Endeavor Magazine November 2019

NOVEMBER 2019 www.endeavourmagazine.com

ORMOND GROUP Redefining Hospitality

SSR MINING A Sharper Eye

MARCOPOLO Made to Order

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INSPIRED BY YOUR SUCCESS

HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS Managing Editor Alice Instone-Brewer editor@littlegatepublishing.com Sales Manager Emlyn Freeman emlynfreeman@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

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EDITOR’S NOTE

B

efore moving forwards, sometimes a company must look back at what currently exists and re-think the elements that could be updated, improved, or simply aren’t working anymore. Years of success and experience aren’t enough – you must always be ready to change, adapt, and go back to the drawing board. Endeavour spoke with several companies this month who have done just that, investing time and work into innovating their internal systems, their products and services or, even, attempting to change their local industry entirely!

Bus body builders Marcopolo was one such company; within a tradition of buying from stock, Marcopolo’s South African wing is seeking to shift the market towards bespoke, made-to-spec buses – a push that it is developing even when the market for buses is slow. Yielding to such a dip by scaling down one’s operations is tempting, but unwise; instead, Marcopolo is pouring its efforts into expanding its operations and tightening up its turn-over time, in order to produce excellent bespoke products at record speed. Elevating itself above its competition like this is not only a profitable move now, but will position Marcopolo to soar when demand for buses rises in South Africa once more.

Another company working to improve its efficiency is SSR Mining. Looking internally, the company has spent the past two and a half years embracing a new system of digitisation in order to improve visibility between departments, and to support proper analysis throughout its operations. This sort of cloudsupported analytical system can save any company vast amounts of money and wasted effort, by allowing a full view of operations and a detailed breakdown into where the loose bolts currently sit. Many industries are already embracing this style of management, but for mining – arguably one of the industries that needs this kind of overview the most – it is still a new and complex frontier.

Whilst companies are looking forwards, in our Amazing World series, we looked way back, to an ancient and still not fully understood feat of engineering and art – the Nazca Lines in Peru. If you haven’t heard of them, go to that story right now – they completely blew our minds! As we talk about innovation and change, this ancient artwork is a reminder that sometimes, an old way of doing things can stand the test of time.

Alice Instone-Brewer Endeavour Magazine | 3

CONTENTS

Marcopolo

FEATURES

13

Redefining Hospitality Ormond Group

19

A Sharper Eye SSR Mining

Ready For The Future 29 TSK

35

Made To Order Marcopolo South Africa

39

Expanding The Build BAUER Engineering Ghana Ltd

Tastefully Done 49 Indoguna

55

Success By Sea Ramps Logistics

The Golden Shield 61 Centamin

Indoguna 4 | Endeavour Magazine

67

Keeping In Check SGS Ghana

71

The Bridge To Bridgetown Barbados Port Authority

SSR Mining

ARTICLES

Business Headlines

6 Asia 7 Africa 8 Americas 10 Middle East 11 Europe

Amazing World

24 64

Mystery Of The Nazca Lines Kukeri - Dancing away the Devil

Automotives 44

Isuzu D-MAX

Ramps Logistics Endeavour Magazine | 5

BUSINESS HEADLINES ASIA Australia’s ‘backpacker tax’ ruled illegal by court Australia has used a so-called “backpacker tax” to illegally tax foreign workers from eight countries, according to a landmark ruling.

In 2017, the government imposed a controversial 15% tax rate on two visa categories for working holiday-makers. In late October 2019, a court found the levy was in breach of existing treaties with the UK, US, Germany, Finland, Chile, Japan, Norway and Turkey.

The ruling may force the government to repay hundreds of millions of dollars in total, local media reported.

About 150,000 foreigners travel to Australia every year on working holiday visas, with many finding work in the farming and hospitality industries. The levy was challenged by an international tax company on behalf of a British tourist, Catherine Addy, who worked in Australia between 2015 and 2017.

Hong Kong withdraws extradition bill that sparked protests Hong Kong’s legislature has formally withdrawn a controversial extradition bill that has sparked months of unrest.

The bill - which would have allowed for criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China - prompted outrage when it was introduced in April. Critics of the planned law had feared extradition to mainland China could subject people to arbitrary detention and unfair trials.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets and the bill was eventually suspended.

Protesters have continued in regular demonstrations, which developed into a wider pro-democracy movement.

China’s leaders in Beijing have painted the demonstrators as dangerous separatists and accused foreign powers of backing them.

Hong Kong police at its limits Hong Kong’s police force is at the limits of its capacity as it struggles to contain the fallout from the three months of protests.

A month ago, Hong Kong’s police were confident they had the situation in their city 6 | Endeavour Magazine

under control. However, they now claim that they are being pushed to the limit of what they can achieve with the resources they have.

Protests began peacefully, but pushback from both the police and the protestors has seen violence escalate. In part, protestors are demanding universal suffrage, as well as and an independent inquiry into allegations of police collusion with organised crime. Recruitment had fallen significantly in June and July as the authorities have been criticised for what has been seen as a heavy-handed response to protestors. However, this dip ended in August.

Police are attempting to encourage morale by urging troops to protect Hong Kong from chaos at this time.

India’s digital development leaving millions behind The country is home to the world’s secondlargest internet user base, consisting of more than 630 million subscribers. That is more than the total population of the US, the United Kingdom, Russia and South Africa put together.

It also has the cheapest mobile data prices, which has allowed a large population to use the internet just in the last four years. Electronic governance, mobile health and digital finance are at the heart of many government policy discussions.

However, as this advancement continues to change the face of India, the divide between those with access and those without it grows more dramatic - especially as government policy and processes changes with it.

As well as poverty and rural locations, gender is another important factor: according to a report by the GSMA, only 16% of Indian women were found to be using mobile and internet services.

AFRICA Nigeria facing border crisis Nigeria, one of Africa’s superpowers, closed all its land borders two months ago to tackle smuggling. Predictably, the move is now affecting trade across the region.

The closures were imposed without warning on 21 August. Borders have come to a standstill, with goods rotting and queues of lorries waiting at checkpoints in the hope the crossings will reopen. The ban was mainly targeted at tackling the issue of rice smugglers. The biggest contraband route was between Cotonou, Benin’s biggest city, and Nigeria’s commercial hub Lagos, which is just a few hours’ drive away.

Nigeria banned the importation of rice from Benin in 2004 and from all its neighbours in 2016, but that has not stopped the trade.

According to the World Bank, Benin’s economy is heavily reliant on the informal reexport and transit trade with Nigeria, which accounts for about 20% of its GDP, or national income, and about 80% of imports into Benin are destined for Nigeria.

Facebook pulls Russia-linked accounts targeting Africa Facebook says it has removed three Russianlinked accounts from its sites that were aimed at spreading disinformation in eight African countries.

“Each of these operations created networks of accounts to mislead others about who they were and what they were doing.

“Although the people behind these networks attempted to conceal their identities and coordination, our investigation connected these campaigns to entities associated with Russian financier Yevgeniy Prigozhin, who

was previously indicted by the US Justice Department,” said Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s head of cyber-security policy.

The accounts targeted Madagascar, the Central African Republic, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Sudan and Libya.

South Sudan declares state of emergency in flood-hit areas The government of South Sudan has declared a state of emergency in flood-hit areas following weeks of heavy rain.

President Salva Kiir said the state of emergency covers 30 counties in Greater Bahr El Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria regions.

Mr Kiir’s order made no mention of measures to be taken to assist people affected by the floods, but urged government and humanitarian organisations to help people in need. Nearly a one million people in South Sudan have been affected by the heavy flooding, which has devastated large areas of the country since July, submerging entire communities under water.

Tanzania comedian summoned for ‘mocking’ the President Popular Tanzanian comedian Idris Sultan has been ordered to report to a police station in the main city, Dar es Salaam, after posting edited pictures of President John Magufuli on his social media accounts.

The comedian shared two photos showing a face-swap between himself and the president.

Sultan wrote in Swahili: “We swapped roles for a day so that he could enjoy his birthday in peace.” President Magufuli celebrated his 60th birthday on Tuesday.

Shortly after the posts appeared, an Instagram account thought to belong to Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda posted one of the pictures, with a caption telling Sultan to report to any police station in the city for further instructions.

Sultan could potentially be charged under controversial cyber-crime legilslation, which makes it illegal to impersonate people using a computer. Many rights activists have criticised the law as infringing on freedom of expression.

Endeavour Magazine | 7

AMERICAS Red-flag warning for Southern California fire Fires in Southern California, known as the Getty fire, have been given a rare “extreme red-flag warning” by the Los Angeles weather service. The warning covers Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino. Around 1,100 firefighters are already tackling the fire, and some homes have already been damaged or destroyed, with thousands potentially at risk.

Winds are already nearing 70mph (113km/h) and there is concern they will fan the Getty fire, which has already burned through 658 acres.

On October 29th, fire chief Ralph M Terrazas said he was very concerned by the threats the winds posed: “It takes just one ember downwind to start another brush fire,” he told reporters, adding that embers have been known to travel several miles in winds.

In these early days of the fire, over 7,000 residents were evacuated, in circumstances very similar to the Californian fires last year.

Federal Judge blocks Alabama abortion bill A federal judge has temporarily blocked an abortion ban in Alabama that would criminalise the procedure at any stage of a pregnancy in most cases. Abortion rights groups sued the state after Republican lawmakers approved the bill in May, but both sides expected the law to be blocked in federal court.

The controversial bill was intended to go into effect on November 15th. The law allows exceptions only if the mother’s life is seriously at risk or the foetus has a fatal complication but would not allow exceptions in cases of rape or incest. Physicians who provide abortions could go to jail for life under the ban.

Alabama is one of several states to pass such highly restrictive abortion laws this year - and dozens more have proposed similar bills in their legislatures - though currently, none have gone into effect.

8 | Endeavour Magazine

Pesticide poisoned French paradise islands in Caribbean For two decades, chlordecone - a pesticide that is linked to cancer - was sprayed on banana crops of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Now, most adult residents of the island have traces of it in their blood.

The two French Caribbean islands make much of their income from tourism, but this pollution problem is serving as a deterrent to visitors. French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited the islands and was updated on the crisis, has called it an “environmental scandal” and said the state “must take responsibility”.

Large areas of soil are contaminated, as are rivers and coastal waters. The authorities are trying to keep the chemical out of the food chain, but it is difficult, as much produce is sold at the roadside. Fortunately, drinking water is considered safe, as carbon filters are used to remove contaminants.

The French parliament is holding a public inquiry which will report its findings in December.

Chile protests against inequality On October 25th, around one million people peacefully marched in Santiago against inequality. The protests were originally sparked by a now-suspended increase in metro fares but grew to take in wider grievances over living costs and inequality.

Despite the main march being peaceful, a week later, the continuing unrest has led to outbreaks of looting and arson, and at least 20 people have died, with hundreds more injured. Chile’s military has taken over security in Santiago, which is now under a state of emergency with night-time curfews and 20,000 police on the streets, and more than 7,000 people have been detained.

Santiago’s governor called the marches “historic”, and President Sebastián Piñera said the government had “heard the message”.

