or building a capability today, utilising space know-how and solving today’s space challenge, that could revolutionise the future.”

Space weather diagram

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A TASTE OF PAKISTAN Mehran Bottlers chevron-square-right www.pakola.com.pk phone-square 0092 321 4115228

On the 14th August 1947, Pakistan celebrated its first Independence Day as a newly formed sovereign state, following its divide from India during India’s own independence from Britain. Three years later, on the same day, the Pakola brand was launched, and the patriotic green beverage has been tightly and nostalgically linked with Pakistan ever since. We spoke with Zeeshan Habib, CEO of Pakola’s creators, Mehran Bottlers Ltd (MBL), about his family’s company and the journey it continues on, within and beyond Pakistan.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

“I

f you ask any Pakistani who has lived in Karachi, they’ll tell you about Pakola and you’ll see a smile on their face.” Zeeshan speaks lovingly about both his company’s signature product and his country, and his enthusiasm for both is contagious. They are both as much his heritage as the other; from the age of six, the now-CEO was educated at boarding schools in the UK, but in his summers, he would return to his family home, where he would spend much of his time in Mehran Bottlers’ factory, run by his father Zafar Habib and, after his father’s passing, his uncle, Arif Habib. “All my friends were British, so when I came back to Pakistan, I didn’t know any of the children. So, my mother would send me to the factory. I was running around the place - I would sit in the different departments, and as I grew up older, I would take part. I would work in marketing for two months one summer, then in purchasing the next year.” In this way, Zeeshan experienced all of MBL at a lower level, learning the family business as he grew, and the company became a third home to him. In 2002, once he completed his education, Zeeshan returned home for good, where he trained under his uncle for two years before Endeavour Magazine | 41

MEHRAN BOTTLERS

Arif handed over the role of CEO. It was a legacy Zeeshan was proud to continue: “Pakola is a very strong, iconic Pakistani brand; I’ve always had a lot of confidence in the brand, and I’ve always felt proud to be a part of this family. I’m the third generation looking after this business; for me, it’s not like work – it is my passion, to carry on the family tradition and to carry on the family name.” For those who have never tasted Pakola, the fizzy drink is a cream soda with a vanilla and rose based flavour. From the packaging to the liquid inside, the product is Pakistan green; whilst that may not seem like a colour that lends itself naturally to vanilla and rose, it ties in perfectly with the patriotic links that Pakola (whose name derives from Pakistan + cola) carries: “With Pakola, MBL has made a strong connection with Pakistan and all Pakistanis living abroad. We aim to connect Pakistani hearts and minds with the national spirit. The beverage was launched at the Pakistan Air

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Force Base on Independence Day 1950, in the presence of the first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan; hence, it evokes intense nostalgia and leaves an enduring association between itself and the country. As per its slogan, ‘Dil Bola Pakola’! On the topic of tradition, one of the most important lessons Zeeshan learnt from his family was how MBL should treat its people, continuing a tradition of kindness and care: “We migrated from India to Pakistan in 1950, and when we shifted, my family were involved in the shifting of a lot of people from our past too. We always made sure to contribute to the local community. When I was young at the factory, I would see my uncle taking care of the employees. He’d always treat them as family. It was these values that my family passed down to us - they were instilled in our minds and our DNA, in a way, and we are still following them today.” As well as its success at home, about 10% of all Pakola produced is exported. These exports are sold to the USA, Africa, Canada, Middle East, UK, Ireland, Sri Lanka, North America and Australia. In all of these countries, the beverage is found mostly in areas where there is a high Pakistani, Indian or Bengali population, and the sales account for 10% of MBL’s total revenue. In 2018, these export sales have risen by 24%. “We see much more potential and look forward to a further increase by targeting more markets in the coming year.” Mehran Bottlers is a passion for Zeeshan, but serving as its CEO has not been without its challenges. Having spent much of his time in the UK, he was unfamiliar with living full-time in the culture, climate, and the business-world of Pakistan. “Having lived in England for 15 years, when I came back, it was difficult to adapt. The weather was hot and dusty, the food was very spicy – I was missing my fish and chips! - and my language skills were not so strong. I still think in English; I don’t think in Urdu. So, I had to adapt.” “Running a business in Pakistan is not easy. There are a lot of external factors beyond our control that affect our business. For example,

A TASTE OF PAKISTAN

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MEHRAN BOTTLERS

we’ll be running production and the power will go out. Then, there are political issues; they could lead to shutting down a city of 20 million people.” These sorts of complications were unfamiliar to someone who had largely grown up abroad, and each complication could affect MBL’s supplies or production, which in turn could impact efficiency or sales, but Zeeshan learnt on the job. “Slowly and surely, you adapt yourself and improve, and plan so that these contingencies are taken care of.” Despite these challenges, Mehran is flourishing. The company operates one of the most modern can filling plants in Pakistan, producing top of the line cans ready for consumption. As well as producing Pakola, MBL also has franchises producing beverages for several other companies, including the UK’s Vimto and the USA’s Apple Sidra. On top of these contracts, however, perhaps the most major change for the company came when it began its work with Coca-Cola. When Zeeshan become MBL’s CEO in 2004, he took a look at the company’s operations and decided that he wanted to diversify. He didn’t feel that they were achieving all they could with their resources, and so he reached out to some household names: “I thought, this is very limited work when we could do a lot more, so why not reproduce beverages for other people, like Coca-Cola or Pepsi? So, I wrote to CocaCola.” The soda giant didn’t respond straight away, but as MBL continued to grow and updated its facilities, they got in touch. MBL now fulfills toll filling for the The Coca-Cola Company for Coca-Cola itself, Sprite, Fanta and Cappy Juice. Before this, The Coca-Cola Company imported all of its cans into Pakistan from the Middle East, so the contract with MBL saved the corporation a great deal of funds. As for MBL, this side of its business now accounts for around 50% of its total revenue. The latest venture for MBL is with another well-known name. Heineken, one of the world’s top beer companies, recently signed an agreement to allow MBL to produce nonalcoholic malt beverages under three of their famous brands: Amstel, Maltina and Solar 44 | Endeavour Magazine

Power. As a primarily Islamic country, Pakistan does not have an industry for alcoholic drinks, but non-alcoholic alternatives are still popular for the flavour. Producing a drink like this had been on Zeeshan’s bucket list, and so when a member of Heineken fortuitously reached out to him over LinkedIn, they entered into two years of talks, and production is now set to begin this June. The production of these drinks, along with MBL’s other canned drinks - which account for the fastest-growing of its products - will soon take place at the company’s new, state-ofthe-art factory in Faisalabad. Based in Karachi, which is in the south of Pakistan and near the shore, MBL has always been placed in and ideal position for import and export. These imports used to include cans, which MBL would receive from the Middle East. However, the majority of demand for Pakola and MBL’s other products is in the north of the country (for example, 75% of Coca-Cola’s sales are in the north), and the transport costs to ship their product across the country were higher than exporting them to the UK. This was all soon to change when British company Ashmore began work on a can manufacturing factory in Faisalabad, which sits in the north of Pakistan. This was to be the country’s first can manufacturing facility. By chance, Zeeshan discovered that the land next to this development was for sale, and he saw an opportunity to solve two issues at once; developing a factory of their own next to this can manufacturer would save greatly on the shipping costs of selling MBL’s products in the north, and on top of that, it would cut out the need to import cans from the Middle East, saving on both time and money. “I thought, if the cans are now going to be made in Pakistan, I should be right next to them.” This decisive move seized an opportunity before someone else could, and is set to make MBL’s work both cheaper and more convenient, which is always a welcome combination in business. However, sometimes the right decision isn’t to march ahead, but to wait. For example, MBL had everything in place for the launch of

A TASTE OF PAKISTAN

a Pakola Water line, but for now, those plans are on hold. The change came as a result of Pakistan’s new water tax, which would make the venture unprofitable. This government response to Pakistan’s lowering water level has many companies concerned - particularly beverage companies. “Water is our numberone raw material.” The tax is considerably higher than its equivalent in Canada and other countries, and Zeeshan states that were MBL to pay it, the cost would be almost as much as their revenue. He is not alone in his concern. “We are opposing the tax right now; not just me, but Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Nestlé we have all joined together to oppose this. We understand that the water level is going down and we want to contribute towards the government resolving this issue, but it must be a practical and sensible solution. Under this new tax, it will cost companies like CocaCola $2 million extra per month to operate in Pakistan.” As an entity, the united companies

have all vowed to shut down operations in the country if they are forced to pay this bill, which Zeeshan suspects was imposed before its outcome had been fully calculated. It is a difficult external challenge to face, but MBL’s bonds with its fellow companies are strong, and its ambitions for the future are unshaken. On top of all the developments it currently has in the works, MBL is considering eventual expansion into energy drinks, aseptic juices and the possibility of juices in cans. “We believe in the growth of the beverage industry and are looking forward to capitalising the growth potential ahead of us. MBL’s future hold the promises of even greater achievements, provided we remain forward-looking, performance-oriented and capitalize on our strengths, whilst eliminating our weaknesses.”

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AMAZING WORLD

THE PETRIFYING LAKE

ocated in the Arusha Region of Tanzania, sitting below the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano within the Gregory Rift, Lake Natron is a beautiful yet sinister wonder of nature. Fed by the Southern Ewaso Ng’iro River plus a number of mineral-rich hot springs, the entire lake is less than three metres deep and, at its fullest, is approximately 35 miles long by 14 miles wide. Despite its vast size, it is only the sixth largest lake in Tanzania. The most striking feature of Lake Natron however is the deep red colour of the open water mixed with the often orange hue of the shallower parts. This is a characteristic of lakes with a very high evaporation rate, as salinity levels increase to the point where salt-loving microorganisms thrive. It is the cyanobacteria in these organisms that produces the colouration within the lake. Due to the high level of evaporation leaving behind certain minerals plus the composition of the surrounding bedrock, Lake Natron has concentrated into a caustic alkaline brine that tends to leave a salt crust on the surface. This is often red or pink in colour itself due to the same microorganisms found in the water. The lake’s high temperature and intense salt content tends to repel most animals, however it

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by David Kimberley is home to some invertebrates and birds. In fact, it is the only regular breeding ground in East Africa for the lesser flamingos, who depend on this one location. Gathering along the nearby saline lakes to feed on algae, the flamingos then nest on seasonally-forming islands on Lake Natron, protected against predators by the caustic environment. Amazingly, two endemic species of fish can be found in the slightly less salty water around the edge of the lake, living right on the doorstep of the much less hospitable environment. These red waters are also referred to as ‘The Petrifying Lake’ for a very good, though macabre reason. Animals that perish in the water are turned into statues through calcification, preserved by the sodium bicarbonate content. A number of expeditions to the lake have led to the finding of various birds, including flamingos, fish and even bats eerily captured post-death. The question has of course been asked as to why so many animals are found in this state in the water. One theory is that the reflective nature of the lake causes birds to crash into it, however the bats’ sonar would not be fooled. It remains a mystery. What is known is that the waters of Lake Natron will continue to be deadly to most species.

It is perhaps not unexpected that there have been attempts by Tanzanian companies to develop soda ash plants on its shore. The expectation is that plants such as these would pump water from the lake and extract the sodium carbonate, which would then be converted to washing powder. This would require other builds: workers would need housing too and a power plant would be needed to supply energy to the entire complex. However, in 2018, the government shelved all development plans after a review of how it would affect the natural habitat. That said, it is inevitable that an untapped resource such as Lake Natron will one day be plundered for the minerals within the red waters. With a risk to the nesting rare flamingos, it is a significant ethical dilemma but one that hopefully Tanzania will find a suitable solution to when the time comes.