However, due to the continuing protests, Piñera has also pulled out of hosting COP25 in December, a major United Nations climate change conference.

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MIDDLE EAST Iraqi PM Abdul Mahdi’s main backers agree to remove him Iraq Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s two main backers have agreed to work to remove him from office, as protests against his government gained momentum in Baghdad and much of the Shia south – protests which were met with violence. Populist Shia Muslim leader Muqtada al-Sadr, who leads parliament’s largest bloc, had asked Abdul Mahdi to call an early election. When the premier refused, he called on his main political rival Hadi alAmiri to help remove him. Al-Sadr warned that Iraq could turn into “another Syria” if the government does not resign.

Al-Amiri, who leads a parliamentary alliance of Iran-backed Shia militia that holds the second-largest number of seats in parliament behind al-Sadr’s alliance, issued a statement agreeing to help remove the prime minister.

“We will work together to secure the interests of the Iraqi people and save the nation in accordance with the public good,” al-Amiri said in a statement circulated by Iraqi media.

Malaysian banks closing Iranian accounts Banks in Malaysia are closing the accounts of Iranian individuals and companies, in a sign that United Stated sanctions on Iran are having a far-reaching effect on citizens of the Islamic republic.

There are around 10,000 Iranians living in Malaysia, and many closures have already begun, including closures of citizen accounts that have been open for over a decade.

Holders of the accounts have been issues advance warning so they can withdraw their funds.

Many Iranians said they knew of dozens of compatriots who had received notices from CIMB and RHB Bank. The banks did not state a reason for the closures, but some individuals said bank officials attributed the move to tighter scrutiny after the US sanctions.

Iran’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur said it was working to resolve the issue.

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi reportedly dead after U.S.-led raid On October 27th, President Donald Trump Jordan recalls ambassador in Israel stated that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to protest citizen detentions had been killed in a special operations raid that Jordan recalled its ambassador in Tel Aviv for weekend. consultation to protest against Israel’s monthsAccording to the President, Al-Baghdadi long detention of two citizens for unknown detonated a suicide vest that killed him and reasons. “In light of the Israeli government’s three of his children after being pursued by US refusal to heed our legitimate demands for soldiers. Apparently, no U.S. personnel were releasing Jordanian citizens Hiba al-Labadi killed in the operation. and Abdulrahman Miri, who have been illegally The blast caused the tunnel that Al-Baghdadi detained without charges for months, we was in to collapse, but the rubble was removed decided to recall our ambassador in Tel Aviv for to reach the body so a DNA test could be done. consultation as a first step,” Foreign Minister Trump did not confirm how many people Ayman al-Safadi said. were killed in the mission, but the Syrian He demanded their immediate release Observatory for Human Rights had reported at and return to Jordan, which holds the Israeli least eight deaths. government responsible for their lives, The announcement came three weeks after saying their “health conditions have severely Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. deteriorated”. troops from northern Syria, which allowed Jordan will take the necessary legal and Turkish forces to sweep into the area and diplomatic measures to ensure their safe return attack Kurdish rivals - a former US ally. The home, he said. decision drew bipartisan criticism that Trump This form of ‘administrative detention’ had abandoned the Kurdish, who had fought is widely condemned by human rights ISIS and other foreign enemies alongside organisations.

U.S. forces.

10 | Endeavour Magazine

EUROPE Facebook agrees to pay Cambridge Analytica fine to UK Facebook has agreed to pay a £500,000 fine imposed by the UK’s data protection watchdog for its role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

It had originally appealed the penalty, causing the Information Commissioner’s Office to pursue its own counter-appeal.

As part of the agreement, Facebook has made no admission of liability. Instead, the company simply said it “wished it had done more to investigate Cambridge Analytica” earlier.

James Dipple-Johnstone, deputy commissioner of the ICO said: “The ICO’s main concern was that UK citizen data was exposed to a serious risk of harm. Protection of personal information and personal privacy is of fundamental importance, not only for the rights of individuals, but also as we now know, for the preservation of a strong democracy.”

Spanish authorities described the Tsunami Democràtic group, which is behind the app, as a “criminal organisation”.

GitHub said it always complied with lawful requests.

A spokesman said: “Although we may not always agree with those laws, we may need to block content if we receive a valid request from a government official so that our users in that jurisdiction may continue to have access to GitHub to collaborate and build software.”

GitHub has previously received similar takedown requests from China and Russia against different groups.

80,000 Catalonians rally for Spanish unity; 350,000 rally for independence Tens of thousands of Catalans rallied in support of Spanish unity in a Barcelona counter-demonstration on October 28th, following another night of violence between police and separatist protesters.

Around 80,000 people flooded the city centre, according to police, many waving Spanish and Catalonian flags. The counterprotest came after a larger pro-independence rally of some 350,000 in the Catalan capital the day before, which begun as a peaceful daytime march but turned into nighttime clashes between separatists and security forces.

In part, the pro-independence rally also called for the release of the separatist leaders who had recently received convictions for sedition.

Brexit deadline extended; UK faces another General Election The deadline for Brexit has been extended yet again, this time to 31 January 2020, after the EU agreed to the UK’s request.

The UK now seeks to hold another General Election, on December 12th 2019.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson had previously said the UK would leave by 31 October ‘do or Microsoft company blocks die’. His attempt to close parliament for five Catalan protest app weeks whilst approaching this deadline was Microsoft-owned GitHub has blocked overturned by the Supreme Court after it was Spanish users from accessing an app designed deemed unlawful. to help Catalan independence protesters, Talks of a second referendum are still circling. following a takedown request by the Spanish military police.

Endeavour Magazine | 11

12 | Endeavour Magazine

REDEFINING HOSPITALITY Ormond Group chevron-square-right www.ormondhotels.com envelope-square hello@ormondhotels.com

Forget what you think you know about the competitive world of hospitality - the Ormond Group, headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, is taking a hyperlocal route to global hospitality. We spoke with Julian Wong, Chief Technology Officer for the Group, to learn more about its latest properties.

Written by Amy Buxton

I

t’s no secret that the hospitality trade is a speciality that’s hard to crack. Demanding clients, ever-evolving social media tools and online reviews all mean that hoteliers are increasingly exposed to real-time reviews that can make or break. The Ormond Group is a new hospitality group going global in this digital age, and is facing that challenge head-on with a commitment to great design, great service, great guest experience at a great price point.

The group’s portfolio includes legacy brand Tune Hotels and will shortly welcome two new brands – Ormond Hotels and MoMo’s. “Tune Hotels is a brand known for its combination of great value and practicality, located at transit hubs, for global travellers who value comfort, convenience and fun, while MoMo’s is our social hotel brand with micro-rooms that celebrate playfulness and spontaneity for the socially connected, generation Z travellers. Finally, we have Ormond Hotels, which is a collection of individually designed boutique properties for the contemporary traveller who appreciates design, culture and simplified luxury.”

By identifying key demographics for their brands, the group has made light work of offering tailored accommodation and experiences for each, playing to its strengths as an adaptive Endeavour Magazine | 13

ORMOND GROUP

and multifaceted brand owner. Rather than trying to be something to everyone, the group has chosen to focus on providing a great guest experience to their target demographic.

“For now we are headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where most of our current properties are,” Julian told us. “We will debut our new brands Ormond Hotels and MoMo’s this December with The Chow Kit – An Ormond Hotel and MoMo’s Kuala Lumpur, and will be expanding into Europe with our second Ormond Hotel in Dublin, Ireland in 2021. This will be followed by our Melbourne site, which will host both a MoMo’s and Ormond when it opens in 2022.”

Given that both the travel and hospitality industries are showing signs of growth, and with it, growing competition, there is no point in thinking small. In fact, now is absolutely the time for big ideas and a creative presence, as social media has made it easier than ever before to reach new audiences and potential

14 | Endeavour Magazine

customers. By recognising that social media is now a key platform where travellers discover and engage with new brands – these platforms are an important part of how Ormond Group engages with future guests and build a fan base of guests who will return. Digital tools and technology remain an important part of Ormond’s growth and guest experience strategy.

“Being in Asia,” Julian explained, “A big challenge is the of costs of systems originating out of the US or Europe, as the exchange rate makes it cost prohibitive for us. For example, we’ve been engaging with several self check-in kiosk vendors, but could never get it over the line because the costs, once converted, were too high for deployment in our hotels. Therefore, we have embarked on a project to develop our own self checkin kiosks locally and we aim to have them rolled out in out properties in the first quarter of 2020.”

REDEFINING HOSPITALITY

Due to the highly competitive nature of the hospitality industry, those groups that manage to soar above the others only do so because they actively seek to go not just the extra mile, but an extra ten miles. Julian knows that the perfect combination of focussing on guests and providing unrivalled IT infrastructure is crucial to providing the best guest experience: “We have a guest-comes-first approach to everything we do. Every decision we make from interior design to guest experience and technology is always centred around how we can make our guests’ stay more comfortable, more engaging and ever more special. The team is very much focused on delivering great design, great experience and great service at a great price point. Our technology strategy is focused on implementing best-in-class IT infrastructure to provide fast and reliable Wi-Fi for our guests.”

Their mission is anchored by a people-first strategy, and the group is focused on securing

and developing talent. With little more than 50 people keeping headquarters running smoothly and another 100 plus at the various hotel properties, the Ormond Group takes a quality over quantity approach to people. Management fully vets and assesses the potential of every prospective new team member, and there are management training programmes available to new and existing hires. This has created an inclusive and supportive company community, where hard work is rewarded with progression and there’s plenty of opportunity for growth.

“Recognising, training and keeping talent is a core strategy of growing the team. We always look internally first to fill new roles within our existing and new properties; we’re a growing company so there is a lot of upward momentum for our existing team. That being said, we also actively recruit senior talent to strengthen the team, and work with a local and international team of partners and vendors.”

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Endeavour Magazine | 15

ORMOND GROUP

Ormond Group’s design partners include design firms Studio Tack, Akin Atelier and AvroKO who are designing their Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne and Dublin properties.

Julian goes on to note that the Group’s IT partners, have also contributed to improved guest experiences across the board, “We have partnered with major IT vendors such as Oracle Hospitality for our Property Management System (PMS), Sabre Hospitality for our Central Reservations, Cendyn for our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Agilysys for our Point of Sales (POS) as our core IT systems. On top of that we also utilise Guest Traction for our online pre-check in which allows guests to pre-check in 48 hours before their arrival to speed up the arrival experience at our hotels. For our infrastructure, we deploy best in class IT hardware such as Ruckus for our wireless Internet and network systems.”

“We hope to grow from 2000 to 3000 keys by 2022. This December, we will debut both

the Ormond and MoMo’s brand on a dual brand site in Kuala Lumpur. The Chow Kit, an Ormond Hotel, will be a 113-room boutique hotel designed by Brooklyn-based Studio Tack, while MoMo’s Kuala Lumpur will be a 99 microroom social hotel. We will also have flagship developments completing in 2020. The first will be our namesake, The Ormond Hotel, which will be a 120-key hotel, on a historically significant site in the heart of Dublin. This will be followed by the opening of Ormond Melbourne and MoMo’s Melbourne, on a 2-tower site on Flinder’s Street in Melbourne, in 2022.”