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A NEW MALAYSIA DMIA chevron-square-right www.dmiagrp.com phone-square 00603 7726 1189

Malaysia is committed to pushing for new heights of excellence, and that commitment is shared by Dhaya Maju Infrastructure Asia (DMIA). We spoke with Datuk Seri, one of the cofounders of DMIA, about the already well-established company’s exciting up and coming potential in the growing Asian market.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

atuk has worked in construction within Malaysia for 25 years, and 22 of those years have been with DMIA, a company he founded with three partners. “We started out as a small construction company, and today, we directly employ about 600 – 650 people, and indirectly an additional 500.” With over two decades behind them, the company is one with a firm foundation and a well-practised way of operating, and yet, it isn’t too set in its ways. 2019 is a time of growth and change for the company, in no small part because the Asian market is seeing a developmental boom. The region in general is flourishing, and DMIA’s home country of Malaysia is no exception. May 2018 saw the first change in Malaysia’s government in over 60 years, which suggests the gravity of the impact that this recent change has made. The new government has placed an emphasis on development, and this push towards the future means fruitful prospects for all involved, but especially for companies working in construction. For DMIA, the country is already a familiar and wellestablished market, so this push can only mean good things; “Malaysia, we know very well; we have a long history. It’s a very stable country. We have new leadership now, and I think, so Endeavour Magazine | 49

DMIA

far, they’re doing a good job. They’re driving the country to the next evolution.” However, it is not fortuitous placement alone that has set DMIA to benefit from these wider developments. The company is also uniquely set to make the most of some of the opportunities that are rising – in particular, in railways. “We are specialists in laying railway tracks. In fact, we are the only company in Asia or Southeast Asia that owns a complete set of equipment dedicated to railway construction.” As well as possessing expertise and “technical knowhow”, as Datuk often calls it, the company also works closely with further experts to ensure that everything they do is safe and of a high standard. For example, they frequently work with Metacos Group of Companies, innovative leaders in the fields of metallurgical testing and consultancy. The company has also invested heavily in high-quality machinery to give it the advantage in tackling this type of work. “We invested almost a $100m in machinery and

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specialised equipment. With this, I think we are set over others in Asia.” Some of the machines in their line-up include S2PV machines, which remove and relay tracks seamlessly. Their equipment even includes imports from Germany that, as far as Datuk is aware, aren’t owned by any other companies in Asia. This heavy investment was well chosen, as railways are a key part of the development taking off across Asia; “Currently, railways are a main focus for us due to the expansion in Malaysia, and we also want to expand this regionally in Southeast Asian countries, where the railway is growing quite fast.” The company is looking at Myanmar, Thailand and the Philippines as potential areas to branch into, thanks to interest they have had from foreign multinationals who are considering partnership with the company, although these talks are still ongoing (set to conclude towards the end of this year). However, DMIA has its current focal points: “We are looking at regionally expanding into other Asian countries, but I would say that Malaysia and India are our two main areas.” Like Malaysia, India is putting a lot of emphasis on expanding its railways. Fortunately, it is a market that the company already knows well: “We have worked in India since 2003. The Malaysian High Commission in New Delhi was built by us, so we do have expertise and a presence in the country.” As well as this prestigious contract, the company has also worked on general highway and rail contracts there, and each job has allowed them to learn the market’s differences to Malaysia’s: “India is a very challenging, complicated market. You must go in with the technical know-how, you need to be very sharp, and you must have a proper monitoring system in order to overcome the challenges that you’ll face whilst you’re there. Yet for all the challenges we face, we write these off, because the potential in India is great.” DMIA take pride in having both the administrative, technical and practical requirements of managing and running a construction project down to a fine art. “We are a hands-on contractor, not just a project management contractor, though I think we

A NEW MALAYSIA

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DMIA

are a good combination of both. We are good technical managers and are very strong in project management, but at the same time, our machinery is owned in house, which gives us a strong advantage.” All of the company’s ERP -Enterprise Resource Planning - is provided by a company known as 6D. In essence, this covers all of DMIA’s online systems. Of course, this impressive investment isn’t worth much unless DMIA’s team has the expertise to use it and a passion for their work: “At DMIA, we always tell our team members that they should be dedicated to what they do, and they should be meticulous on the details. We send our staff to the various training opportunities, to sharpen their knowledge and acquire them the necessary skills for their work. Education is something of a life-long process; in our industry, you need to keep up to speed with the latest technology. So, for all team members, we need to continually send them to the latest education programmes.”

Staying up to speed on technology doesn’t just apply to heavy equipment and safe construction practices, though these are key; it also applies to the project management side of DMIA’s business, as 22 years have seen its team evolve from doing their planning on Excel to using specialised management software. The company also sends its senior managers to leadership workshops, as strong talent and training will only flourish so far without welltrained leadership, and vice versa. “Leadership is very important. Guiding a team towards a quality, timely delivery is vital especially in our industry. We want to be the company that people like to partner with, so, we deliver things on time, we deliver a quality product, and we deliver safety in the process.” Even though DMIA is a Malaysia-born company, its employees are multinational, both within its Malaysia-based staff and the local teams that it employs for its foreign contracts. “If we’re working in another country, our top

METACOS GROUP OF COMPANIES Metallurgical Consultancy and Services Sdn

• • • • • •

Metallurgical consultancy Failure investigation Microstructure analysis / Identification Development of welding procedures (WPS) Slow Bend Test & Fatigue Test for Rail In situ test Replica/Hardness/Macro

www.metacos.com 52 | Endeavour Magazine

• • • • • •

Salt Spray Test Ferrite Count Diffusible Hydrogen Content Positive Material Identification Heat Treatment Corrosion tests

A NEW MALAYSIA

key managers will be from our expert team in Malaysia, and they will be combined with the local talent. We bring on local young engineers, give them the relevant training and put them in their first job.â&#x20AC;? Looking to the future, as well as their expansion plans and their continued emphasis on railways, DMIA are looking to lease their company, and will be spending much of 2019 preparing for this. They are currently looking into the possibility of pursuing this in Hong Kong. As for contracts, they are tendering two new projects in India, and a few throughout Southeast Asia, as well as some African countries. They are on the lookout for companies interested in partnering with them as they grow their reach, but the future certainly isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sparse on ways to keep them busy.

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BACK IN THE AIR Ethiopian Airlines chevron-square-right www.ethiopianairlines.com phone-square 00251 116 656666

Recently in the news in connection with a tragic accident, Ethiopian Airlines are nevertheless continuing to pursue the glowing Vision 2025 plan that they set for themselves in 2010. Affected but not defeated, Ethiopian are here to show that they are as notable and reliable an airline as ever; we connected with the African carrier to see how they have been since the events in March, and to catch up on their exciting ongoing plans for the future.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

thiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is a longestablished African airline, and yet, still one of the fastest growing. The aviation company has been in operation for over 70 years, and in that time, it has become one of the continentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success. The Ethiopian Airlines Group is the largest aviation group in Africa, a SKYTRAX certified four-star global airline. It has long held a reputation for efficiency and, above all else, safety, so seeing its name in connection with the recent fatal crash was a shock in the Endeavour office, as it was to many. The pan-African carrier works in close collaboration with a number of entities, providing passenger and cargo services across the globe to more than 119 destinations. The organisations it works with include not only other airlines and businesses, but governments and NGOs. These connections are testaments to the high esteem that the airline is held in. Its March tragedy was therefore a surprise to many, and before exploring what the future holds for this company, we of course have to touch upon what happened. On March 10th, an Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed only six minutes after take-off from Endeavour Magazine | 55

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, in clear weather conditions. Tragically, all 157 people aboard the Boeing 737 MAX 8 were killed. Following the accident, a thorough investigation into the incident was undertaken, including the flight’s black box being sent to Paris for analysis, as well as evidence being gathered from the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the crash site itself. There were questions into whether the fault lay with the airline or the training of their crew members, even though Ethiopian has always been highly regarded for its state-of-the-art flight training programs. However, investigations soon found that the fault lay not with the airline, but with an error within the Boeing 737 MAX 8’s sensors. According to the investigation, the aircraft passed an airworthiness test before take-off, all of the crew were properly trained and licensed to operate the flight, Boeing’s recommended procedures were followed and take-off was normal.

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So what went wrong? Boeing, and the company’s president, chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenberg, have issued statements admitting to a technical fault on their part. It was found that the aircraft’s Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System, also known as MCAS, activated in response to incorrect Angle of Attack information. It appears that Ethiopian flight’s staff had already turned off the antistall software that was being activated by this error once, but the software re-engaged four more times – all of this within the first six minutes of flight. Despite Boeing admitting that the fault is theirs, Ethiopian is still issuing compensation to the families who lost loved ones in the crash. Meanwhile, all Boeing 737 MAXs were grounded during the investigation, and the company has now addressed the error. Muilenberg told a conference in Dallas, Texas that Boeing has conducted 96 test flights of the modified 737 MAX and that their pilots have taken part in more than 159 hours of tests, which all results in the improved Boeing operating as it should. Even though the issue has been owned and amended by Boeing, could this incident affect Ethiopian’s reputation? It seems to still stand true; later in March, the Group received the African Champion of the Year Award at the CEO forum event held in Kigali, showing the high esteem that the airline is still held in, and deservedly so. Other recent acknowledgements have included Tewolde’s induction into the African CEO’s Hall of Fame during the African Leadership Magazine’s Persons of the Year ceremony, and acknowledgement received from the global civil society, Most Influential People of African Descent. Whilst deeply affected, including the loss of personnel, the company has not let this incident dishearten its ambition, nor its commitment to the standards that have previously set it apart and ahead in the continent. The flawed Boeings removed, the rest of Ethiopian’s fleet is the best that Africa has to offer, boasting aircraft that Tewolde described as “ultra-modern and environmentally friendly”, such as Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter,

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

and the Bombardier Q-400 double cabin. This modern fleet is kept young, with the average age of aircraft coming in at five years. Not only is it young, but it was first-wave, as Ethiopian was the first airline in Africa to operate any of these aircraft. Ethiopian is still growing. In fact, over the past seven years, the airline has averaged growth of 25% a year. It knows that it has the assets and capabilities in place to keep reaching for the next goal; already, the airline commands a powerful segment of the PanAfrican passenger and cargo network to more than 119 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents. It is adding new destinations to its roster, including Turkey and new stops in the USA. Tewolde shows no thoughts to stopping; “We still have huge potential and opportunity to grow, and we are going to continue that growth.” As a Group, Ethiopian is currently working towards its Vision 2025 plan, a 15-year strategy that began in 2010. This plan seeks to promote Ethiopian as the African leader in not only its airline, but all six of its business centres: Ethiopian International Services; Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services; Ethiopian MRO Services; Ethiopian Aviation Academy; Ethiopian ADD Hub Ground Services and Ethiopian Airports Services. Many of these are already enjoying continent-wide success. For example, Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services is Africa’s largest cargo operator, and was recently awarded ‘African Cargo Airline of the Year’ and ‘Air Cargo Brand of the Year in Africa’ for the fourth year in a row at the STAT Times International Awards for Excellence in Air Cargo. Of course, Ethiopian’s key asset continues to be its staff, and the Group knows it. Its Human Resources Development plan is one of the four major pillars of Vision 2025. Currently, the company employs over 16,000 people, and all of these staff require training in order to perform their roles to a standard of excellence. Much of this training takes place at the Ethiopian Aviation Academy. This Academy has operated since the 1960s and continues to be one of Ethiopian’s key business centres. The Group had continuously invested in the 58 | Endeavour Magazine

growth and efficiency of the Academy, meaning that today, it is the largest and most modern aviation academy in Africa. Its size allows it to process 4,000 trainees a year, covering all of the essential skill areas in aviation. Over only the last few years, the Group has invested over $100 million in the Academy, and its development continues: “We aim to multiply trained aviation professionals across the African continent. Our state-of-the-art aviation academy has been built to great the best African aviators for Africa. We invite all to come, learn and become an aviation expert.” Amongst the Academy’s recent graduates have been 20 cabin crew trainees from Mozambique, who will work in the newly opened EthiopianMozambique airline. In addition to training aviation skills to new and developing personnel in its Academy, both to future members of staff and individuals who will work elsewhere, Ethiopian Airlines also places great importance on training its staff for managerial positions, and promotes from within wherever possible. Tewolde himself has been with the company for 34 years, and assumed his current position in 2011. Before then, he worked his way up through the company: “Since I joined Ethiopian Airlines in 1985, I have served in different capacities in the cargo traffic handling department and progressed up the ladder to Manager Cargo Traffic Handling. I also worked as Regional Director for India and South East Asia based in Bombay and later on transferred to Jeddah as Area Manager for Saudi Arabia. When Ethiopian Airlines commenced direct services to the USA, I was appointed as Area Sales Manager for North East USA and Canada based in New York. After that, I served as Executive Officer Marketing & Sales, and Chief Operating Officer before assuming my current position as Group CEO.” Tewolde’s career is a perfect example of the progression possible within the Group, for staff who are dedicated and want to learn. Both regarding employee careers and the overall success of the airline and Group, Tewolde feels that the heart is clear: “I believe that hard work lies at the heart of success. There is no substitute or short cut to