With fast changing travel trends, Ormond Group believes that one thing will always remain: the desire for great service and great design at an affordable price point. The Ormond Group is here to stay and so are its guests, in droves.

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18 | Endeavour Magazine

A SHARPER EYE SSR Mining chevron-square-right www.ssrmining.com phone-square 1-604-689-3846

SSR Mining has been through a rapid expansion over the past five years, and now it’s undergoing changes again. Whereas its last burst of development was in the physical realm, its new changes are in the digital one, as the company seeks to streamline its operations with the latest IT solutions. We spoke with David Thomas, Director of Information Technology, about why it’s important for mining to digitise.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

S

SR Mining Inc. is a Vancouver-based mining company producing precious metals – more specifically, gold and silver.

For 70 years, the company operated under the name ‘Silver Standard’, but changed its name to SSR Mining Inc. in August 2017 as it evolved from a silver producer to a precious metals producer. In fact, a lot has advanced at the company recently: in 2014, it grew from being a one-mine operation to having three producing mines today, including the Marigold mine in Nevada, U.S.A., the Seabee Gold Operation in Saskatchewan, Canada, and Puna Operations in Jujuy Province, Argentina. SSR Mining also has two feasibility stage projects and a portfolio of exploration properties in North and South America.

The Marigold mine has operated consistently since 1989 and produced 205,161ounces of gold in 2018. The Seabee Gold Operation, in continuous production since 1991, produced a record 95,602 ounces of gold in 2018. SSR Mining’s Puna Operations, which consists of the Pirquitas property and the Chinchillas mine, declared commercial production in December 2018.

Everyone knows that both silver and gold are used heavily in the production of jewellery and Endeavour Magazine | 19

SSR MINING

other forms of decoration, but there are other, less immediately obvious industries that also use the precious metals. Electronics is one: gold is used in bonding wire production, and silver is used throughout everyday technology such as mobile phones and laptops, as well as more specialized applications such as satellites and even high-tech weaponry! As is well known, prices for both silver and gold fluctuate, as does investor interest, but the uses of the metals persist. The industry isn’t going anywhere, but due to factors such as world politics, competing stock interests and many more, the price of silver and gold is variable. We spoke to David about how SSR Mining responds to this, and his answer was so sensible, we wondered why we hadn’t thought of it. “While we can’t control the price of gold, we can impact our costs to drive margins, profit and cash generation.” This is a brilliant way for SSR Mining to take control and get as much benefit from its portfolio

20 | Endeavour Magazine

as possible, but how is the company going about it?

By David’s own admission, mining is one of the last industries, along with agriculture, to fully embrace the benefits of digitisation, but, like agriculture, it is also one that can greatly benefit from the level of visibility and analysis this change supports. Mining is an industry with many factors at play, across multiple sites, with everything from exploration results to vehicle routes needing easy-to-read monitoring so that efficient, cost-effective actions and decisions can be made. This is exactly what SSR Mining is working towards. As Director of Information Technology, David was able to tell us more: “For us, the key driver is to be more efficient, and also to improve on our operational processes. One example would be truck productivity; even just taking a different route on a pathway in the mine can have an impact on the cost per ounce, due to gas consumption.

Multiply that by a thousand times a day, at multiple mines, and that’s a big impact.” And those are just the small details. Being able to monitor and manage everything from minor details to wider-scale planning allows for loose bolts to be identified and tightened. SSR Mining has been working on developing and implementing the software needed for this for the past two and a half years and is already seeing the impact, and there’s still a long way to go.

“I don’t think there is ever an endpoint.

Mining is one of those industries with so many areas to apply Operational Excellence analytics to: from truck productivity all the way to exploration drillhole sampling, process mill productivity, and even safety and sustainability.” With so many areas to consider, this is a continuous process of improvement for SSR Mining.

Regarding this change, David described SSR Mining as fast followers rather than innovators.

The desire to try new ideas is there, but to be on the front line of this development would be too costly an endeavour for the company’s size.

However, whilst they don’t have the budgets of mining giants, they also don’t have the deeply entrenched legacy IT systems, which gives the

SSR MINING

company a strong advantage. “We are able to quickly move into the Cloud any project we undertake, and we try to encourage our vendors to set up in such a way where they can be supported in the Cloud.”

Not reinventing existing research and development allows SSR Mining to leapfrog over steps of the process faced by larger companies. However, this, and being a fast follower, doesn’t mean there there’s no work at all. The company must carefully select which existing routes and approaches to take, and even though they aren’t process pioneers, they are devising the system in-house. “Quite honestly, there’s not really any off-the-shelf product. The software that is available was written by geologists in the 1980s and 90s.”

Engaging with software developers, analytics, industry leaders and graduates alike, SSR Mining has been devising its system carefully for these past two and a half years. It is also working closely with vendors such as Komatsu

and Hitachi Wenco, whose trucks have inbuilt software that SSR Mining can upload and integrate into its own analytical processes.

One dramatic example of how gamechanging these capabilities could be relates to SSR Mining’s Seabee Gold Operation in Northern Saskatchewan. Access to the mine site is fly-in, fly out by small fixed wing aircraft to an airstrip located on the property.

Equipment and large supplies are transported to the site via a 60-kilometer winter ice road, which is typically in use from January through March. Therefore, supply chain management and forward planning, down to the last detail, is essential for cost-saving, and simply making sure that the mine is ready to function for the year to come. “With ice road access between January and March only each year, we need to carefully plan, order and schedule shipments via the ice road in preparation for the year ahead. We need to transport fuel, equipment and all other items necessary to run a mine.”

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By being able to dot all of the ‘I’s and cross the ‘T’s, and monitor its operations in new levels of analytical detail, SSR Mining can plan for this in a tighter and more cost-effective way than ever before. Whilst an extreme case, this same benefit is felt throughout SSR Mining’s operations – with so many factors at play, and at such a scale, every detail helps.

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Endeavour Magazine | 23

AMAZING WORLD

MYSTERY OF THE NAZCA LINES

by David Kimberley n the mid-1500s, Spanish conquistador made by removing the top layer of pebbles to Pedro Cieza de Leon was chronicling his reveal a yellow-grey subsoil. Interestingly, the exploration of southern Peru and referred to width of the lines changes dramatically across strange trail markers he found in the soil of the the whole group, with some measuring a third Nazca Desert. In 1586, a separate report instead of a metre and others being as wide as 1.8m. mentioned ancient ‘roads’ in the same area.

Visible from the surrounding foothills and These were the first discoveries of the Nazca the air, the shapes are usually made from Lines, although the explorers had no idea what one continuous line, varying in complexity. they had found.

Hundreds are simply lines, some are more The Lines are a group of large geoglyphs complicated geometric shapes. However, more formed by depressions and shallow incisions than 70 are designs depicting different animals in the soil of the Nazca Desert and are said including a hummingbird, spider, fish, llama, to have been created between 500 BC and jaguar, monkey, lizard, dog and even a human.

500 AD. While most lines run straight across Other shapes include trees and flowers. It is the landscape, there are some which depict because of the isolation and dry climate of the amazing designs of animals and plants. When plateau that the lines have been preserved so you consider the size of these geoglyphs, each well, however it seems a shame that an influx of ranging from 0.4 to 1.1km across, and the date squatters in recent years has caused the Lines they were created, it is a truly remarkable feat. to deteriorate.

The combined length of all the lines is over In 2011, a Japanese team from Yamagata 1,300km (808 miles), whereas the group covers University discovered two new small figures an area of approximately 50 sq.km (19 sq. miles). amongst the Nazca Lines, one of which The depth of the lines are typically 10 to 15 cm, resembled a human head and the other an

I

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Endeavour Magazine | 25

animal. They were dated to the early period of the Nazca culture. In 2012, the university opened a research centre at the site to study the Lines and the surrounding region for a 15-year project. They have already identified nearly 100 new geoglyphs.

American historian Paul Kosok is credited as the first person to study the Lines in detail.

He was studying ancient irrigation systems in 1940 and flew over the Nazca Lines, suddenly realizing that one of them was in the shape of a bird. He also observed that the lines converged at the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere and he set out to determine their purpose, being joined by archeologist Richard Schaedel and German mathematician Maria Reiche. Together, they suggested that the Lines were markers on the horizon to show where the sun and other celestial bodies rose on certain dates. Reiche went on to state that the figures resembled constellations and this theory was considered further, with some scholars saying that it may have been more likely they represented ‘heavenly shapes’, meaning the dark patches between the stars of the Milky Way. There have been other theories of course.

One said that the Nazca people created the Lines to be seen by deities in the sky, to offer worship so they could receive rain and productive crops. Another proposed a multifunctional reason for the geoglyphs, saying they were irrigation tracks, designs for mounds and cairns and then the more-common nod to astronomical representation. Some believe that the animals represented fertility symbols or that the Lines acted as a gigantic astronomical calendar.

In truth, it has been easier determining how the Lines were made than why they were made. A number of scholars theorized that the Nazca people constructed them using simple tools, and some surveys found wooden stakes in the ground at the end of some lines, which supports this theory. It was one of these stakes that was carbon dated, establishing the age of the Lines.

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Prominent skeptic of the paranormal, Joe Nickell, refuted one hypothesis that said the Lines had been created by ‘ancient astronauts’ and he set about reproducing the figures using the tools and basic technology that would have been available to the Nazca people. His work was labelled remarkable as it was so similar to the ancient landmarks and he proved that even the most complicated figures could be created by a small team within days, and without any aerial assistance.

The actual purpose of the Nazca Lines remains a mystery, despite the efforts of so many to determine the reason they were created so long ago. However, those who want to preserve this historical wonder are now concerned about the threats of pollution, erosion and of course climate change. The Lines could be washed away if the region receives more rainfall than normal and, with such changes to the weather worldwide, it is only a matter of time before this happens.

It is the human element that could ultimately cause irreparable damage to the Lines however.

In 2013, machinery used in a limestone quarry destroyed part of one Line and damaged another. In 2014, Greenpeace activists ironically damaged the Nazca Lines when setting up banners within the famous hummingbird design. Even vehicles in the Dakar Rally were found to have gone ‘off-road’ further than they were meant to, damaging some of the Lines.

Access to the area around the Lines is now strictly prohibited and special shoes must be worn by those entering. To this end, it is classed as a UN World Heritage site and remains yet another piece of amazing world history that simply must be preserved.

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READY FOR THE FUTURE TSK chevron-square-right www.grupotsk.com phone-square +34 984 49 55 00

The pressure for clean energy is rising, and for power companies, this could mean an abrupt change – unless, like TSK, they have been preparing.

We spoke with Joaquin Garcia Rico, TSK’s CEO, about the group of companies’ global success and widely diversified offerings in the power and industrial sectors; in particular, we spoke about how it is preparing for, as well as contributing to, the changing landscape of energy.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

T

SK has become one of Spain’s leading companies in terms of EPC projects (engineering, procurement, and construction) in the energy, industrial, minerals handling and environment sectors.

Its reach goes far beyond Spain, however; in fact, 97% of the company’s operations are international, with a portfolio that has, over the years, included projects in over 50 countries.

Currently present in 35 countries, with a team of over 1000 employees, TSK’s wide-reaching operations generate a turnover of more than €1000 million. You can’t argue with that level of success.

TSK specialises in the execution of turnkey projects and the supply of technological solutions for industrial plants, power generation plants, water treatment plants, oil & gas or storage facilities and raw material handling. In particular, the company has 30 years’ experience in the engineering, construction, assembly and commissioning of electric generation plants, and is able to offer technologies such as open-cycle, combined-cycle, cogeneration, wind farms, thermalsolar and photovoltaic plants, as well as hydraulic and biomass plants.

In total, the company has been involved in the construction of 212 generating plants, for Endeavour Magazine | 29

TSK

companies including ENDE, CFE, Energia del Valle de Mexico, PLN and APSCL. We spoke with Joaquin, TSK’s CEO, about how TSK has achieved and maintained this success. He felt that one of the company’s main strengths was its diversity, working with a range of technologies and across a range of markets. “Our diversification allows us to adapt and deal with decelerations. We survived one of the most important crises in history, growing and strengthening ourselves year after year until becoming one of the most important engineering firms in Spain.” Geographically, a large proportion of its business is currently in Latin America – unsurprising, given the company’s Spanish origins. Latin America accounts for 39% of TSK’s current market, followed by the Middle East at 32%, Asia at 10% and Africa at 9%. However, it also spans markets in terms of industries, including its involvement in both non-renewable and renewable energy.

It also means adapting to what its customers want in terms of services – for example, whilst

30 | Endeavour Magazine

TSK began as a heavily EPC-based company, its operational and maintenance support services are increasingly sought after by its client base, and it has shifted and expanded its efforts accordingly.

“We have achieved our objective of consolidating ourselves in a volume of activity at around 1 billion euros of sales for the third year in a row. After a decade of growth to double digits where we have multiplied our business volume by 10, now our main strategy is to keep growing, but at a more moderate pace, and especially to keep a diverse book of business where we do not depend on any type of activity or any specific territory. In our sector, reaching sales of 1 billion euros, with our own capital of more than 350 million euros, means that we are big enough to execute the majority of the projects that are tendered in our areas of activity, which allows us to select the projects we feel the most appropriate at each moment.”

TSK works heavily, but not exclusively, within the oil & gas sector, and it must consider the

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TSK

same question facing every company in the world of power generation – climate change.

“Our company has a long-term outlook: the increasing in population and as improving quality of life will boost the demand for new infrastructures, largely energy and industrial. “It is without a doubt that energy generation must contribute in a steadfast way to sustainable development that protects the planet and ensures prosperity to everyone. With this purpose, it is clear that the medium and long-term energy future turns inevitably to renewable energy. Nevertheless, this transition cannot jeopardise the prosperity of some areas for the benefit of others.”

In other words, Joaquin and TSK acknowledge the urgent importance of renewable energy, but are reluctant to retire non-renewables altogether, or at least to do so too suddenly. Joaquin sees a rising demand for energy in the future, and so believes that both energy types must be used in balance –

Joaquín García Rico TSK CEO

32 | Endeavour Magazine

especially as countries that economically rely on non-renewable sectors wean themselves off it.

Unlike such countries, TSK is not inhibited by being reliant on any one sector, and, whilst Joaquin advises caution in running towards a purely renewable future, the company has been engaging with and investing in this sector for some 15 years. “One of our distinguishing marks is our sturdy commitment to fighting against climate change.” To this end, TSK has specialised in business segments that will be key in a renewable energy future, such as largescale energy storage. In a joint venture with the English company Highview Power, TSK has developed a long-lasting energy storage system that operates on a massive, gigawattper-hour scale. The system uses a proprietary cryogenic energy storage technology that allows immediate transition from thermal and nuclear energy to renewable.

“This has positioned us as a cutting-edge technological company at an international level opening up an impressive field of opportunities before the unstoppable growth of renewable energies. Our solutions are not only economically feasible, but also scalable, clean and long lasting and can be implemented ipso facto.”

The joint venture with Highview Power is just one of many renewable energy projects for TSK and this is not even its only breakthrough development - TSK has also devised a concept of a solar hybrid plant that combines photovoltaic technology with thermosolar technology, which would allow for the generation of renewable energy 24 hours a day at a competitive cost. “This solves the problem of the intermittency of renewable energies,” explains Joaquin. “On the one hand, the main advantage of thermosolar technology is that it allows for generating electricity in a manageable way at any time of the day, having the capacity to store energy on a great scale.

On the other hand, the main advantage of photovoltaic technology is the competitivity when referring to the cost of investment and maintenance.” Combining the two allows TSK

READY FOR THE FUTURE

to harness the best of both worlds, allowing this renewable energy plant to compete with non-renewable sources in a meaningful way.

The full list of TSK’s current renewable projects could go on and on; it sees that this is the market of the future, so whilst it hasn’t abandoned other industries, clean energy accounts for a fair proportion of its contracts. It has completed work for ACWA Power, Masdar, EDF, Macquarie and EOSOL, with new contracts around the world. One notable new project is its 40M€ contract to build the first wind farm in Saudi Arabia. This farm (400MW) will be the largest of its kind in the Middle East. It has also been chosen by ERANOVE to construct the first combined cycle plant in Togo – a 65MW plant that will account for 30% of the country’s energy needs. The full list is extensive, with each contract value in the tens of millions.

As well as taking on large contracts, TSK encourages developments and projects in smaller companies by promoting and

supporting innovative starts ups and SMEs. It does this through work centres that it sets up to facilitate the projects proposed by these smaller companies. Similar to these centres, the company has an internal branch called “TSK Innovation” that combines all of its own R&D initiatives to be developed under one umbrella. This push towards an increasingly technological profile has been a key part of the company’s 2019-2021 Strategic Plan.

All in all, TSK’s reach is not one to take lightly; it has spent its 30 years of operation manoeuvring itself to be deeply positioned in multiple sectors across multiple markets throughout the world, supporting both longestablished industries and those of the future.

Whichever way the pendulum swings, TSK will stay secure, and its evolving plans and technological capabilities ensure that it won’t be left behind by trends. We believe that is the right way to work, and its success is a testament to this approach.

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MADE TO ORDER Marcopolo South Africa chevron-square-right www.marcopolo.co.za phone-square +27 11 418 0800

South Africa’s public transport industry is a complex and challenging one, but a rewarding frontier if tackled correctly.

For Marcopolo, one of the world’s largest bus body manufacturers, it is a challenge the group can take in its stride; we spoke with Mikel Ecenarro, General Manager of Marcopolo South Africa, who told us about the company’s plans to change the industry from the inside.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

H

eadquartered in Brazil, Marcopolo is the country’s main body manufacturer for buses, and one of the largest in the world. The company has been in operation for seven decades, six of which have included the international market, and one of its main overseas operations is its presence in South Africa.This South African branch of the company began operations in 1996, and in 2001, opened its current manufacturing facilities, which were later refurbished in 2009. As for Mikel, he has been with the company for two years, but in his time as General Manager, he has overseen this limb of Marcopolo beginning to tackle a series of wide-scale changes as a part of his 2022 vision. These changes would not only affect the company itself, but its clients, and the way South Africa as a whole approaches the purchasing and manufacturing of its buses.

Before breaking this down for us, Mikel gave us some context for how the company is situated within its market: “What I believe makes us quite unique is our wide product range, which offers standard commuter buses through to luxurious coaches.

Another unique quality of Marcopolo is our production capacity. Our factory here in Johannesburg gives us a full capacity of 1500 Endeavour Magazine | 35

MARCOPOLO SOUTH AFRICA

buses a year - the highest building capacity for buses in South Africa. Despite that capacity, we are currently only producing 300 a year, because the market is not asking for more.”

Marcopolo’s vast build capacity was made possible in the upgrade of its facilities in 2009, in order to meet a tender in 2010. “Usually, the government issues contracts without much time in advance, so they need buses urgently.”

The market has been coming down for the last four years, by 15% on average each year. “It’s a paradox, because the population is growing.

The bus is thought to be one of the most efficient and cheapest modes of transport: in most countries, if the population is growing, they utilize more buses, but in South Africa there is an exception.”

The reason for this is largely linked with a lack of clear policy and proper government support: the laws around permits and tenders are unclear, according to Mikel, and the country is also not investing in the supportive

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www.enesharness.co.za 36 | Endeavour Magazine

infrastructure that an effective and growing bus service would require. Given this lack of support, the bus industry is not growing as needed, and instead, privately run taxi companies are filling the unanswered demand.

Taxi companies are cheaper to establish than a bus company, and rely far less on government policy. However, whilst they are a convenient solution for company owners, they lead to more traffic and congestion, more pollution, and far more expensive travelling costs for South Africans.

However, even though this means the bus industry is not currently growing as it should, it hasn’t come to a stand-still, and it hasn’t stopped Marcopolo developing what it offers.

Traditionally in South Africa, manufacturers produce buses in bulk, and customers purchase from this stock. Marcopolo is hoping to alter the mindset of its market and to change this tradition. The company is expanding its engineering capabilities, with the aim of being able to provide bespoke buses, made to brief, as quickly as it would take a customer to receive a stock bus. This wait time for a stock bus is approximately one month - this is the industrial lead time frame that Marcopolo is looking to match.

On top of this, the company aims to improve the value of its products to its customers by offering Marcopolo Services – services that support a bus for its full 15-20 year life. “In many cases, our customers are modifying and refurbishing their buses by themselves or with unofficial third parties. What we’re now offering is that you can have that bus refurbished, reconfigured or upgraded by us. Bringing buses back to Marcopolo instead guarantees that the same skills used to build the bus will now carefully reconfigure it with the bus body building mindset, hence receiving an official OEM stamp, which will help to boost the bus’s value up at resale. Most importantly for Mikel, it expands the Marcopolo experience with the customer and with the product. “We want to show the customer that we offer the best total cost of ownership (TCO), so we definitely

MADE TO ORDER

suggest being partners for the life cycle of a bus.”

This value is already partly in place due to the sheer quality of the company’s buses.

Marcopolo is a well-known brand, and recognized for building reliable and robust products, setting the benchmark in the industry. “Our products last for 20 years, even in this harsh environment. We build buses that can cope on African and South African roads.

The best total cost of ownership is not about buying cheap – it’s about buying intelligent, and in those 15-20 years, you’re going to have the return on the investment.

As Marcopolo South Africa is part of an international group, the basic designs for its buses originate from its headquarters in Brazil.

However, the buses built in South Africa are very different to their Brazilian cousins. Whilst models may bear the same name in the two countries, their actual makeup will differ, as the South African engineers innovate on and alter these designs in order to respond to South African environment conditions. For example, the bus will be heavier, with a re-enforced structure, and it will be differently finished in order to better absorb the local road conditions.

This process is ongoing, with designs constantly adapted and improved on, to make sure buses are as durable and suited to their purpose as they can be.

In order to achieve these high standards and consistent high quality, Marcopolo has recently re-opened its in-house training centre, which trains their workforce up for not only the existing production lines, but also to enable them to carry out the new bespoke services the company plans to offer. However, wisely, this change is not being introduced all at once. Instead of a wide-scale change, its introduction is gradual, with 2022 as a goalpost.