BACK IN THE AIR

success other than working hard to achieve your goals.” Of course, for a team to work hard and flourish, it also requires strong support and effective leadership. As GCEO, the latter now falls to Tewolde himself, and the management teams working with him: “Effective leadership is all about motivating and rallying a team towards a clearly defined vision. At Ethiopian, we have been setting ambitious visions (Vision 2010 and Vision 2025) which have propelled the airline towards remarkable growth, making it the leading aviation group in Africa. To ensure staff engagement, the airline’s management communicates the set targets to staff and employs different approaches to motivate employees to contribute their share in meeting the goals.” The continued training and support also helps to incentivise staff, as does the aforementioned progressive promotion opportunities within the Group.

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ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

This highly motivated and well-trained team faces many challenges, however. Operating an aviation group contains a vast range of logistical issues, but on top of that, the industry is also going through a difficult period.According to the International Air Transport Association, African carriers are predicted to report a $300 million net loss in 2019. This is a slight improvement on the $400 million net loss in 2018, but is a sign that business is still challenging. However, whilst many airlines in the continent are losing funds, Ethiopian’s efficiency, long-standing partnerships and experienced approach to its operations means that it is not. Part of the cause for these losses is that aviation operations have become more expensive in Africa than they are elsewhere in the world, including high jet fuel price, ground handling costs, taxes and airport charges. On top of these challenges, restrictions in some African countries mean that Ethiopian is not able to expand as it would like. Furthermore, the

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Single African Air Transport Market initiative is still in its development stages. “SAATM, the AU initiative of eventually creating a single African air transport market, is making headways but a lot needs to be done.” However, Tewolde continues to be confident in Ethiopian’s vision and its systems. As he proudly told us, “We continue in 2019 with our Vision 2025 fast, profitable and sustainable growth strategy. As a pan African airline, we are committed to serve the continent in good times and bad. We shall support and play our part for the growth of African air transport by collaborating with African governments and airlines.” With 70 years’ experience behind it, and a team of “avid and experienced industry experts” running the airline, there is little that could ground Ethiopian. They continue to be as dedicated to their high standards as ever, and are moving forwards with the ambition and confidence earned by seven decades of dedication.

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SAFETY-DRIVEN CONSTRUCTION South East Construction chevron-square-right www.secon.ca phone-square 001 306 745 4830

Offering a plethora of services within the Canadian maintenance and construction fields, South East Construction is part of a competitive world but has neatly set itself apart by focusing on “safety-driven” operating standards.

Written by Amy Buxton

outh East Construction (SECON) is a construction and maintenance company with a difference in that it not only prides itself on the quality of workmanship being provided, but also the exemplar safety standards that always underpin every project. So many enterprises seem to pay lip service to safety concerns but SECON has made it a central ethos, “SHIFT - Safe, Healthy, Incident Free Teamwork! With combined efforts towards values, attitudes, goals and relationships we have developed a safety culture that stands out with much success. Responsibility for encouraging our safety culture starts with our management team, flowing out to each of our valued employees. Everyone has a part in making safety a priority. We care about the wellbeing of our employees and want to set them up for success. At South East Construction, we are “Safety Driven”.” Setting the standard A multi-trade company headquartered in Esterhazy, SECON has completed a number of high-profile projects within the potash mining and milling industry, both above and underground. Covering new construction Endeavour Magazine | 63

SOUTH EAST CONSTRUCTION

initiatives and ongoing maintenance contracts, SECON has become something of a go-to name in the potash arena, but that’s no reason to become typecast into one sector, “We have also worked on many construction projects in the power generating, coal mining and crushing, fertiliser production, and oilseed crushing industries.” This diversity of interest areas is impressive enough, but when you consider the vast range of services on offer, to each and every different market sector, it becomes clear that SECON is not simply existing in a competitive world but thriving. Taking on everything from structural steel work through to pipe fitting, electrical contracts, earth works, demolition services and underground mining operations, to name just a few, a crack team has been assembled to uphold the reputation that has been so voraciously worked for, “South East Construction is CWB certified, Boiler Branch Certified, ISNet registered, SCSA

Certified and is a member of the Saskatchewan Construction Labour Relations Association. Within our organization we have some highly qualified people, including a construction manager, health and safety manager and safety administrators, as well as numerous longtime employees in foreman and tradesman positions.” Big ambitions with a local touch With employees becoming synonymous with family, there’s a tangible sense that a local connection is intrinsic to the success of SECON. By nurturing and looking after every team member, staff turnover is enviably low and offers clients, old and new, reassurance that consistency and conscientiousness will always be maintained. This is an exceptionally important aspect, given the variation in services on offer and industries being catered for. With big name operations needing the best support providers, SECON has amassed an incredibly impressive client roster, “South East Construction has worked on numerous construction and maintenance projects directly for owners like SaskPower, PCS, Mosaic, Saskferco, Prairie Mines and Royalties, Bunge, Roblin Forest Products and others. We have also worked extensively for EPCM firms such as AMEC, Hatch and SNC Lavalin and as a subcontractor on major construction sites for WSIndustrial, Disaster Management, Comstock, Graham, Magna, Westwood, Promec, Pyramid, PCL and numerous others.” While the stringent safety concerns and family feel of SECON are certainly both significant selling points, it’s the specialist services on offer that really keep the highprofile clients rolling in and the portfolio is being consistently diversified and improved upon. Specialising in Saskatchewan “South East Construction is relatively unique in its ability to provide fabrication support to all of its projects with a fully integrated steel fabrication and painting facility. The modern facility is equipped with an industry leading

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SAFETY-DRIVEN CONSTRUCTION

PythonX robotic CNC plasma cutting machine, as well as a full-service paint shop.” Adding these elements to the already full-tobursting roster of services has allowed SECON to rise above and beyond local competitors, with a one-stop solutions package being available for seemingly every need. There are doubtless plenty of operations that are able to offer installation and construction services, but how many can say that they are able to fabricate the elements being installed, let alone finish them with appropriate paint, epoxy or enamel coatings? It wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to assume that only SECON can. People come first Any company working within a highrisk industry will need to be aware of risk management strategies, but given how committed to safety that SECON is, it goes a step beyond in order to protect its people,

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SOUTH EAST CONSTRUCTION

“We are a company that is totally committed to safety and providing a safe working environment for all of our people and anyone working on or near any of our projects. We have developed a comprehensive safety programme that includes; extensive training, hazard elimination, risk assessment and management plans, continuous input from employees and staff and ongoing upgrades to our programmes to keep us at the forefront of the safety in our industry.” With a keen eye for new talent, SECON is always on the lookout to add to the team of professionals already in place and in return, successful candidates can expect an enviable remuneration package, great benefits and a nurturing atmosphere that can only be garnered from a genuinely local connection. It’s important to note that projects outside of Saskatchewan are also happily embraced and look set to be a significant part of the future growth plans of SECON,

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“South East Construction provides construction and maintenance services from structural steel to general contracting. We are a growing company and wish to be part of your plans for construction in Saskatchewan and beyond.” With an almost fully integrated system in place, a bursting portfolio of vital services on offer and a team of professionals in place that can put any and all rivals to shame, SECON is perfectly positioned to keep building. That goes for its fantastic reputation, as well as client projects.

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STRENGTH AND HERITAGE Bell Equipment chevron-square-right www.bellequipment.com phone-square 0027 35 907 9111

Few companies can match Bell Equipment’s fascinating mix of history and machinery industry expertise that has propelled it into the prominent position that it now enjoys.

Written by Amy Buxton

ounded back in the 1950s, in Zululand, it wouldn’t be underselling the efforts of Irvine Bell to say that Bell Equipment had a humble beginning. Borne out of an inspired engineering mindset, the likes of which are rarely witnessed but in this case, led to the creation of a homemade water-boring machine, Bell Equipment, essentially, started out as a repair service, “Irvine took up an offer to start a farm machinery repair service on a sugar estate near Empangeni on the North Coast of Natal, South Africa. The enterprise’s ability to repair even the most extensively damaged or worn machinery soon attracted work from further afield.” A company with promise With a reputation for being able to fix anything and everything comes a natural increase in the amount of work being offered and as such, structured growth. In 1958, things began to get serious for Irvine, when family members joined the operation and a dedicated workshop was built, alongside his home. What would follow is years of family members growing up amongst the excitement, machinery optimisation for improved harvesting efficiency Endeavour Magazine | 69

BELL EQUIPMENT

and, eventually, the development of a whole new class of equipment, “Irvine Bell’s approach was to develop a whole new class of machine. Utilising emerging hydrostatic technology and borrowing hydraulic motors from an old motor grader, his prototype three-wheeled loader was granted a patent and named the greatly manoeuvrable self-propelled machine. Able to control each of the large drive wheels independently, the Bell Tri-Wheeler could turn instantly on its own axis. Also, the simple control concept was easily assimilated by operators without any previous machinery experience.” With the 1970s came a whole new era of business development, with a move to the Empangeni industrial area and Irvine’s sons joining the team. Keen to make a move into mass production of machinery, the younger generation was able to prove, through a particularly buoyant initial production year, that this was the way to go,

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“Applying practical hydrostatic systems experience gained while working on sabbatical with the Vickers distributor, Peter Bell made significant improvements to the TriWheeler’s design and in 1975, with the expiry of the manufacturing license which had seen production being outsourced, Bell itself began production of complete machines.” This rapid growth paved the way for more developments, including a custom-built factory in 1984, as well as partnerships throughout the world that transformed Bell Equipment from a small family operation into a serious global player. A provider for the world The simple truth of the matter is that there isn’t a country in the world that doesn’t have a need for reliable, strong earth-moving equipment. From developing countries through to expanding industrial giants, everywhere needs access to fantastic construction

BELL EQUIPMENT

machinery and Bell Equipment has seen to it that it is at the top of the list, when it comes to providers. Starting with a 25-ton articulated truck design that was launched in 1985, Bell equipment went on to expand the product range in accordance with perceived client needs. By 1989, the flagship 40-ton articulated dump truck had been launched and led to even more diversification. Blink and you could have missed the release of a new model, thanks to the responsive business model in place, as well as a network of partners, “To complement its own product range, Bell Equipment has partnered with global equipment manufacturers to provide customers with a comprehensive range of machines in the construction, forestry, mining and agriculture industries. The group has a customer devoted distribution network that is proud of their service record. Our strategic partnership formed with one of the world’s