This gradual introduction allows the company to focus in on its staff, training small groups of five or six at a time, to ensure they get the detailed input and support they need. This also allows the company to gauge the reception of these new services and to expand them

as and when demand occurs. For bespoke services, these are first being offered to valued long-term customers.

When a market slows down, a company can either slow down with it, or push to rise to the top, and this is what Marcopolo is doing.

New government policies and other changing factors may eventually allow the bus market to speed back up, and when it does, Marcopolo will have used this time well, and will be ideally positioned to benefit. Until then, by offering so much more to its customers than its competitors can, Marcopolo should have nothing to worry about, and may even spearhead a change to an industry attitude throughout South Africa.

Endeavour Magazine | 37

38 | Endeavour Magazine

EXPANDING THE BUILD BAUER Engineering Ghana Ltd chevron-square-right www.bauer-ghana.com phone-square 00233 302 544113

The Bauer Group is a well-established name in construction. The Germanybased Group has operations in 70 countries worldwide, including a presence in every continent. This vast entity manages its reach through a network of 110 subsidiaries, which are split into three main segments: construction, equipment and resources. We spoke with Emmanuel Dengu, Senior Project Manager for Bauer’s Africa Division, about the subsidiary’s role within the larger Bauer Group.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

B

auer Engineering Ghana Ltd (BEG) is a subsidiary of Bauer Spezialtiefbau GmbH, aka the Group’s construction branch. “At BEG, we offer specialist foundation engineering services for the West African market with support from the main Head office in Schrobenhausen, Germany. We focus on infrastructure developments, power stations, ports and the active mining sector.”

BEG operates locally in Ghana and regionally across West Africa. Its main clients are mining companies and Ghana’s government via infrastructure projects, both of whom it has had l contracts with, but it also works with private individuals, and local partners who rely on its engineering services. We spoke to Emmanuel Dengu about the state of the market in Ghana and West Africa, and especially how it affects BEG’s two main sources of contracts: “The mining sector is growing due to the increase in mineral prices, mainly gold and silver.

New mines will be opening that require new infrastructure and other processing structures.

There is also the pressure on environmental concerns of the open cast mining method, so mines are opting for the underground mining methods. These leave a less visible footprint on the surface at the end of the mine’s life.” A Endeavour Magazine | 39

BAUER ENGINEERING GHANA LTD

shift to underground mining means more work for Bauer, as well as a better outcome for the environment long term.

This frontier may be looking positive, but unfortunately, BEG’s other source of major contracts isn’t so steady: “For major infrastructure developments that are government funded, they are impacted by the political cycle. We have noticed a trend: after an election or change of government, projects are either suspended or cancelled completely.

It is the nature of where we are, and we have to adapt.”

BEG is interested in breaking into highrise construction, but this market is currently slow in West Africa, due in part to this bumpy process Emmanuel described in government contracts. It is also due to complications in the West African construction sector in general, which slow down private companies and deter from such ambitious projects. “The current market is quiet and challenging,” Emmanuel

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told us. The sector faces many challenges that make business difficult to keep profitable and timely: one such challenge that many African businesses will attest to is that of cross-border duties and delays. “Despite West Africa being ECOWAS zone, for goods it is not working.”

Emmanuel explains: “For people, it works well - as good as the EU. For goods, it is the differences in regulation between the Frenchspeaking countries and the English-speaking countries that causes problems. However, if operating in between the French zone, it is much easier, as they use the same currency and the regulations are very similar.”

Another challenge can be equipment availability, and whether or not this challenge arises can greatly affect the cost of a job for BEG, which, depending on what equipment their competitors currently have access to, can price them out of a job. “If the drilling rigs and equipment are available locally then the competition is not a major concern. When the drilling rigs and equipment have to be imported, this drastically increases the cost for mobilisation and could make us uncompetitive.”

Be that as it may, BEG is, for the most part, unfazed by competition. This is because it knows it is a small part of a greater entity, and has the support and strength of that Group’s expertise and experience behind it. “We are part of Bauer Group, a business with more than 225 years in the special foundations industry.

We are technically superior, as we have experience from other parts of the world that can be harnessed when necessary through back up from head office.” Head office also supplies BEG with design support, which again gives it an edge.

BEG isn’t just relying on its wider group, however – it has also taken shrewd steps to place itself in competitive positions. In particular, it has made a series of investments to attempt to see the challenge of equipment availability off at the pass: “We have managed to keep a small fleet of drilling rigs, BG28 and a BG15, which gives us flexibility, as we do not have to import. By the end of the year we will also have a small anchor drilling and micro piling rig to improve our chances on the local

BAUER ENGINEERING GHANA LTD

market.” The very nature of BEG’s placement also gives it an advantage within West Africa, as Ghana benefits from a well-run banking sector and easy flight connections to the rest of the world, as well as having two main ports – Tema and Takoradi.

Despite certain challenges, therefore, business for BEG is going from strength to strength. In fact, the company is looking to expand its operations: “We want to grow the business in Ghana and the region of West Africa and will need a full team that is well resourced and supported. We are focusing on growing and consolidating our presence and visibility by being on the ground full-time, and with sufficient equipment and resources to respond to projects and clients’ needs.”

As well as assembling the right team for this expansion, BEG is also on the lookout for the right projects. Emmanuel told us that they are keeping a particular eye on the Côte d’Ivoire. Abidjan port is currently up for

42 | Endeavour Magazine

redevelopment, which opens up a wide slate of potential contracts. In the meantime, BEG isn’t forgetting its greatest current source of support – the mining sector. In order to prepare to move forwards, it is also looking backwards by remembering and aiming to strengthen its partnerships within this sector. “New mines are opening up across West Africa, in mainly Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso, so there is opportunity for us.”

One of BEG’s strengths is that it doesn’t forget its partners, and it builds strong bonds with its clients, too. Emmanuel shared that they’ve received a lot of support from their clients over the years, naming Group 5 as one that stands out. He also mentioned the support the company has had from its local clearing agents, Hans Shipping and Bollore, who have enabled them to move rigs and equipment across borders and import/export to and from other parts of the world. Lastly, he named the company’s auditors, Egala, as having also

EXPANDING THE BUILD

been of great support, this time in matters of compliance.

BEG is currently drawing to the conclusion of a shaft installation at AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi Mine. BEG was hired by Master Drilling to install a shaft for the rise bore installations, and should complete its work by the middle of this month.

Emmanuel has been with Bauer for three years, and described his time working for them throughout Africa as “exciting and sometimes challenging”. However, he loves the work now as much as he did when he joined, and as BEG gets ready to expand, he feels nothing but drive and optimism. He shared his advice on success and continued hard work with us, and they were wise words: “Focus on the goal/destination and be adaptable along the way. Challenges will come and they must not distract you from the destination. There will be diversions and stops, but you get there eventually - with some humour.” We couldn’t agree more.

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Endeavour Magazine | 43

AUTOMOTIVES

ISUZU D-MAX

T

he Isuzu pick-up D-MAX has undergone a full model change in the first time in eight years!

Isuzu Motors Limited’s one-ton pick-up truck, Isuzu D-MAX, has had a full-model redesign. The new vehicle went on sale October 19th this year, and it looks fantastic.

Since Isuzu Motors Co., (Thailand) Ltd., the mother-plant of pick-up trucks, began a localized production in 1974, it has rolled out over 4 million vehicles, turning itself into a worldwide pick-up truck provider serving not only Thailand but more than 100 countries globally. D-MAX is a top-ranking brand in Thailand, and this is still true after the redesign; the new D-MAX has received awards including and the 2019 Most Popular Pick-up Truck, Best Fuel Saving Pick-up Truck and Best Life Style Pick-up Truck.

The newly revamped pick-up truck is well designed not only as a personal passenger car, but also as a station-wagon for business use.

“Efficient” and “robust” were the key-words 44 | Endeavour Magazine

that inspired all of the new design choices, which sought to deliver higher fuel efficiency and safety whilst also responding to various usage conditions and purposes. Isuzu achieved this aim; the new model has market-leading low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, has adopted advanced safety features, and operates with improved stability and comfort, as well as improved braking. Additionally, given Thailand’s steady rainfall, special care and attention was also paid to improving the vehicle’s anti-corrosion ability, and it is capable of driving through a river bed for 800mm.

Developed under the concept of ‘Beyond the Pick-up Truck’, the D-MAX’s design is distinctively new. It has a chunky exterior design with a wedge body shape that creates a more powerful silhouette than its predecessors.

The use of 980 MPa high-tensile steel plates has made it possible to achieve stronger body rigidity while keeping it lightweight, with the application of higher than 390 MPa hightensile steel plates having increased from 30%

to 46%. Not only its body rigidity is up by 20%, but its rooftop is also reinforced. In terms of layout, through the improvements made on the package design, each cab type now features an extended loading platform.

Inside the vehicle, in addition to enriching the D-MAX’s infotainment system, various features have been added to increase convenience, such as keyless entry. The technology and quality of the D-MAX’s interior components have also been upgraded, and the interior noise has been significantly reduced. Low-rebound MDI polyurethane has been used for the front seat cushions for increased passenger comfort, and careful, detailed attention has been paid to the vehicle’s interior components, with embossed and texturized surfaces giving it a high-end, sporty look.

Perhaps most importantly, the D-MAX’s 4JJ3 engine has also been redeveloped. The redesign was based on the reliable and wellreceived 4JJ1 diesel engine (3L displacement): the combined effects of 250 MPa high injection pressure, electronically-controlled

VSG turbocharger, heat-insulating coating on the piston and double-scissors gear has yielded the engine featuring high power, low fuel consumption and low noise. The performance of the RZ4E diesel engine (1.9L displacement) has also been revamped by optimizing its gear ratio and control systems.

As for suspension, the D-MAX’s highride model employs high-mounted front suspensions with upper links to boost driving stability and conform. The rear suspension, on the other hand, features a wider rear tread and reduced mounting angle for the shock absorber, whereby a better driving stability is achieved.

We could go on – every element of the D-MAX has been re-examined and improved upon, from major structural details to the smallest of parts. For a full break-down, check out Isuzu’s press releases, or, even better, book yourself in for a test-drive and see how much smoother, stronger and more stable the new D-MAX truly feels.

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TASTEFULLY DONE Indoguna chevron-square-right www.indoguna.com phone-square (65) 6755 0330

For Helene Raudaschl, Managing Director of Singapore’s Indoguna, food is a passion. It is her hobby as well as her business; combining this genuine enthusiasm with a savvy business sense, she has seen the company grow in variety whilst always maintaining impeccable standards that only other foodlovers would hold their products to. The company is dedicated to their products - a dedication that fellow gourmands can trust.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

“W

e import, evaluate the product, and then we distribute and market it. We’re based in Singapore, and we don’t have any natural resources in this country,” explains Helene Raudaschl, Indoguna’s Managing Director.

“Everything has to be imported.” With this sort of challenge before them, Indoguna had a stack of challenges ahead of them, but with them, a ripe market with a serious demand, and gap where that demand was not being filled. “When we started in 1993, our concentration and focus was in high quality meats – particularly chill and fresh. The marketplace at that time was all frozen and was very commodity driven.