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largest equipment manufacturers, the John Deere Company, during 1999 provides the financial strength to realise our goal - to be the world’s premium articulated truck supplier, and in Africa, the equipment brand of choice.” This aim was not only realised but also surpassed, thanks to even more strategically beneficial partnerships with the likes of Hitachi, Bomag, Liebherr and Finlay, all of which have made Bell Equipment a household name through their distribution channels. It would be a stretch to call this a rags to riches story, but it’s certainly true that from humble beginnings and Irvine’s determination to engineer things differently, came a global sensation that is now looking ahead and hoping to secure even more success in the future. Keep on trucking Having built an impressive operation from the ground up and with little more than an intuitive and inquisitive engineering mindset

STRENGTH AND HERITAGE

at the start, Bell Equipment is now a global contender in terms of mining and construction machinery that packs a real punch, so how can it improve on perfection? The answer is simple: by releasing more new models, specifically designed to meet the needs of a growing client base, over a number of continents. In addition to this, supporting existing customers and encouraging them to support their own enterprises by purchasing more pieces of equipment will also play a major role in the continued growth of Bell Equipment, not to mention staying on top of new regulations. In a bid to demonstrate not only the models that have put Bell Equipment at the forefront of the industry, but also the new ideas that are paving the way for future efficiency, the team put on an impressive show at the Bauma 2019 exhibition. The largest and most prestigious event within the construction equipment arena, Bauma is the ideal platform for announcing new developments, such as,

“…conversion to new emission regulations, model specific improvements and the group’s worldwide commitment to pro-active customer support strategies.” To think that such a successful operation, that today supports the interests and projects of numerous other revered companies throughout the world, started as a humble repair operation is quite something. Then again, it was also the brainchild of a bona fide engineering savant and with the enterprise still being manned by members of the Bell family, there’s no telling how much more can be achieved. One thing is beyond doubt, however: that Bell Equipment is an operation that will move the earth, both metaphorically and literally, for its clients.

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AUTOMOTIVES

FIESTA ST LINE X 1 litre petrol turbo charged engine with EcoBoost producing 140PS.

a great everyday car. We then tested the 2.3 Supercharged version, which still had its stunning good looks, great power and RP £20,185 but with our extras it came versatility, and was considerably friendlier on in at just over £23K. Extras can easily the pocket. Similarly, Ford have done the same add thousands to the RRP so be sure thing with the Fiesta ST. that you really need them. From the extras we If you want an ST, but the full-fat version had the 18” wheels and LED headlamps, which just costs too much to buy, insure and run, finished the car off a treat. then you can go for the ST Line, which is Ford’s The Ford Fiesta is the bestselling car in the UK sportier range with a smaller engine. If you and has been around since 1976. Throughout are interested in purchasing this car you get this period, it has gone through many facelifts, a choice of engine outputs. Our test car was and huge credit is due to Ford, as the Fiesta the 140PS (138bhp) version, which is the most remains fresh, innovative and fun to drive. powerful; however, you can also choose the I love the way Ford take their full-blown 125bhp or 100bhp options. sports models and pop a smaller and more The test Fiesta we had was in Ford’s lovely economical engine in them. Last year, we Race Red colour. The car does feel sporty, and tested the Ford Mustang 5.0 V8, which was a the little 1.0 litre (138bhp) engine is surprisingly beast of a car. That Mustang was a stunning fast and fun to drive. The ST Line enjoys sports car, and surprisingly practical, able to seat up tuned suspension and the classic ST look, to four adults. However, it did have a major including iconic front fog lights, ST grille, bumper, drink problem, which excluded it from being side skirts, rear spoiler and chrome exhaust.

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The sound of the exhaust is also nice and throaty, giving it that final sporty touch. Inside the cabin, you are wrapped in hugging sports seats, aluminium pedals and a leather trimmed flat-bottomed sports-style steering wheel. This car is such fun to drive and nip around in. The harder sports suspension is perfectly balanced, and you can go hard into corners without a moan or groan, and come out the other side unflustered. I love the way the dashboard looks, and everything is easy to understand and in the right place. This is a great little driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s car, eating up every fun-filled mile. The ST Line comes in both three-door and five-door

options. In my opinion, the three-door option I tested looks the coolest by far, managing to look fast even when it is standing still. The downside is that it is a bit of a tight clamber to get to the back seats, but once in, the rear it is surprisingly roomy and comfortable. Another drawback is that the longer doors on this model mean the pillars that hold the front seatbelts are way behind your shoulders and a bit of a reach. My kids really liked this car, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the thing with the ST line; it is aimed at a younger audience than this near 50-year-old reviewer. I can appreciate the car, but the elements that appealed to my kids left me wanting something softer, so I popped along to my local Ford dealer and had a look at the Fiesta Vignale, their luxury version, and wow, what a car! The reason the Fiesta is the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bestselling car is that it is so versatile, and there is a model for everyone in the range. So, you can like or loathe this model, but I assure you that there is a model in the range for you.

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STRUCTURAL STEELWORKS

BOLTS & NUTS

COATING SYSTEMS

PIPE ACCESSORIES

TUNNEL & RAIL SYSTEMS

Specialist Builder of Structural Steelworks Leading Manufacturer of Bolts, Nuts, and Tunnel & Rail Systems www.chinyuanmetal.com | 18 Tuas Street, Singapore 638455 Tel: (+65) 62650550 / Fax: (+65) 6262 0550 | Email: sales@chinyuanmetal.com

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SHIPSHAPE AND CORRECT Scamp Worldwide Network chevron-square-right www.scampnetwork.com phone-square 00350 200 79015

Boasting more than 50 years of “saving time and money”, SCAMP is a saviour to the shipping industry that prioritises the provision of cost-effective solutions that promise to optimise vessel operational performance and it’s showing no sign of slowing down.

on’t let the name SCAMP mislead you as to the seriousness of the company itself, as it stands for Submerged Cleaning And Maintenance Platforms, which gives far more insight into the critical nature of the work carried out by the multi-skilled team in question. The shipping industry is a notoriously competitive market sector, with high operating costs and even higher risk factors involved, but certain entrepreneurial companies are seeking to make a niche for themselves by working in a different way and that’s where SCAMP comes into its own. Having been founded on staunch principles that sought to offer clients the best balance of expertise and cost-effectiveness, over the past 50 years, the team has honed its offerings down to a selection of core services that promise improved performance and fuel economy. It’s because of these select services that SCAMP has been a significant market leader in the arena of fuel conservation, since 1971, and despite being arguably the most impressive private company in Gibraltar, it hasn’t lost the family-run touch that makes it something special.

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SCAMP WORLDWIDE NETWORK

A big presence with a local touch Though SCAMP enjoys prominence in over 280 locations, there is a sense of locality to each and every one of them, because it is a company that seeks to ingratiate itself into the shipping community of wherever it is. It stands to reason that this is due to the influence of the parent company, the Gibunco Group, “As part of the Gibunco Group we can provide a full range of marine services from ship agency to fuel conservation and underwater engineering. Gibunco Ship Agency is the largest operation of its kind in Gibraltar, offering a full range of services on a 24-hour basis, 365 days per year. In addition to Gibraltar, Gibunco Ship Agency has offices in Ceuta, Algeciras, Las Palmas and Tenerife, providing comprehensive coverage of the Strait of Gibraltar.” With such a strong contingent of background support, SCAMP is free to continue building on its fantastic reputation as a vital part of

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the shipping industry, through the exemplar completion of specialist services. Supporting the industry from the bottom up From the coordination centre, located in Gibraltar, SCAMP is able to offer a full contingent of flexible and adaptable services that can be deployed at any time. This is a truly 24/7 operation with an inherent understanding of the fact that the worst rarely happens at a convenient juncture, “On receipt of your enquiry we get to work immediately, even at short notice. Once the job is scheduled, we coordinate the maintenance to ensure minimal loss of operational time. As your vessel approaches your port of choice, our coordination centre alerts the local SCAMP crew, sending through relevant data and the vessel’s maintenance history so we can get to work immediately.” This around-the-clock dedication is on offer, regardless of what is needed and it’s a fair bet that whatever problem arises, SCAMP has a solution that can solve it, whether it’s ecological hull cleaning, propeller polishing, inspections and surveys or underwater repairs. In terms of flagship services, ecological hull cleaning is definitely something that SCAMP has become renowned for. With a crack team of experienced divers on hand to use hull cleaning machines, clients can be assured that their vessels will enjoy renewed performance and improved speed. Most impressively, the techniques used guarantee that there will be no damage, even to delicate surfaces such as soft paint finishes. You might well assume that this endeavour couldn’t possibly work alongside a commitment to environmental concerns, but SCAMP is no regular shipping services operation, “We take environmental protection seriously. We are 100% committed to protecting the marine environment and over the past 50 years, have developed a unique approach to hull cleaning that ensures minimal ecological impact. Our tried and tested hull cleaning machinery adheres to the hull via the intense suction force created by its central impeller, which also directs fouling through its impeller

SHIPSHAPE AND CORRECT

tunnel and therefore destroys harmful invasive marine species. The debris is then converted into a fine residue which is safely returned to the sea as sand, ultimately limiting the impact to the local marine environment.” Propeller polishing is another popular offering and gives clients peace of mind that their vessels are working at maximum efficiency. Repairs can also be completed, in a bid to prevent damage to engines and propeller shafts. These services are often called upon following an inspection or survey, which again, are specialist services that SCAMP is pleased to offer, “Our expert divers and technicians perform photographic hull inspections and surveys, backed by full CCTV and DVD footage. Our technical reports provide a detailed assessment of general hull condition, the state of paint coating, cathodic protection and any damage to steel surfaces and appendages.”

Singapore Underwater Contractors Pte Ltd • Established in 1979 • Specialized in underwater ship maintenance services • Consists of 3 fully equipped diving workboats (SR2275F , 3039B and SR 3169J) • 25 full time staffs Accredited by: • American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) • Bureau Veritas (BV) • China Classification Society (CCS) • Det Norske Veritas (DNV) • Germanischer Lloyd (GL) • Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (LR) • Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NKK) • RINA

24-hour emergency hotline (65) 6454 5508 (65) 96352 697 www.uwcontractors.com Endeavour Magazine | 81

SCAMP WORLDWIDE NETWORK

These inspections allow for extensive planning in terms of dry dock work, or even underwater repairs, which are perhaps the most advanced services on offer. The recognised world leader in the field of underwater hull welding, SCAMP is a go-to solutions provider that has cornered the one-stop shipping industry market. From maintenance to problem identification and even exceptionally niche repairs, there’s nothing that SCAMP can’t and won’t do for its clients. With a global network in place, a safetydriven approach and industry-leading expert divers carrying out every service to the highest quality standards, SCAMP has not only earned its enviable reputation, it is actively safeguarding it. Remaining true to the core services on offer and seeking to grow through increasing the number of countries that it has a presence in will allow SCAMP to avoid diluting the specialist nature of its services while still evolving. With a deep-seated commitment

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to embracing green initiatives also present, it’s going to be fascinating to watch the next chapter of this innovative company unfurl, with environmental concerns certain to play a central role in any new developments.

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THE PRIDE OF VIETNAM Masan Resources chevron-square-right www.masangroup.com/masanresources/ phone-square 0084 4 3718 2490

Working to an ultimate aim of becoming the premier mineral mining operation in Vietnam, Masan Resources is a company that pairs ambition with expertise beautifully and as a result, is making serious inroads into one of the world’s most competitive industries.