There was a need at that time for hotels and restaurants who wanted fresh, smaller quantity, high quality products.”

Rising to this need, Indoguna began importing fresh meats, soon gathering a loyal pipeline of restaurants, hotels and other kitchens that came to rely on their fresh, top standard imports. For the first five years, the company stuck purely to the meat business, but over their 25-plus years they have diversified into many categories, including seafood, dairy and bakery products. Now, they are a go-to for clients searching for that mark of originality Endeavour Magazine | 49

INDOGUNA

and excellence in their menus. “Basically, we could supply 80% of a menu in most restaurants.” Whilst not as strong in canned goods and base vegetables, Indoguna provide all of the harder-to-source elements that make a meal distinctive. “In general, we aim to almost become a one-stop shop for most clients, and to also provide the centre of the plate. So, the variety is very extensive. We bring in products from around the world.”

What prompted this expansion from the company’s specialist operations in the meat market, to become the wide-reaching provider they are today? In part, it was their confidence in their abilities, and the ambition to secure themselves an ever-bigger position in the industry. However, it was also a gutsy and timely response to a period of crisis. “We ran into some problems with diseases during the European mad cow crisis, and suddenly the government shut down a lot of importation products.” With a portion of their imports barred, and anxiety

50 | Endeavour Magazine

spreading regarding red meat, Indoguna took a risk and expanded their line to stave off a loss of business. “It was seafood first. We identified seafood in chill, in frozen and in live format.

Once again, we sourced those products from everywhere, supplying our clients who were buying our meat items, to explore with them the possibility of supplying them seafood.”

Diversifying was not without its challenges.

Despite the need for meat alternatives in the market, convincing customers to explore a new product can take time, and the logistical sides of the product were occasionally more complex than meat – particularly the live seafood!

“When we started the live seafood, we didn’t have a strong customer base for the product yet, and it’s highly perishable. Once we found a constant stream of customers, we were able to stabilise mortality, write-offs and that kind of thing.” It wasn’t a simple product to take on under any circumstances, but especially not when the company did not yet have an

TASTEFULLY DONE

existing seafood pipeline. However, Helene feels the gamble is what set them apart, and set a precedent for Indoguna’s operations in the years to come. “I think one of the things that made us a success was that we dare to go into areas that are risky. At that time, most people in Singapore were gearing for frozen, because there’s less risk. It was the ‘90s, so live seafood was not very common in Singapore.

We were probably the first ones to bring in live oysters, live mussels and those kinds of products.”

Over 25 years into business, Indoguna’s pipelines are secure, with long-standing relationships and a reputation for excellence.

However, given the nature of the stock they deal in, business is never without its complications. “In every category we started, there were always challenges – even today, we still have challenging moments. We’ve had weather changes, short supply; we’re dealing with natural things, so sometimes we don’t

DUTCH VEAL w i t h w o r l d w i d e a l l u re

have catches, or a harvest might not be as good.” Despite these variables, it is essential that Indoguna deliver consistency to their clients. “In our business, quality has to be the first consideration of any product that we bring in. It’s highly competitive in the restaurants, and our customers need to know that the raw materials they’re getting have consistency, so they provide the same consistency to their own customers.”

This competition between restaurants naturally creates competition in Indoguna’s part of the market. “There’s no doubt about it. However, it’s a small market too, so we coexist in a friendly manner.” Whilst competing companies are amicable, consumer trends can be unforgiving. “It’s a very sophisticated market, and it is getting increasingly difficult to stay fresh, so that customers don’t get bored with your product line. We constantly have to work double hard to find products and concepts that will excite the menus.”

ALL OVER THE WORLD In recent years, veal has enjoyed growing popularity, as consumers increasingly recognise and appreciate its outstanding qualities. This delicious, tender and lean meat works wonderfully in all kinds of dishes and with all kinds of flavours.

EKRO EKRO in The Netherlands is the world’s largest and most modern calf slaughterhouse and veal production facility. Over 400 dedicated and skilled employees process annually over 400.000 calves to carcasses, bone-in and boneless cuts and kitchenand consumer-ready products in a state of the art facility. EKRO exports 95% of its production to over 60 countries worldwide, supplying retail, foodservice and industry in any desired quantity, quality, specification and packaging, chilled or frozen.

Approximately 80% of production is Premium Dutch Milkfed Veal, 20% is Premium Dutch Grainfed Veal, each with its own characteristics and following the changing market needs and trends. Also in this concern of identifying market needs, EKRO was already in the 1980’s at the forefront of animal welfare developments by implementing loose-house systems and revised feed schemes to stimulate rumination, ensuring the well-being of each calf. Feed for the calves consists of mainly calvesmilk which is produced from derivates from the dairy-industry such as skimmed milkpowder, weypowder and fats, enriched with vitamins and minerals. Besides calvesmilk, the calves are also fed with a ration of roughage, resulting in a balanced nutritious diet. Milkfed veal is easily digestible, low in cholesterol, highly nutritious, tender and above all delicious.

All meat supplied by EKRO is guaranteed free of added hormones and antibiotics, and certified Halal.

From farm to production of feed and veal, the whole chain is controlled; buying newborn calves at the age of 2-4 weeks, housing them in contracted farms, feeding them till 8 months with feed from own production and harvesting them in the modern stateof-the-art slaughterhouse. This control over the full production ensures a consistent, safe and high quality product and full tracking and tracing. All production is controlled by the own food safety program, Safety Guard, which exceeds at least EU-standards.

Besides implementation of this program, EKRO is ISO22000 certified and boasts BRC ad IFS controls. Food safety and animal welfare are not just words to EKRO, but guarantees.

OUR MOTTO: “WHEN YOU ASK FOR VEAL, WE SERVE A CONCEPT”.

www.ekro.com

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INDOGUNA

This calls for non-stop innovation, and isn’t something Indoguna was going to leave to fate. Instead, they took matters into their own hands, investing in their own manufacturing facility from which they enhance their goods and develop a range of in-house brands.

These include Carne Meats, their butchery range; Ocean Gems, their seafood range; and Masterpiece, their range of dim sum and ready to use products for meal preparation. “It is a lot of butchery products, value-added meat, poultry, seafood products, and we produce a whole range of chocolatier products, highend sausages, air-dried items – I mean, we’re constantly continuing to innovate the product lines and what we are sourcing. What was doing well five years ago might not be doing well today because trends change.”

Around 65% of Indoguna’s business is in restaurants and hotels, but it doesn’t stop there. 12% of their business goes into supplying supermarkets, and the remaining 23% is split between airline caterers, clubs, traders, wholesalers and independent households. As well as this blend of commercial and domestic consumers, despite their belief that nothing but the best is good enough, the company successfully caters to a full range of budgets.

“I wouldn’t say we operate only in the luxury market. We offer the best value for money in terms of products across all classes. So, for example, if we have a product for the economy class market, we pride ourselves on providing the best products for that economy class sector.”

The domestic household market is currently a small portion of Indoguna’s business, but as we have seen, the company are always pushing themselves and reaching out to the next frontier: the household market. Greengrocer is an online delivery for households, run by ourselves. Currently under development as part of a push to grow their household market, they access this customer base through Greengrocer.com.sg, an online order and delivery service that the company owns and runs. In a bid to expand this side of the business, they are currently investing in its 52 | Endeavour Magazine

development. “We’re expanding our lines and services, and developing our digital platform to make delivery much easier to the households.

I think the first improvement will be logistics – how we can shorten the time frame of delivery for customer experience. Currently, 95% of our logistics is from in-house, and then 5% of our requirements are sourced from outside.”

Pushing the home front is just one of Indoguna’s many development plans. They are currently looking at Just Meat, a store front butcher’s shop that the company owns in Hong Kong, with a view to turning the oneoff store into a Hong Kong based chain. They are also turning their attention to potential customer groups that they have previously been unable to provide for. “The company is definitely planning on growing. For example, we’re looking at doing Halaal business. I can’t share too much, because it’s still on our drawing board, but we’re definitely looking to the Muslim market in Singapore, and into new facilities to cater to them.”

With Helene’s passion never faltering, the avenues ahead are sure to be just some of the innovations we can expect from Indoguna in the coming years. Unwilling to release their hold in a competitive market, they know that they must move ever forwards to keep up with the tide of trend and demand. With the whole world to import from and only their ingenuity as a limit, our mouths are watering at the possibilities.

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SUCCESS BY SEA Ramps Logistics chevron-square-right www.rampslogistics.com phone-square +1868 627-5664

Latin America and the Caribbean – these markets are complex ones for the logistics industry, due in part to the high number of islands both regions cover, and the varying border controls to each country within them.

Ramps Logistics takes on this market with a ‘family business’ attitude, despite having an experienced team over 500 strong.

It is this personal touch that sets Ramps apart, but of course, this can’t come at the expensive of services and scale. With expansive, customisable operations that change to every customer’s needs, Ramps has the best of both worlds.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

F

ounded in 1985, Ramps Logistics is now a leading logistics provider throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, with offices in Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname, as well as Miami and Houston. In particular, the company focuses on supply chain management and freight forwarding services, including freight by land, ocean and air.

The company says of itself that “our strength has been built on our understanding of the complex market in which we operate.” This local understanding is part of the ‘family spirit’ that the company has strived to maintain since it was founded, advertising that at their offices, there are staff who can speak their customers’ native languages and know their communities, giving the company a sense of that local, personal feel. However, this local feel does not come at the expense of excellence – Ramps boasts “world-class professionals” and “cutting-edge technology”, the latter of which is customised to suit the ways in which their customers do business, no matter where in the world they are.

It also claims to handle some of the world’s most advanced supply chains, for customers that span a range of industries; again, the Latin American and Caribbean regions have inherent Endeavour Magazine | 55

RAMPS LOGISTICS

complications when it comes to shipping, so a complex supply chain becomes even more of a challenge in this part of the world.

Ramps’ supply chain management systems offer to simplify these supply chains as much as possible, including improvements such as lower inventory, shortened delivery times and increased order accuracy. All of this can greatly save their customers money, as well as upping their operational efficiency.

Even in the case of urgent shipments, Ramps’s advanced management system and vast global network are able to get the job done. In fact, the company even has what it calls a ‘Get it Done’ team, which is dedicated to overseeing the fulfilment of shipments that involve complications or particular needs.

In terms of their actual freight services, Ramps’s global network opens up opportunities to companies that might otherwise not be able to access them, including new and small businesses. Ocean freight plays a major role.

A&D Energy Services Inc was established with a clear mission in mind: to supply fuel bunkering services between the waters of Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and Guyana.

With the support of our partners in countries like Jamaica and Curacao, we can provide for a range of projects and endeavours, including offshore drilling rigs, supply vessels, survey vessels, tankers and drill-ships’.

www.adenergyserv.com

+18687556911 • daren@adenergyserv.com

Marine Bunker Supply Specialists Gasoil & Fuel Oil (0.1-0.5% sulfur content) DMA, RMA

Services Marine Bunkering of fuels for Tankers, PSV’s, OSV’s Survey Vessels, Tugs and Drill ships. Slop oil removals and transportation and Tank cleaning

Proud to support RAMPS LOGISTICS 56 | Endeavour Magazine

RAMPS LOGISTICS

Within this sector, Ramps offers LCL & FCL import and export shipment services, picking and sorting, warehousing and inventory management, parcel service, groupage, part and full loads, labelling and marking, processing and repackaging, cargo consolidation and break bulk, and the online tracking of shipments. Basically, it covers everything from warehousing to trackable shipping, and even provides companies with pick stations so that even the sorting and packing of their shipments is taken care of.

Ramps’s ocean shipping connects to the world’s major ports, and its air freight does the same for the world’s key airports. Like with ocean shipping, air freight can be tracked online, and in addition to the services available with ocean freight, Ramps is able to off direct air connections for time-critical shipments.

Of course, the company also provides in-land shipment. In addition to all of these services, the company also offers customers brokerage solutions to help companies to import good and clear customs with greater ease.

As one would expect from a shipment company operating in the Caribbean, Ramps dedicates a signification portion of its operations to offshore logistics, providing logistical support to the oil and gas industry that is so key to much of the region. These services are offered not only to oil and gas producers, but also to exploration and construction companies within the sector. These services are available for both short and long-term projects, and include everything you’d expect and then some: Inventory and warehousing management, the planning and management of logistics support services and even the storing and transport of dangerous goods all fall within the shipping remit, but the company goes still further, offering project management services for construction projects, tubular and casing handling and inspection, work permit and visa services, customs and border services, and other administrative services that would greatly ease up the workload of these offshore companies. Ramps even offers vessel 58 | Endeavour Magazine

charter and equipment hire, as well as crew change services.

In supplying these oil and gas services, one of Ramps’s most recent contracts has been with Tullow Oil, a UK-based company that began drilling exploration wells in Guyana in Q2 this year. Tullow operates the Orinduik Block with partners Total and Eco Atlantic, and awarded Ramps its fully integrated cross-border logistics contract this January. This contract includes shore base provision and management, marine agency, personnel logistics, freight forwarding and customs brokerage - aka, a large spectrum of Ramps’ services. On top of these, the company is also providing third party services such as waste disposal, tank cleaning and CCU provision.

Through this contract, Ramps will support Tullow as it conducts explorations through its two current wells, Jethro-1 and Joe. This crossborder project is similar to previous contracts that the company has held with Tullow Oil in Suriname in 2017 and 2018. It also offers similar services to ExxonMobil, and has since 2015. It is this expertise that they are now bringing to their new contract – expertise that is essential in order to maintain its status as a leading logistics company within this of all regions.

The world is developing, with a move away from oil and gas being pushed for, and yet it isn’t going anywhere fast. Whilst this industry continues to define these regions, Ramps will continue to support it, and even if this changes in the years to come, the company’s services are capable of supporting any and all shipping needs, no matter the goods or complications.

It is a company with sticking power that is only set to keep growing in scale and positioning in the years to come.

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THE GOLDEN SHIELD Centamin chevron-square-right www.centamin.com phone-square +44 (0)1534 828 700

Following in the footsteps of the Pharaohs, Centamin is mining for gold in Egypt and it’s confident that the future is going to be phenomenal. Endeavour Magazine took a closer look at their day-to-day operations to find out why.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

T

he ancient Pharaohs have inspired a number of trends throughout history, but gold mining? Whilst it isn’t the first thought that comes to mind when picturing the ancient civilization, it was a hefty industry, and it showed: the amount of gold needed to create the opulent jewellery, furniture and sarcophagi of the day must have been immense. These ancient miners only targeted the country’s smoky quartz veins that contain large amounts of gold, but they left other areas untouched. Focusing on the Arabian-Nubian Shield, Centamin has a beady eye trained on Egypt’s hidden precious metals and is enjoying enviable success.

Not an operation to shy away from a little well-deserved applause, Centamin is happy to reveal what makes it so successful: “Centamin’s principal asset, the Sukari Gold Mine, began production in 2009 and is the first largescale modern gold mine in Egypt. Base case production is c. 500,000 ounces per annum, with the potential to exceed this level as optimisation of the mining and processing operations continues. Our solid financial position, strong cash flow and development and operating experience provides us with Endeavour Magazine | 61

CENTAMIN

a significant advantage in acquiring and developing other gold projects.”

Look carefully and you’ll see a telltale sign of a company destined for outrageous success.

Can you spot it? It’s the ever so casual and matter-of-fact acknowledgement that there is potential for growth, diversification and new projects. Companies that simply operate in the now and rely on current successes are always living on borrowed time, but by never failing to think about where things are going, Centamin is sealing its fate as an industry leader.

Of course, any prominent mining operation needs a slew of committed investors that are keen to explore new territories and want to take a calculated risk for a valuable return, and Centamin is cautious to not disappoint its partners. Although mineral and precious metals mining will always be considered a risky endeavour, by undertaking extensive research into the most prospective regions, Centamin is able to allay partner fears and bolster a spirit of positive investment. In particular, in-depth exploration works are taking place in Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.

Be that as it may, Centamin could have a fantastic exploration strategy in place (and is does), but if the gold market is failing to perform well, it could all be for nothing. We asked how the industry was performing and what the future looks set to hold: “The most important component of Centamin’s earnings is the market price of gold. We believe that its value as jewellery and as an investment vehicle will continue to increase.”

The reasons for this positive outlook are many, but it appears that Centamin has a hotline to the future, as the team is confident that gold is a financial safe haven that will prove a good bet against inflation, that it offsets a weak US dollar and is becoming a rarer commodity. If all of these predictions come true, gold will indeed become a fantastically valuable material, driving the price of any discoveries up to the benefit of exploration companies and the investors that placed their money and faith in them.

Centamin finds itself in an enviable position.

With competition in the mining industry being 62 | Endeavour Magazine

so fierce, those who succeed normally do so because of a steady stream of investment and trust, both of which are in plentiful supply in this case. Great cash flow and open communication chains mean that if a promising prospect springs up, there is no delay in forging ahead, meaning that the competition is left far behind.

However, Centamin hasn’t gotten ahead of itself, as there is a sensible and observable operating strategy in place.

Given that there is a constant flow of funding and a legacy of good finds bolstering Centamin, you’d be forgiven for assuming that a devil-may-care attitude could have crept into the day-to-day operations, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Cautious consideration is the key, not to mention extensive industry experience and accurate future trend observations, which have led to the following approach: “Centamin’s strategy is to maximise the value of our asset base and promote further growth of the business by setting and delivering on challenging targets, maximising profitability and maintaining a strong balance sheet to enable growth, exploration and acquisitions and operating safely and in an environmentally and culturally sensitive manner.”

Culture meets proven fiscal stability and a never-ending desire to keep pushing limits.

This might not sound like a magic recipe, but it has yielded exceptional results for Centamin.

“One of our strategic focuses is on shareholder returns and a strong balance sheet that allows dividend returns to remain a priority. Another is on continued and steady growth through a well-balanced project pipeline. Finally, we make social responsibility not a focus, but a priority.”

You won’t be surprised to learn that behind the vision, leadership and courage that has seen Centamin rise to prominence is a team of deeply committed, experienced and most importantly, valued employees. As a company that has to know the value of its vital commodities, Centamin makes no bones about just how priceless a team of reliable professionals is:

THE GOLDEN SHIELD

“Our people are our most valuable resource.

We are committed to attracting, energising, developing and retaining a highly skilled and experienced workforce. We value individuals with outstanding technical, professional and managerial skills who can contribute to a positive working environment and demonstrate willingness to lead, take responsibility and display initiative. We aim to foster a relation of trust and open dialogue between employees and management.”

A healthy dose of optimism, a firm grasp on industry trends and easy access to exploration funding means that Centamin is on the right track for staggering levels of future success.

The Sukari mine will continue to be the main source of production, but with new exploration projects demonstrating serious yield potential, the future isn’t just sunny - it’s golden.

Sun Mining Services is an Australian owned company which provides smarter blasting solutions for the mining, civil construction and quarrying industries.

Sun Mining Services manufactures and supplies bulk explosives and related chemicals to the mining industry in Australia and around the world.

WALA series product is the latest in bulk explosive technology and brings great advantages to the mining and quarrying industry.

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AMAZING WORLD

KUKERI - DANCING AWAY THE DEVIL

by James Lapping very winter, for thousands of years, and can take all year round to make. Some the Kukeri dancers of Bulgaria have families even rear their own goat specifically performed a vibrant spectacle to battle with its fur coat in mind, which means that against the darkness. The tradition has been it can take up to 7-8 years to rear the animal engrained into the country’s culture for and then transform it into a costume. The generations - so far back that no one knows coat of a sheep is also commonly used as where it even originated from. Throughout the the main body of the uniform, whilst huge months of January and February, communities copper bells that are crafted especially for the pull together in villages, towns and cities across festivities are strapped around the waist with the nation to put on a fearsome display of a leather belt that can ring at a tremendous dancing, bell ringing, and a truly sensational volume. Ribbons, feathers, beads and other visual performance. trinkets can be added on personal preference, Even though no one knows how the ritual too, making the result as eye catching began, they know why: the Kukeri dancers’ aim as possible. is to drive away the evil spirits that they believe To finish off the immaculate dress-up, large frequent the area during winter. Alongside masks are fashioned from either wood, fabric ridding these devilish sprites, the dancers also or papier-mâché. Many of these masks bear hope to invite prosperity and joy into their an animalistic appearance, whereas others communities, to have a plentiful yield in the are better defined as monstrous. Each mask is harvests of the year to come, and to wish good different, and the costumes are personalised health unto all. to represent the various regions and districts A crucial part of the festivities are the outfits. of Bulgaria, as well as the characteristics of the These elaborate pieces are made from scratch person behind the mask.

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Though the aim of the festival is to rid evil, it may seem like a rather sinister affair particularly with the ‘demonic’ attire. However, there is rationale behind it all - if you want to scare off evil spirits, then you have to appear ever scarier yourself!

Historically, the festivities were only enjoyed by the male populous, but throughout the 20th century, women and children were fully integrated into the rituals. This means there are now even more Bulgarians dancing down the streets, bells rattling incessantly into the air to warn off the dark spirits.

The Kukeri can usually be seen at various times between the start of the new year in January, and the beginning of Lent in February.

However, there is one particular event that brings the whole nation together, and even attracts attention on the international scale: Surva Festival (officially known as the International Festival of Masquerade Games) draws all the participants of the Kukeri rituals across the country to the town of Purnik, an industrial centre of Bulgaria. Thousands are

involved, casting away the evil spirits that they encounter, in true spectacle. Since the festival was formed in 1966, it has gained UNESCO status as a centre of cultural heritage.

Across Central and Eastern Europe, other countries participate in closely related festivities, donning similar attire. In Hungary, there is the annual celebration of Busójárás, in Slovenia they have the Kurentovanje carnival, and in Romania the Cucii - these all happen in a similar timeframe between the start of the new year and Lent, and follow the similar purpose of wishing for a good year ahead.