Written by Amy Buxton

ining is a complex industry riddled with just as much competitiveness as it is risk and environmental concerns, which is why only the strongest companies survive and turn a tangible profit. It takes a certain level of tenacity, experience and innovative thinking to make headway in such an unpredictable arena and Masan Resources, located in Vietnam, is determined to be one of the few, “Masan Resources is looking to become Vietnam’s private sector resources champion by acquiring, exploring and developing resource assets of scale. Vietnam is endowed with significant resources across a variety of metals and minerals. We believe that with our experienced management team, local access, strong execution capabilities, international partners and capital raising abilities, we have developed the right platform to consolidate these assets and build Masan Resources into the leading mineral mining company in Vietnam.” Putting in the groundwork In a bid to ensure a strong presence in the mining industry, 2010 saw Masan Resources take a controlling interest in Nui Phao Mining, Endeavour Magazine | 85

MASAN RESOURCES

an operation with ownership of an open pit location that had been proven to contain numerous mineral deposits. With Tungsten, fluorspar, bismuth and copper all having been discovered, the potential of the mine was clear to see and demonstrated a significant investment opportunity, which Masan Resources has continued to build on, “Since taking over the Nui Phao Project, we have focused on key areas to complete investment requirements for the project and support its successful development. At the beginning, we concentrated on essential functions to deploy the project, specifically completing legal requirements for the project, arranging sufficient funds, re-enforcing the management team and accelerating compensation and resettlement activities. In 2011 and 2012, we continued on the back of this success and focused on the acceleration of project development, which eventually

enabled the Nui Phao mine to start commercial production during the first quarter of 2014.” To move from acquisition to commercial production in just four years is impressive, but didn’t give rise to any slowing down. 2014 was, in fact, a year of serious progression, with Masan Resources focusing entirely on increasing production rates, which came to fruition in the final quarter of the year. Naturally, this has provided an excellent basis for continued growth. A strategy for sustained development A multi-pronged approach has been instigated by Masan Resources, in order to maximise the potential of the successful Nui Phao takeover and it doesn’t come as a surprise. It would be exceptionally short sighted to believe that tenacity alone would be enough to make inroads into a hugely competitive marketplace and there’s no place for blind hope in the commercial sphere either. The multifaceted strategy of the management team here, led by CEO Craig Bradshaw, is both intuitive and inspired, focusing on quality people, best practices and the importance of local relationships, “Masan Resources has assembled a worldclass team of international mining industry professionals who have extensive experience in building and operating projects in the region with international best practices. We have the right team to develop and operate the Nui Phao mining successfully and to develop Masan Resources into Vietnam’s premier private sector resources company.” There’s no doubt that this aim is beautifully on track, thanks to the Nui Phao location meeting the exceptionally high standards of the Equator Principles, which are widely considered to be the gold standard for social and environmental sustainability within the mining sector. The real clincher, however, is the three-layer execution manifesto in place. Three is the magic number Masan Resources has created something of a holy trifecta in terms of managing risk, developing a location and reducing the impact

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MASAN RESOURCES

on the communities that it operates in. The latter point is particularly pertinent, “Masan Resources leverages local relationships to access and execute opportunities and to obtain preferential access to quality assets. We are proficient at navigating central and local government and regulatory requirements and use governmental and community ties to accelerate onsite progress.” Combining this with a commonsense approach to capital usage, which seeks to assist with the optimisation of production and expansion, as well as infrastructure improvement, has led to an incredible platform for mining prowess and industry progression. Where many other operations would fail at this point, by failing to accommodate for risk, of course, Masan Resources has neatly sidestepped this pitfall, “We are always significantly de-risking projects through the Masan platform. Macroeconomic risk is hedged against

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commodity price fluctuations with Masan Resources’ diversified basket of metals and minerals and financial risk is negated through access to the Masan Group’s stable capital flows and investor networks. Finally, operational risk is accounted for via access to the Masan Group’s trading partners, customers and professional management expertise to solve operational issues.” Success and responsibility in equal measure When a company has identified an aim to be the premier example of what they do within a competitive industry, as Masan Resources has, there is always a risk that ambition will overtake ethics but that’s demonstrably not the case in this instance. Caring just as much about the environment and local communities as profit margins, Masan Resources is setting a world-leading example to the mining industry, as well as striding to the forefront of the Vietnamese arena,

THE PRIDE OF VIETNAM

“By the end of 2014, the Nui Phao project had invested over US$80 million into the local community affected by the project, towards compensation, resettlement and various economic restoration activities. To date, we have provided economic restoration to over 3,000 households from the projectaffected area, through alternate skills training, employment with Nui Phao and partnerships with international investors to provide employment opportunities for the people.” A socially responsible company with exemplar parent group backing, a clear and defined aim and an experienced management team that can make it happen, Masan Resources is operating on a whole different level. What’s more, the goal of being Vietnam’s premier private sector mining company suddenly doesn’t seem like such a stretch, as there’s a sense that it has already been accomplished and so much more.

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GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS Anaconda Mining chevron-square-right www.anacondamining.com phone-square 001 416 304 6622

Anaconda Mining Inc. is a TSX-listed gold mining, exploration and development company focused in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, Canada. Within the Atlantic Canada area, the company is looking to take the perceived challenges and limitations of deposits in the area and turn them to its advantage. We took a look at Anaconda to learn more about this unique strategy and the results the company believes it will yield.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

n Atlantic Canada, gold mining projects and deposits generally appear small in scale compared to other parts of North America. As we know from the numerous gold exploration companies we’ve spoken with, fivemillion-ounce deposits are the holy grails that investors are looking to once again find, but on the other end of the scale, projects that contain less than one million ounces are generally sold at a discount and given very little regard. This attitude is true regardless of the geographical location, and in Atlantic Canada, projects of this nature abound. Rather than seeing these small fish as a waste of time, Anaconda sees this attitude as an opportunity. The lack of competition for Atlantic Canada projects means they are ripe for the taking, and Anaconda believes that they have more potential than people realise. “These deposits have the potential to garner reasonable returns on investment,” the company claims, “And just have been overlooked because of a market perception.” This perception makes investors reluctant to pick up these projects, and Anaconda feels that due to this, the full yield of these deposits goes undiscovered. Therefore, the company has taken the bold strategy of focusing its Endeavour Magazine | 91

ANACONDA MINING

attention on acquiring these sub-one millionounce deposits, mostly in the Atlantic Canada area but reaching out to Eastern Canada on occasion. The current projects in its portfolio are primarily the Point Rousse Project in the Baie Verte Mining District, Newfoundland, and the Goldboro Project in Nova Scotia. The Point Rousse Project is made up of the Pine Cove open pit mine, the fully-permitted Pine Cove Mill and tailings facility, the Stog’er Tight deposit, and a new mineral deposit discovery called Argyle. On top of these, it also includes around 5,800 hectares of prospective land that should also hold gold. The Goldboro Project is a more recent acquisition for the company; economically, this high-grade mineral resource could, once it is developed, make use of some of the existing infrastructure at Point Rousse. As well as these two focal points, Anaconda also has a pipeline of potential growth opportunities, including the Viking and Great Northern Projects on the

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Northern Peninsula, and the Tilt Cove Property on the Baie Verte Peninsula. Anaconda plans to acquire more projects and to develop them to production levels of 30,000 - 50,000 ounces annually each. However, despite the size of the projects it is acquiring, Anaconda’s long-term focus is on high-grade, low-tonnage deposits rather than low-grade bulk mining. Amongst the projects it acquires, the company hope to find higher grade deposits ranging from 4 to 7 grams per tonne, depending on the mining and processing rates. In the short term, by extending the life of the Point Rousse Project and bringing Goldboro into production, Anaconda expects to reach an annual production level of 50,000 ounces by 2020. Currently, it produces around 16,000 ounces per year, all of which comes from the Point Rousse Project. The company also believes that it can expand the mineral resources at both projects. At Point Rousse, Anaconda has already established an internal mineral resource at Argyle, and there are also four primary exploration targets within 500 metres to four kilometres of the Pine Cove Mill. Overall, Anaconda believes it could increase its total mineral resource portfolio to approximately two million ounces in the next few years. Anaconda has been the only gold producer in Atlantic Canada to be consistently in commercial production for the last seven years. This fact has helped it to create a name for itself in the area, as well as to build up both experience and physical infrastructure, both of which it feels set it apart and give it the competitive advantage. “There are approximately 16 projects and greater than 11 million ounces of gold in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. With numerous companies controlling these projects, Atlantic Canada gold assets are ripe for consolidation. Many of these projects have NI 43-101 mineral resources but no adequate financial and human resources to advance them. They need a catalyst to renew interest in these projects and being acquired by Anaconda could be such a catalyst.”

GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS

With the advantage of its experience and infrastructure, Anaconda believes that it could be this catalyst. It knows the area, the industry, the processes, and it has the resources in place. On top of all this, the company also cites two more areas as its key strengths: a skilled workforce, and advanced technology and innovation. As the company itself states, “The greatest asset that Anaconda has is its people. Success begins and ends with people.” The company has a strong commitment to employee education, offering both formal and informal mentoring programs to its staff, as well as sending them to both external and in-house training, furthering their staff’s skills and allowing them to acquire trade certifications. It isn’t stopping there, either; the company is turning its dedication to staff training towards a major internal development – the Anaconda University. This training system will teach all of the skills and disciplines needed to work within mining, from

technical subjects to management, safety and financial skills. These courses will be taught from both a wider industry perspective, and more specifically, from the angle of Anaconda’s structure, systems and approach. “The vision for AU is to fully engage and develop employees while aligning their learning to the strategic objectives of the company. It will be a platform to support innovation and the development of new ideas, provide motivation to the workforce, and retain and attract high quality talent.” As for Anaconda’s technological advantage, the company has initiated and invested in several research and development projects in conjunction with Memorial University, the College of the North Atlantic and the Canadian government, all relating to mining, mineral processing and exploration. These projects aren’t small; the largest to date was a $3.5 million initiative to commercialise a technology that allows companies to economically mine single, narrow mineralised underground veins.

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ANACONDA MINING

This sort of development is the kind that frequently interests Anaconda; mining smaller or more delicate deposits in a profitable manner ties hand in hand with their portfolio and business plan. This particular technology is being developed by Memorial University and receives partial funding from ACOA and RDC. Anaconda also uses modern innovations such as using GPS on shovels and blast movement monitoring to increase the productivity of its mining operations. The company has also monetised the Pine Cove pit waste rock as a construction aggregates product. All told, Anaconda’s strategy might be a gamble, but it has plenty of reasons to be confident. Its portfolio currently accounts for around 1 million ounces of gold, with expansion potential at both Goldboro and Point Rousse. The company’s experience, infrastructure, well-trained staff and investments into new technologies all place it in a strong position moving forwards, and the pieces are in place

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to take annual production to approximately 50,000 ounces in the next few years. It will be interesting to see how the company’s strategy plays out, and if they’re on to something, it could lead to a shift in attitude towards one-million-ounce deposits. Of course, that underestimation is all part of the opportunity that Anaconda has seized; this is a trend that you want to be at the front of, if you’re to ride it at all. If this gamble pays off, Anaconda could have created a unique road to success.

GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS

Making every ore blast more profitable Blast Movement Technologies provides the most accurate and profitable blast movement monitoring solution. Our multi-award winning BMM system accurately measures ore movement, minimising both loss and dilution, increasing overall ore yield. Working closely with operators across the globe to be more profitable, BMT supplies the complete solution, hardware and software, to start reaping the benefits from your very first blast. #knowmoregetmore

blastmovement.com

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A CAREFUL INVESTMENT Dundee Precious Metals chevron-square-right www.dundeeprecious.com phone-square 001 416 365 5191

Dundee Precious Metals is a small gold exploration company with big ideas. Its current leading project is its copper mine in Chelopech, a revived mine that first began operations in 1958, that Dundee invested vast amounts of its revenue into in order to revive it as a modernised and profitable venture once more.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

he Chelopech mine is located in centralwestern Bulgaria, about 70 kilometers east of Sofia. The mining licence covers 266 hectares located in the northern part of the Panagyurishte mining district - an area rich with copper-bearing massive sulphide and porphyry copper deposits. Dundee currently possesses the licence, and permission to operate on the land for 30 years. Overall, during its long life, this mine has produced more than 19 million tonnes of ore. Dundee acquired it in 2003, but it first went into operation in 1954, and its timeline between those two dates is filled with events. Production as a state-owned company reached 100,000 tonnes per year in 1971, 17 years after it first opened. After this slow growth, it then accelerated and quadrupled in only five years, following expansion work and the construction of a new concentrator. This figure continued to rise until 1988, when it reached a peak of 512,000 tonnes per annum, before beginning to decline. This decline picked up dramatic speed between 1990-1992, after which the mine was closed for maintenance, and acquired by Navan in 1993. The closure was also due to a ruling by the Bulgarian government in 1990. Before Endeavour Magazine | 97

DUNDEE PRECIOUS METALS

this ruling, the nearby smelter accepted Chelopech’s sulphide-rich concentrates, but the levels of arsenic in the mine’s copper meant that the ruling was eventually passed to prevent the processing of these concentrates at this smelter until the arsenic levels were corrected. This was particularly important as the mine’s concentrates would be blended with cupriferous concentrates from the nearby Elatsite Med and Assarel Medet mines. The mine had and continues to benefit from strong infrastructural support in general, with major roads, power lines, water sources and a nearby town in place, but the loss of access to this smelter was a bad blow when the mine was already in decline. After re-opening the mine, Navan operated it until late 2002, when it went into bankruptcy, and in 2003, it was acquired by Dundee Precious Metals. Seeing the potential of what it now owned, the company reinvested almost all of its profits (around a staggering 90%) to develop and reignite the closed mine. It worked to modernise the mine, improving both its efficiency and its safety standards, bringing the archaic operation into a new age and making sure that it was up to international standards, on these fronts as well as environmental protection and sustainable development. A part of this modernisation involved the installation of a wireless network throughout the mine that would allow for the innovative application of digital solutions to better gather, analyse and send data about the mine’s status in real time. The company also invested in a well-trained team. All of this has made a difference for the community and the company alike, and Dundee expressed its excitement at being able to affect this level of change: “Although modern mining faces significant challenges, being able to successfully drive positive change and introduce innovations is empowering. Seeing people grow in skills and knowledge, leadership and management is taking the company to new industrial horizons.” Today, the annual ore processed at the mine has increased from 523,810 tonnes in 2004 to 2,052,138 tonnes in 2015. 98 | Endeavour Magazine

This upswing in the mine’s success was not achieved through the company’s internal mining operations alone, and neither can its success be categorised purely by its output. Dundee has also worked to improve its environmental impact and its relationship with the community. When the company first acquired the historic mine, it found that not much had been done to account for its environmental impact: most significantly, no land had been rehabilitated. This had greatly negatively affected the mine’s relationship with the nearest village, who had lost usable land to the project. Dundee learnt from its predecessors’ mistakes, working to correct the situation, and also making an effort to improve communication with the community moving forwards. This involved a learning curve. For example, in 2010, a project proposed by the company was met with backlash and, rather than proceed, they went back to basics and readdressed their plan. Eventually, the company learnt that the best way to form this new plan would be in face to face meetings with the community leaders, and this led to a far more harmonious resolution, which in a wider sense, led to smoother relationships and working conditions all round. Dundee also operates a copper mine in Tsumeb, Namibia. Looking to the future, though, the company is hoping to expand its work in Bulgaria whilst branching into the gold market by developing the Krumovgrad project. This licence covers the land near Ada Tepe, approximately three kilometers south of the town of Krumovgrad in southeastern Bulgaria. Dundee plans to work towards the construction and development of an open pit mining operations that, according to the company’s proposition, will include a processing plant and an integrated mine waste facility. From here, the company plans to use crushing, grinding and flotation to extract gold from the mined ore. From predictions, the site would only have an eight-year mine life, but if built to plan, the plant would be able to process and treat up to 840,000 tonnes of ore a year during that time.

DUNDEE PRECIOUS METALS

The infrastructure around the site makes it a desirable location to develop. There are also small villages scattered throughout the licence area, many of which are involved in subsistence farming, and the state also uses the area for forestry, so paved roads, power and water resources are already available nearby. The Bulgarian state originally had this land explored in the early 1990s. This undertaking produced geological mapping and soil sampling of the area, as well as magnetic and induced polarisation surveys, and some trenching and drilling work was carried out near a couple of the site’s prospects - the Surnak, Skalak and Kuklitsa prospects. The results were promising enough that in 2000, Balkan Mineral & Mining AD, made a bid for the licence. This exploration group was a subsidiary of Dundee. It furthered the exploration efforts in the area, and Dundee is now confident of the site’s potential enough to have it slated as its next major development.

Dundee may technically be a small mining company, but they have an impressive portfolio that looks set to only grow richer as their work at Krumovgrad progresses. Chelopech is a testament to both the work and investment they’re willing to do, and their ability to do so shrewdly and with wonderful success. Hopefully, they can do the same at Krumovgrad - we’ll be sure to keep our eyes on them and check back in to find out.

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AMAZING WORLD

AN EYE ON THE TIGER

he tiger reigns supreme as the largest big cat on Earth. Weighing in at an average of 204kg (450lb), they are a creature to be admired. One of the tigerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s six subspecies, the Siberian (Amur) Tiger, can even weigh up to 300kg and grow up to 4m (13ft) in length. The other five subspecies are the South China Tiger, the Malayan Tiger, the Indochinese Tiger, the Sumatran Tiger, and the Bengal Tiger. The most numerous subspecies, isit is believed that 2,000 Bengals populate the wild, which is 50% of the wild population of tigers in total. It is concerning to know that there are under 4000 tigers left in the wild now, because at the start of the 20th Century, the global population was roughly 100,000, and a 96% decrease has been witnessed. Tigers were once known to range across the regions of Western, Central, and South Eastern Asia, but are now mainly found within Indian and Siberian regions. In the animal kingdom, tigers are known as a charismatic megafauna; a large animal found historically in mythology, folklore, religion,

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by James Lapping films and literature, with a strong symbolic value. Tigers are still seen as deities in religions such as Hinduism, and are prized as symbols of national pride in the various countries that they roam. Although this admiration of the tiger is clearly apparent, the creature has been, and still is, threatened by continued poaching and illegal trade of its body parts, even though the trade of tigers for commercial use was banned in 1987. The illicit industry is worth $19 billion dollars. This unsettling demise of the wild tiger population can be linked to various factors. Traditional Chinese medicines use various body parts of the tiger for a variety of ailments. The meat is also served as a rare delicacy, and it is even possible to purchase wine that is created from tiger bones (which is believed by some to pass the strength of the tiger on to the consumer). Tigers are also poached for their furs and kept as pets. Tiger farms have been on the rise in China recently, and these supply the demand for tigers and their body parts, even

though they are participating in an illegal trade. 8,000 tigers are believed to be kept captive in tiger farms, double that of the global wild population. A similar number of tigers are kept as pets in the USA. Approximately 7,000 tigers are kept in houses, apartments, and other unsuitable environments for an animal that belongs in a vast wild habitat. It is not all woe for tigers, however. Staunch conservation and global cultural shifts beckon a positive future. CITES, the treaty that regulates the international trade of wildlife, now demands that countries with captive tigers report on the welfare of these creatures, and that tiger farms such as the ones in China make sure that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not entering into the illegal trade. The use of traditional medicines in China is now waning, and as we travel deeper into the 21st Century, the use of scientific medicines has become much more dominant in Chinese culture. Experts who aim to increase tiger numbers in the wild also believe that there

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is still enough habitat across Asia to home up to 20,000 tigers, in areas away from human settlements. It is paramount that the animals that currently live in captivity are eventually released into the wild. On average a tiger will roam up to 1,500 miles - it is clear that living in a tiger farm in China or an apartment in the United States will cause the tiger undeserved stress, which inevitably leads to attacks. There has been friction between humans and big cats for some time, but it is more than possible for each to live side by side, albeit not in the same apartment. In the Western Ghats of India, an indigenous group called the Soliga are doing exactly this. In their Hindu religion, the tiger is a deity and is believed to be an animal transport for the goddess, Durga. This culturally engrained respect for the tiger, and their vegetarian diet (also stemming from Hinduism) has allowed the Soliga to successfully live in the same habitats as the tiger. There hasn’t been a single recorded incident in their community, and this could be due to the fact that there is no livestock for the tigers to attack, and no competition over hunting prey in the area. The Soliga also believe that the tiger benefits the community, as it protects their crops from other animals, and stops any raiders coming into close contact with the Soliga. The story has added intrigue, as other non- indigenous groups in the region have in fact had numerous incidents with tigers. This clearly suggests that there is something to learn from the environmentally harmonious lives of the Soliga people. It is also very promising to hear that initiatives are in place to return tigers into the wild where they once roamed. In 2017, it was announced that tigers were planned to be reintroduced into Kazakhstan. The animals were wiped out there in the 1940s, due to hunting and the loss of habitat. They will be reintroduced into a nature reserve with enough space to roam, where they will be kept safe from poachers and will have enough food to live on. The project will commence in the Ili-Balkhash region, an area the big cats used to inhabit. If all goes well, then the tigers are scheduled to be introduced back into Ili-Balkhash by 2025. Askar Myrzakhmetov, the Minister of Agriculture in Kazakhstan, said: 104 | Endeavour Magazine

“Kazakhstan is moving along the path of green development. We are honoured to be the first country in central Asia to implement such an important and large-scale project, that not only will bring wild tigers back to their ancestral home but also protect the unique ecosystem of the Ili-Balkhash region.” There is also a success story on the other side of the tiger’s historical range, far east in the wilderness of Siberia. Successful conservation by the WWF and assistance from the Russian Kremlin have seen their numbers rise from 330 in 1995 to 540 in 2015. Putin himself is a big fan of the Amur Tiger, believing it is a powerful symbol synonymous with national pride, and has seen to it that logging in their natural habitat is banned, as well as increasing the fines for those involved in illegally commercialising the animal. In the 1930s, there was a population as low as 20-30 Siberian Tigers, showing how far they have come since then. A similar story can be heard in Nepal. Through rigorous conservation and assistance from the government in protecting endangered species, the country that had 121 tigers in 2009 almost doubled the population to 235 in 2018. The main conservation group working with wildlife experts across the tiger’s range in Asia is the WWF. Their aim is to increase the number of wild tigers to more than 6,000 in 2022. This year is particularly symbolic, as it is the ‘Year of the tiger’ in China. The initiative is one that is already showing quantitative successes. The number of wild tigers has risen from 3,200 in 2010 to 3,900 by 2016. If this upward trajectory continues through habitat protection and antipoaching patrols, then there is no doubt that the WWF will be able to reach their target to stabilise the community of beautiful tigers living wild and free. Let’s hope that 2022 really will be the year of the tiger!