No one knows where the Kukeri ritual began, but regardless of where it originated, it has stood the test of time, particularly in a country that has suffered numerous oppressive occupations by foreign regimes. It shows a sense of national and cultural pride, and continues to provide the locals with joy that is steeped in rich cultural tradition. Evil spirits, be gone!

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KEEPING IN CHECK SGS Ghana chevron-square-right www.sgs.com phone-square +233 302 77 39 94 / 95

In industry, you can never be too careful. Employee and customer safety, environmental fallout, heavy machinery and volatile materials, partner investment and profit margins: because of the inherent risks and variables, companies do all they can from the planning stages onwards to ensure efficiency, integrity and safety at every step of their operations. Fortunately, SGS is here to help.

Whatever the industry, wherever in the world, this company can verify and protect your operations.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

F

ormerly known as the Société Générale de Surveillance, SGS is a global company headquartered in Switzerland, offering inspection, verification, testing and certification services across industries and around the world.

With almost 100,000 employees, SGS’s reach is vast, and with a history almost a century and a half old, this company has a depth of experience behind it. Founded in 1878, SGS has seen innumerable changes in precautionary measures, standard industry practices, and even our understanding of science and safety. SGS has truly stood the test of time: to maintain its status and success through so many changes, the company needed a secure foundation, to keep an eye on the tide of the times, and to adapt to these changes whilst always maintaining its reputation for reliability – a reputation that lasts to this day.

SGS’s key services offered include the inspection and verification of product quantities, weight and quality, as well as testing not only products, but services and operational practices, against various health and safety measures and government requirements. These tests and checks are essential, and we can all rest easy knowing that they are meticulously carried out.

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SGS GHANA

SGS is a vast enterprise, so in order to deep dive into what the company offers, we focused in on one of its entities: SGS Mineral Services Ghana. Founded in 1963, SGS Ghana Limited has since been added to by several other SGS companies within the country: Laboratory Services Ghana Limited, SGS Inspection and Testing Services Limited, and TMP Ghana Limited. Like its global operations, SGS’s presence in Ghana is equipped to tackle a wide range of industries, offering expert-level testing and inspections in minerals; environmental health and safety; agriculture; food and life sciences; industrial services; transport services; government and institution services; oil, gas and chemicals; certification and business enhancement, and electronic cargo tracking.

Every one of these operations has its own dedicated body; for example, SGS Mineral Services Ghana. This company delivers quality analytical services as a technical advisor and strategic partner to its clients. It works

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alongside entities such as mines, opening on-site labs to monitor samples as and when they’re taken. Some of these mine laboratories include one for Newmont at Ahafo, one for Newmont at Akyem and one for Goldfields at Damang. As well as this, it has a commercial facility in Tarkwa, where it offers the following tests: determination of gold by fire assay, screen fire assay, aqua-regia and various bottle roll techniques; of total sulphur and carbon by LECO; of gold in solution and in carbon; of base metals by aqua-regia digest; of specific gravity and bulk density; of the percentage of gold in bullion; of carbon activity; of moisture content, and other special test work as requested by clients.

That’s a long list to take in! This shows the range of tests possible for SGS Minerals Services Ghana to carry out, with its mine facilities offering similar but further specialised tests for the operation in question. Overall, SGS Minerals Services Ghana serves clients with a need for exploration grade analyses (a largescale exploration program, generating rock or soil samples with low metal contents), ore grade analyses (producing rock or core samples with which to analyse medium to high grade minerals) or control grade analyses (a largescale exploration program, generating rock or soil samples with low metal contents).

It not only delivers analytical services to local clients, but also to clients from the West Africa region (Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso and Cameroon).

Just as the company’s Ghana-based branch is able to offer services to wider Africa, it is also able to call on a global network of experts as needed. These experts are the wider SGS team: overall, SGS operates a global network of over 1,650 offices and laboratories in more than 300 countries. The company’s presence in Ghana is also heavy on the ground, allowing detailed operations and support on a local level: they have offices and laboratories throughout the country, including Accra, Tema, Takoradi, Tarkwa, Damang, Ahafo, Akyem and Obuasi, making it easy for clients to reach them and vice versa.

KEEPING IN CHECK

The SGS business is growing in Ghana and worldwide, despite the presence of strong competition in the market. It also faces challenges that are inherent to maintaining its reputation – after all, to reliably test the operations of others, it must hold itself flawlessly to the same standards.

SGS Minerals Ghana’s current short-term objective is to continue to grow the business and maintain its improvement strategies with passion and integrity. Last year, it won a new on-site contract with Newmont Ahafo, and its Tarkwa facility has secured an analytical services contract from Nzema Mine. Work continues to expand the services available at this facility, as did the delivery of an MP-AES (Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy), which was a first in West Africa.

From every minor department to the wide-reaching whole, SGS keeps the safety and standards of industry in check. Whilst government bodies have the final word in such

checks, SGS is here to assist any company that wants to make sure, carefully and precisely, that it is up to snuff, with just about every test and measure you could possibly want available somewhere within the Group’s vast armoury.

AMIS is a leading international ISO17034 accredited manufacturer and supplier of quality matrix matched mineral Certified Reference Material (CRM). We are also an ISO17043 accredited interlaboratory Proficiency Testing (PT) Scheme provider.

Quality is in the fabric of our organization, in our DNA, our systems, in our people and our focus to provide the best all round service to Geochem laboratories.

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THE BRIDGE TO BRIDGETOWN Barbados Port Authority chevron-square-right www.barbadosport.com phone-square 001 246 434 6100

The Port of Bridgetown juggles many responsibilities, from import and export to being the first impression for many Barbadosbound tourists. These needs are catered to by Barbados Port Inc., a company that not only successfully manage this bustling world unto itself, but also continually invest in expanding what this varied port can do. We returned to the deep-sea port to see how those plans are panning out.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

T

he Port of Bridgetown carries a vast weight of responsibility; through these doors and over these decks pass 90% of the country’s imports and exports. This includes not only goods but also the arrival of tourists, who feed so much of the country’s economy; not only is Bridgetown a trading hub, but it is the only port in Barbados capable of accommodating large cruise liners. This much reliance on one facility may seem like a gamble, but Barbados Port Inc. – the company responsible for maintaining and operating this vital site – do not fail to deliver. Staying in stride with technology and dodging curveballs such as hurricanes and the 2008 crash, the Port of Bridgetown has proven that it has resolute sticking power, no matter how the tide turns.

The Deep Water Harbour was opened in May 1961, in a ceremony conducted by contemporary West Indies Prime Minister Sir Grantley Adams. The construction project was the fruit of combined efforts between Barbados and the UK, with British technical experts and consultants working alongside the Barbadian workforce, and much of the funds for the project coming from London or the British government. The result was an uncannily smooth operation, with construction Endeavour Magazine | 71

BARBADOS PORT AUTHORITY

completed without incident – a surprising achievement for the time, for a project of this size and complexity.

As a part of the Deep Water Harbour’s creation, land was artificially built to join what was then known as Pelican Island to Barbados’ mainland. The joining of this island, which used to serve as a quarantine station for passengers and cargo reaching Barbados, added some 90 acres to the mainland in total, the island having originally laid 600 yards out to sea. Amongst the other challenges faced by the construction team was the sheer scale of the project: some 30,000 blocks were used to build the structure of the harbour, weighing up to 20 tonnes each.

The blocks were so heavy, railway lines were laid specifically to transport them from where a batching machine created them to the shore.

However, the biggest and most notable piece of equipment used for the build was a cutter suction dredger, needed for the cutting and fragmenting of hard soils below water. Named

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‘The Barbados’, it was the largest and most expensive piece of equipment that had ever entered the island, valued at a duty-free cost of $1,920,000.

In his speech at the harbour’s opening ceremony, Sir Grantley said, “We are living in a world that is shrinking”, a comment that has seemed only increasingly true since. He continued, throwing a little judgement at some of the 1960s’ other areas of progress; “While others are playing about in searching out new planets, we are ensuring that export to and from this island is made far easier for all.” He was, of course, referring to the Space Race - whilst the construction of the Deep Water Harbour didn’t compare to this race in terms of cost, and wouldn’t quite make the history books, it was a game changer for transport cargo in the area. The build saw around 600 workers regain their jobs – a vast boon to the area – and in its first year of operation, the port handled approximately 175,000 tonnes of cargo.

BARBADOS PORT AUTHORITY

In its sector and region, the Harbour has continued to make history. Today, its employees handle more than one million tonnes of cargo every year, on top of receiving over 700,000 cruise passengers. With the space to accommodate five mega cruise ships at a time, and luxurious facilities for visitors to enjoy (including all-important elements such as duty-free shopping and air conditioning, as well as popular extras such as live bands and free rum samples!), the port is a comfortable and colourful welcome to the island and all it has to offer. After all, a travel terminal may be a hub of logistics, but it is also, for many, that crucial first impression of a new city or country, the importance of which can never be underestimated.

True to its name, Bridgetown Port is often just that – a connector. Many of the holidaymakers treading the port’s boards are in the area purely as a means from A to B. For example, many European travellers fly to Barbados in

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order to take a cruise, rather than to experience the island itself. Barbados Port Inc. hope that by encouraging some of these holiday-makers to slow down and enjoy their time in the port, potentially arranging to stay there before or after their cruise as an extension to their holiday, Barbados can attract some extra cash flow into the economy.

As well as improving their visitor facilities, Barbados Port Inc. are working to improve their technology across the board, modernising as well as making bold efforts to go green.

The main focus of these green advances is the move from diesel power to electrical.

They also involve a co-operative effort with RightShip, which will in turn invite the vessels docking in the port to participate in the drive by monitoring their emissions and rewarding efficient energy ratings with bonuses such as lowered docking fees.

Efforts to modernise have also included updated computer systems such as KleinPort,

THE BRIDGE TO BRIDGETOWN

the company’s latest Port Management Information System, created by Saab Technologies. The software allows the port to streamline their operations electronically, removing miscommunication between departments and assisting in the smooth delivery of cargo processing such as managing cargo manifestos, dangerous goods handling, errors and omission processing and commodity code mapping, as well as allowing customers to track their cargo shipments from their own offices. The system also allows the smooth processing of other port logistics such as vessel scheduling, berth planning, conflict resolution, waypoint and route management, the allocation of staff or ships such as the assigning of pilots and tugs, and even processes such as billing.

Finally, the port is modernising in terms of equipment, having recently spent a massive $100 million on the restoration of the facility, as well as acquiring five straddle carriers and a new

Panamax gantry crane, amongst other pieces.

They are also digging and building to expand their capacity yet further, to accommodate bigger cargo vessels alongside their impressive cruise capabilities. Lastly, the port has made the decision to remove tariffs on exports, to encourage greater trade out of the country – a move that will benefit Barbados as a whole, and in doing so, the port.

From optimistic beginnings, backed up by hard work and strong investment, the Port of Bridgetown is living up to the dreams of its founders. Staying ahead means constant transformation, and Barbados Port Inc. have spared no effort or expense.The port’s ambitions are far reaching and all-encompassing, but they have the pieces in place to continue to make them into realities. As always, Endeavour look forward to seeing what lies in store for Bridgetown. If their progress is anything to go by, it sounds like we’d better start booking our tickets!

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