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A GREENER FUTURE Menlyn Maine chevron-square-right www.menlynmaine.co.za phone-square 0027 12 361 7758

Taking its name from its flagship project in Pretoria, Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings’ ambitious development is located in the northern part of South Africa’s Gauteng province. The city of Pretoria itself is one of South Africa’s three capitals (the other two being Bloemfontein and Cape Town). Each holds a branch of the South African government – in Pretoria’s case, the administrative branch. The city was established in 1855 and has naturally undergone many changes and evolutions since then, but now, it is about to gain its first ever ‘Green City’.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

e spoke to Henk Boogertman, Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings’ Executive Director of Architecture and Design, about their company and the project that they are driving. Pretoria’s ‘Green City’ development, Menlyn Maine, began in 2008, when the land site was first purchased. Eleven years later, it is finally in its last stages, with around 85% complete. The entire precinct is Green Star rated, making it not only the first green city near Pretoria, but the first in the entire country. To qualify for this rating, every element of the city must reach a careful green standard, from power and power generation to water recycling and purification, waste management and waste recycling, and even the use of sustainable, efficient air conditioning systems. One of the greatest aims and challenges of the task is to maintain a high standard of living and design whilst also meeting this green criteria, not sacrificing either to achieve the other. As the company states, “Human connectivity is the cornerstone of our mission and vision at Menlyn Maine. We strive to connect humans and create an environment where this connectivity can be celebrated.” To achieve this, the company must think carefully Endeavour Magazine | 107

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about the layout within each building, and also how the developed city interacts as a whole. It is so far achieving its aim in delivering quality; as Henk told us, “All of our buildings are minimum 4-star rated. This includes retail, offices, sport and recreation facilities, hospitals, residential apartments and hotels.” Not stopping at just the buildings, the company has put the same level of thought into its outdoor spaces, which are not only attractive, but accessible. “Our many parks, piazzas, as well as our welldesigned paraplegic spaces, all have disabilityfriendly pavements and general pedestrianized accessibility throughout the precinct.” Improving both accessibility and, through discouraging the use of cars, the city’s green rating, public transport is also a key priority for Menlyn Maine, making sure that public transport points are in close walking distance to all major city locations. In good design, practicality is essential, but it is not the full story, and when it comes to traffic and transport, thought has also been given to aesthetics: less than 10% of vehicle parking in Menlyn Maine is placed above ground, whilst over 90% will park underground. This green city has been in development for over a decade, and it is very close to completion. The way it has taken form has been well received: “As the precinct is almost complete, with only four more building sites to be developed, one can already see how the precinct lives and works. As a sustainable, people-friendly and pedestrianized precinct, it has become the address of choice to work, live, shop and experience world class entertainment. Menlyn Maine is regarded as a remarkable success story in the development fraternity country wide,” Henk tells us with pride. The results are not only admired, but are even being used as learning points by others – an example of ‘What To Do’, and how to do it well. “We have been approached by various landowners and developers to come over to our developments on educational tours and fact-finding missions.” The logistical undertaking of creating an advanced, coordinated green city, combining residential, commercial and retail builds, was 108 | Endeavour Magazine

vast. “Building a large, mixed-use project over ten years calls for careful planning, management and on-going marketing. The biggest challenges faced were town planning approvals and the successful management of the building process, especially in and around buildings that are already occupied as completed parts of the puzzle!” Whilst working on the green city, the company developed and still co-owns a 90,000 m² regional shopping centre in Ballito, Kwa-Zulu Natal. Now, off the back of both successes, and as work on the green city is drawing to a close, Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings is looking into two new development projects to throw its talents at. “We are now purchasing two new mixed-use projects in the Western Cape and Mbombela provinces in South Africa. We are absolutely convinced that designing and developing mixed-use precincts and urban spaces lead to better architecture and urban design, better environments for people to live, work, shop, be entertained etc. This in turn leads to better and sustainable projects that make better investments over time.” These projects are currently still in the planning and negotiations stages with the sites’ land owner groups. The company aims to be able to officially announce both projects in the coming months. Whilst both projects will take inspiration from Menlyn Maine, and will similarly be green, mixed-use urban developments, they will not be copies of the company’s flagship, or even each other: “Both initiatives will be very different from each other and if they come to fruition, they will certainly offer great excitement and create enthusiasm in the areas around the sites.” Menlyn Maine Investment Holdings are a South African based company, and this is where they intend to stay: “We prefer to operate within the borders of South Africa, even though I have operated as an architect (with Boogertment & Partners Architects) on large projects in Kuwait, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, China and Mauritius”. Henk’s past experience is varied, but the company is dedicated to development in its home country, even though the conditions in

A GREENER FUTURE

the sector are not always favourable: “The building industry in South Africa is extremely depressed, due to a slow-growing economy. South Africa does however have a few ‘pockets of excellence’ where we focus our energy and expertise. We have very strong competition, as there are a number of developers in these areas where there is still demand and growth capacity.” Whilst there is firm competition, companies also engage in fruitful cooperation to combine their talents and take on the challenging sector together. “We form joint ventures with other developers and contractors with whom we have built up sound and strong relationships over the years, as some of them are experienced in certain types of developments, and sharing risk from time to time in new projects is very helpful to get them off the ground. WBHO and Barrow Properties are our preferred contractors and development partners, and we also partnered and co-developed some of our retail-

Currently under construction is the Trilogy Phase 1 residential development. The first bases was casted early October 2017. With 3 basements of 17 177m^2, the 17 stories Southern High Rise Tower of 17177m^2 making up 358 units with a pool area on 16th floor and the 4 stories Eastern Low Rise building of 3636m^2 with 16 luxury apartments construction works is set to be completed by October 2019. With potential new Menlyn Maine projects lying ahead WBHO will hopefully reach a decade of works in this now well established precinct by next year.

www.wbho.co.za • T: +27 11 321 7200 • F: +27 11 887 4364 • E: wbhoho@wbho.co.za

The first foundations were cast in October 2010 in the Menlyn Maine Precinct by WBHO. Since then we have completed seven projects in the precinct.

The projects consist of 5 office buildings of 121,000 square metres office and parking space, as well as the “Menlyn Maine Central Square” mixed-use development of 164,000 square metres.

Currently under construction is the “Trilogy Collection” luxury residential apartments that will host 374 units. With potential new Menlyn Maine projects lying ahead, WBHO will hopefully reach a decade of works in the now established precinct by next year.

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orientated projects with Flannagan & Gerard, a well-respected and very successful shopping centre development company in South Africa.” Menlyn Maine itself only has a small team of around 25 members of staff, of whom seven are in senior management positions, with the rest working in finance, leasing and administration. “We believe our staff are respected and remunerated well. We involve all our staff in training and mentoring, as is required to take our company forward. We strive to promote from within, although we do from time to time outsource certain functions or services that need specialised expertise that we do not have. A basic lean and focused organization works well for us!” “Although we are a small team, our senior management is very focused and involved with all our projects, and the skill set combination of finance, legal, development knowledge and design capability stands us in good stead in the type of precinct development we are involved in.”

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Henk joined Menlyn Maine in 2011, but maintained a strong relationship with his previous employer, Boogertman & Partners,who take on much of the company’s architectural work. “The move from Boogertman & Partners to Menlyn Maine was completely unplanned and was agreed to at a time when Menlyn Maine needed somebody to represent the company in all aspects of design and marketing of this prestigious project. I count myself extremely fortunate to have been offered this position as a senior partner in South Africa’s largest and most successful architectural practice, and have not regretted the move for a single moment.” With the projects under Menlyn Maine’s belt, and two new potential projects soon on the horizon, we’re not surprised! It will be exciting to see Menlyn Maine finally up and running, and we cannot wait to touch base again in a few months time, and find out what these two new project sites will be.

A GREENER FUTURE

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REACHING FURTHER Ecobank chevron-square-right www.ecobank.com phone-square 00265 9999 89153

Ecobank Transnational Inc. (ETI) is a pan-African banking conglomerate with operations throughout the continent. In fact, with a presence in 36 countries, it is the leading pan-African bank. In particular, it is the leading independent regional banking group in West and Central Africa, but it also operates in the East and South. On top of this the bank also has representative offices in China, Dubai, France, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

cobank serves both wholesale and retail customers, who it caters to through three customer-focused business divisions: Consumer Banking, Commercial Banking and Corporate & Investment Banking. We spoke with Lusungu Mkandawire, Malawi Country Head for Ecobank’s Information Security, about the banking group’s current strategy, and what it is that sets them apart both in Africa and in Lusungu’s country of operations, Malawi. “The bank’s focus is on providing solutionsoriented, high quality products and services to our customers, comprising of individuals, small and medium scale companies, large local corporates, parastatals, non-governmental organisations and multi-national companies. The aim is to consistently offer customers efficient, reliable and excellent service.” In addition to the traditional products and services, Ecobank offers innovative extras such as Mobile Banking, Remittance, Internet Banking, and the Pan-African Card payment gateway. To ensure this high quality of service, the bank has invested in state-of-theart technology, which is combined with a reliable telecommunication system and, most importantly, a focus on training staff to assist Endeavour Magazine | 113

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customers in as polite and helpful a manner as possible. Both sides to the equation are essential; you cannot have effective customer service without well-organised systems and technology, but at the same time, all of the data-handling in the world can only take you so far without the personal touch from a customer service team. In the name of efficiency, the Group operates a ‘’One Bank” system. This means that the entire organisation aims to streamline its processes and procedures within itself, no matter the geographical location or language differences between banks. Instead of entities in 36 locations, it is one machine, aiming to operate with smooth reliability that should continue no matter how far the bank’s reach continues to expand. Once a system works, it can work no matter the growth. However, whilst Ecobank’s ambitions have always been and remain high, growth is currently slower in some areas than the Group

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would like. For example, Lusungu told us about the current situation in Malawi: “The banking industry is growing at a very slow pace in Malawi as compared to our regional neighbours in SADC. That’s due to the economic performance of the country, where most of government programs funded are by donors. Also, we are more of an importing nation, and thus the economy is not well balanced.“ Malawi has a population of only 17 million, and yet there are seven different banks and MNOs competing with each other to provide financial services in the country. This would already create high competition, but raising the stakes even higher, 60% of the population is currently unbanked. Not only does this mean that these seven groups are currently only splitting around 6.8 million people between them, but they are competing to secure the remaining 60%. Many of these potential customers live rurally, and so, Lusungu feels, the richest frontier for securing their custom is mobile banking. This is an area where Ecobank is investing and innovating carefully, with a view to securing not only these unbanked customers, but easing the banking experience of those already with them: “Our mobile app offers convenience for our customers. You can do all banking and payments services from the app without leaving your home. Utilities, money transfers and payments can be done from the App. We were the first in Malawi to offer this.” As well as leading in this area, Ecobank responded to the competition coming from MNOs by working with them. “Ecobank integrated with all MNOs that are providing Mobile Money services. These enable our customers from remote areas to access all our banking services.” These services make a huge difference to customers who live far from towns or cities, and they just got even easier to use. Not only did Ecobank first offer this service in Malawi, it has recently improved it: “We have just added the ability to load cash in your debit/credit card using the mobile App. In the past, for our customers to load cash in the card they were required to physically visit the branch. Now this can be done on our mobile app.” The bank even

REACHING FURTHER

offers online support to customers who don’t bank with them: “We have the Express Prepaid card that customers who don’t have accounts with us can quickly acquire and pay for services online.” Whilst much of their banking is now possible online, Ecobank still needs well-trained staff, both operating its IT and, of course, staffing its physical bank locations. The group as a whole employs around 20,000 members of staff; in Malawi, it has around 200. As a standard of accuracy and excellence is required in the banking industry, the Ecobank Group trains its many staff in a dedicated Academy in Togo. “We usually have specific training programmes for each function. We also have an e-learning virtual platform for mandatory and department specific trainings, and where we don’t have internal expertise, Ecobank looks for external experts in the field to train its staff.” Where possible, the bank seeks to promote from within, which calls for further internal training,

and also serves as a strong incentive for staff seeking to build a career. However, Lusungu came to Ecobank from elsewhere, building up his leadership skills and expertise with other companies before arriving with the banking group. “I have been with the Bank for almost one year. Before that I was with Airtel, the third biggest MNO in the word, and the first in Malawi.” This move again shows how closely Ecobank works with MNOs within the country. “I started out my career in IT as a System Administrator with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), whilst there I got interested in IT Audit and Risk Management, which I started doing alongside the System Admin Job. Then I went fully into IT Audit when I joined KPMG as an IT Audit Supervisor, whilst doing IT audit for several clients I saw a gap in Cybersecurity skills and I started looking for an opportunity in the infosec field that’s where an opportunity came up at Airtel for the Information security

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ECOBANK

Manager role which I took for 4 years before joining Ecobank last year for the Head of Information Security role.” As well as relying on its staff, Ecobank has also benefited greatly from its various partnerships and suppliers. In particular, technology and business partners have provided crucial boosts to the bank’s “digital transformation journey”. Amongst these suppliers are Microsoft, who provide the Azure Cloud Platform that supports much of Ecobank’s IT, and Oracle, who provided Flexcube 12, the latest upgrade to their core banking system. As for business partners, the company is connected with the two biggest MNOs in Malawi: Airtel and TNM. “We partnered with them on the Mobile Money service and well as the GSM business. They have a big customer base which we are tapping into for our revenue growth.” In Payments, the bank is partnered with VISA, and as for Remittance Partners, the group has a longstanding relationship with Western Union.

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Moving forwards, Ecobank will continue to invest in and develop the area that is giving them the strongest competitive advantage: digital services. “Our strategy is leaning towards digital products: we want our customers to be using our digital products, mobile app, and internet/online banking and mobile money. Ecobank wants to reduce the use of brick and mortar; this is the age of digital banking and that’s where our focus is.” As well as their recent improvements that have made online payments entirely remote, the Group has also made a series of other changes to improve this side of its business. For example, the upgrade to Flexcube 12 will, according to Lusungu, “enable us to automate most tasks that were done manually, and will enable us digitise most of our products.” The group has also moved its online features over to a new USSD platform, which will allow their products to be used more easily from mobiles other than smartphones. “Most users in Malawi use Feature phones.

REACHING FURTHER

Its only 5% of the total population that owns smartphones. This USSD platform will enable us tap into the unbanked market.” In seizing these opportunities and continuing to innovate, Ecobank must continue to listen to its team and create an environment where its staff can come forwards with ideas. This is an ideal that Lusungu holds in high esteem. “I subscribe to the Democratic Leadership Philosophy: I believe that everyone should have equal say within the team, I value participation, consultation and consideration, and I believe in empowering followers through increased responsibilities.” When asked his views on leadership, his answers could easily be broken down into two sections; the first, develop trust and communication: “Earn respect - when you conduct yourself in an ethical way and model the traits you want to see in others, you earn the respect of those around you. Win trust - employees are more loyal and enthusiastic when they work in

an environment run by people they trust. Be authentic - use your strengths and personality traits to develop your personal leadership style.” Secondly, Lusungu believes in being able to move forwards: “Face challenges - great leaders are brave enough to face up to challenging situations and deal with them honestly. Finally, stay curious - good leaders remain intellectually curious and committed to learning. They’re inquisitive and always looking for new ideas, insights and information.” These final values, in particular, are ones that drive Ecobank on to new ideas and technologies, keeping them ahead in Malawi’s banking sector. They were the first to offer online banking services, the first to update them as they have, and they will undoubtedly have more ‘firsts’ under their belts in the coming years.

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NO MILK SPILT PT Ultrajaya Milk Industry Tbk chevron-square-right www.ultrajaya.co.id phone-square 0062 22 86700700

Ultrajaya is Indonesia’s leading producer of dairy beverages and healthy drink products with Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Technology and aseptic packaging. The company started with a single milk product in 1958 that has remained a leader in Indonesia’s dairy market to this day, with many more products besides. We took a look at Ultrajaya to see what it is that their processes add to their products, and the convenience this offers to their customers.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

hilst dairy products are not traditionally highly consumed in Indonesia or much of Asia, they have seen an increase in popularity in recent years. In Indonesia specifically, products such as cheese remain mostly within the food service industry, as consumers are not in the habit of using the overseas food at home, but there has been a rising demand for both fresh milk and milk alternatives. For Ultrajaya, milk is the name of the game. Founded in 1958 by Ahmad Prawirawidjaja, the company originally sold only one product - Ultra Milk; now, they not only produce UHT milk products, but also UHT cartoned teas, health drinks and condensed creamers. Their UHT milk range includes Ultra Milk Full Cream, Ultra Milk Low Fat Hi Calcium, Ultra Milk Flavour, and Ultra Mimi Kids. Their full cream milk is their most straightforward product; it is full fat, suitable for drinking, cooking and baking, recommended for consumers oneyear old and higher. As Ultrajaya describes it, “Ultra Milk Full Cream is the great natural milk suitable for the whole family. It provides a rich source of protein, vitamins and minerals, and is available in both fresh and long-life products.” Endeavour Magazine | 119

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UHT Milk is widely known to be milk with a longer shelf-life, but what is it, how is it produced, and is it still fresh milk? The process is extremely fast and simple; the procedure simply involves milk being quickly heated to a high temperature of 140° C for four seconds. This eliminates all pathogen bacteria from the milk, which allows it to live longer. The fact that the process is so short enables the milk to stay fresh in taste, as well as nutritional. The other key factor in this process is the packaging. Milk and juices are often referred to as aseptic drinks in the beverage world; the word ‘aseptic’ refers to this meticulous process used to prevent contamination from pathogens. Ultrajaya’s aseptic packaging, in this case cartons, is designed with six layers of food-grade polyethylene plastic, aluminum foil and paper to prevent the milk from air and bacteria and ultraviolet light. The combination of these processes allows Ultrajaya’s milk, and other UHT milk, to enjoy an extended shelf life

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without compromising the quality of the milk with the use of preservatives. Before the seal of the packaging is broken, this milk has a shelf life of as long as 10 months, significantly longer than regular milk, and it does not even require refrigeration. Instead, it can be stored at room temperature, best kept in a dry, cool place. Unfortunately, despite misconceptions, this does not make the product fully refrigeration free: once opened, it is recommended that any remaining milk is kept a temperature of 4°C, and that the protective packaging is tightly sealed to reduce its exposure. Ultrajaya recommend that the remaining milk is consumed within seven days. Ultrajaya’s milk is also Halal certified, its certification issued by MUI (The Indonesian Council of Ulamas). This Halal certification, aseptic process and resulting shelf life information is true of all of Ultrajaya’s milk products. The UHT process does nothing to reduce the authenticity of the milk you are purchasing - it just makes that milk healthier, safer, and easier to store. Ultrajaya didn’t stop with simple milk, though - the company has expanded to offer a range of products, including several variations on milk. For example, their Ultra Milk Low Fat Hi-Calcium reduces the fat content of milk whilst increasing the calcium level, of course using 100% fresh milk as its source. The adjusted nutritional ratio between calcium and phosphorus better allows the calcium from the milk to be absorbed by the body, and the reduced fat also assists consumers in weight management. Ultra Milk Low Fat Hi-Calcium is available in chocolate flavour as well as plain, and this leads us on to the other two milk products that the company offers: Ultra Milk Flavor and Ultra Mimi Kids. Ultra Milk Flavor offers cartoned milk in three flavours - chocolate, strawberry and mocha. Fresh UHT milk is combined with natural flavours, and the same is true for the children’s product Ultra Mimi Kids, which comes in full cream, chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. The only true differences between these two products are the flavours available,

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the size of the cartons and the design of the packaging, marketing flavoured milk at young and old alike. At first, milk products were the entirety of Ultrajaya’s business, but now, the company has expanded to turn its expertise and facilities towards health drinks, condensed creamers and cartoned teas. Whilst cartoned coffees are available in many countries, cartoned teas are less common. Ultrajaya produces two kinds - a jasmine tea, and a fruit tea that comes in either lemon, apple or blackcurrant. All kinds are ready to drink, and like the company’s milk, they are UHT products, protected by aseptic processes and packaging. However, there are a few minor differences: the tea is only heated to 120° C, again for four seconds, to preserve the tea’s freshness and aroma. The packaging is exactly the same, but due to the lack of dairy, their shelf life before opening is two months longer, lasting an entire year. Again, these products are Halal certified. All of these tea products are

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made from high quality tea leaves, and are the leaders amongst Indonesia’s tea-in-a-carton products. Ultrajaya’s other products are their condensed creamer, Cap Sapi, which again has a year-long shelf life from its UHT treatment, and is usable both in coffee and for baking. This creamer is mixed with sugar, giving it a sweetened edge. Finally, there are the company’s health drinks, Ultra Sari Kacang Ijo and Ultra Sari Asem Asli. Ultra Sari Kacang Ijo is made from the mung bean, which is known for its detoxifying properties, and combined with natural palm sugar and ginger for the added flavour. Ultra Sari Asem Asli is made from Tamarind juice, a traditional Indonesian sweet and sour health drink used to speed digestion. This final beverage is only heated to 100°C during its UHT process. As we’ve seen, Ultrajaya take quality and hygiene extremely seriously, but their dedication to good practice extends beyond their careful

handling of their product. As the company states, “In carrying out its business activities and operations, Ultrajaya is committed to give not only the best to our shareholders, also but to ensure provision of benefits to its employees and communities, as well as to actively participate in protecting the environment. It attempts to ensure that its existence will not burden and harm but rather help and the benefit surrounding community, especially the people living in areas around offices and plants. Our company cares about issues faced by the community, and continuously takes an active part in helping to overcome their problems.” For many years, Ultrajaya has been involved in offering support and assistance to the communities around its offices and factory, at Cimareme Village and Gadobangkong Village. The company has been and still is involved in a variety of projects to help support and develop the communities around its factory

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and offices at Gadobangkong Village and Cimareme Village. For example, it has supported education by providing scholarships and assisting the construction and renovation of school buildings. It has also played a hand in improving public health resources for the areas by donating medical tools to Puskesmas and Posyandu (health centres and mobile clinics) in those villages. Lastly, Ultrajaya has also helped to make clean water available to these communities by building reservoirs, complete with waterworks pipelines, including direct pipelines especially for schools and places of worship in the area. Meanwhile, in terms of managing against their own negative impact on the environment, the company has used eco-friendly cardboard packaging since the start, and also actively participates and acts as sponsor in the Thanks to Nature program, which invites the community to love and preserve the environment by not littering, by conserving water and electrical

energy, and by contributing towards efforts to plant millions of trees in Indonesia. In exploring Ultrajaya, we find a company that takes its activities seriously, both within its factory and beyond it. From healthy, longlasting milk to conscientious business practices, this company is showing Indonesia that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s living by its values, and offering Asian families a range of delicious drinks into the bargain.

We are very proud and pleased to cooperate with PT Ultrajaya, Tbk since 2010 to supply CNG for their production, we understand that PT Ultrajaya, Tbk is a company that is concerned about the environment

PT. DGAS ALAM SEMESTA Graha Elnusa, Level 2, unit 8, Jl. TB Simatupang Kav. 1 B Jakarta Selatan 12560, Indonesia www.dgas.co.id Endeavour Magazine | 123

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