Endeavour Magazine October 2020

OCTOBER 2020

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PRIME CUTS GOURMET The Taste Of Something New

UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON Continuing A Legacy

FIRSTWAVE GROUP Making Waves

GALLEGA

KEEPING THINGS MOVING

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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 Editorial Researcher Eve Wright eve@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher James Martin jamesmartin@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

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his Editor’s Note is an unusual one to write, not least because it is the first one I have written since March. We are now in October, and the world we live in has changed for everyone. Are we returning gradually to normal again? In a way, yes, but for each country and even each district, it is unclear how long that will continue, or when new waves of lockdown measures will occur (if they haven’t already). Here in the UK, we are getting ready for six more months of measures, and the country feels split on whether the safety restrictions we’re facing are excessive or still not doing enough. For many others of us around the world right now, I imagine that conflicted feeling is similar.

So, where do we go from here?

Both personally and economically, 2020 has been a shock to the system. If nothing else, it has shown us how quickly our lives can change at a word from our government – a fact that some countries were more aware of than others. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we need to feel safe and secure before we can engage with higher thoughts and functions, so with the rug being repeatedly snatched from under our feet in a way that the fortunate among us aren’t used to, it has been a struggle for some to stay productive and inspired.

And yet, life does carry on – something I’m saying with a renewed gratitude. In order for it to carry on, we need to keep adapting – after all, adaption is the key to survival. It has been amazingly inspiring, on our return to the office, to get back in touch with the companies we had been speaking with in March and finding out what the past months have been like. So many of you have responded to this recent crisis with ingenuity and tenacity, refusing to give in and changing your business models in brilliant ways to stay afloat. For others, however, a fresh start has been dropped on us: whether we have lost our job or lost our company, if we can, we should try to see this new beginning as an opportunity to re-evaluate our lives and start anew.

Whatever our experience of 2020, I take comfort in the fact that we’re all far from alone. It is rare that an event touches the whole world so completely, but it is fair to say that whatever your current personal situation right now, there are people the world over in the exact same boat. So, whatever 2021 brings, let’s try to tackle it together, to treat each other with encouragement and support, and to remember that we’re living in a point of history that will be talked about for years to come.

Alice Instone-Brewer Endeavour Magazine | 3

CONTENTS

University of Mary Washington

FEATURES

The Taste Of Something New 13 Prime Cuts Gourmet Delicatessen

19

Keeping Things Moving Gallega Global Logistics

29

Making Waves FirstWave Group

37

Continuing A Legacy University of Mary Washington

47

Cleaner Water BAUER Engineering Ghana

53

Forging A Future Atlantis Foundries

61

Holidaying With History Sarova Hotels & Resorts Kenya

69

Speedier Success Tietto Minerals

79

A Time Of Change Sol Guyana

Bullseye 85 The Dart Group

91

Golden Opportunity Red Pine Exploration

99

Carpe Metallum Lesego Platinum

Making The Difference 105 Azmet Technology & Projects FirstWave Group 4 | Endeavour Magazine

Keeping Up The Heat 109 Baker Pacific

Prime Cuts Gourmet Delicatessen

ARTICLES

Business Headlines

6 Asia 7 Africa 8 Americas 10 Middle East 11 Europe

Amazing World

42 96

A Scarred Paradise Underwater Crop Circles

Automotives 74

The All-New Peugeot 208

BAUER Engineering Ghana Endeavour Magazine | 5

BUSINESS HEADLINES ASIA China’s President Xi denies human rights abuses in Xinjiang policies Chinese President Xi Jinping has claimed that his policies in the far-western region of Xinjiang are “completely correct,” despite growing international accusations of human rights abuses and mass internment.

Up to 2 million Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group, as well as other minorities, are believed to have passed through detention centers in the region in recent years, according to the US State Department, where they have allegedly been subject to political indoctrination and abuse under the guise of de-radicalization efforts.

Xi claimed that his Xinjiang strategy was correct “and must be adhered to in the long term.”, calling it essential political work and calling his whole party to support t.

“We must also continue the direction of Sinicizing [a process whereby non-Chinese societies come under the influence of Chinese culture] Islam to achieve the healthy development of religion,” Xi said. The Chinese leader added that “it is necessary to tell the story of Xinjiang in a multi-level, all-round, and three-dimensional manner, and confidently propagate the excellent social stability of Xinjiang.”

Despite this, the government has turned its attention back to a “gas-led” future.

Japan’s military looks to strengthen of armed forces in response to East Asia tensions Japan’s military has asked Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s new government for its ninth straight budget increase.

The country’s Defense Ministry is asking for an 8.3% budget increase, its largest rise in more than two decades.

This increase is in response to China’s rapid military modernization, as well as the spread of its military air and sea presence around East Australia approves controversial gas field Australian state authorities have approved Asia. It is also in response to the continued the development of a major coal seam gas threat from North Korea.

If approved, the plan would continue a buildfield, the Narrabri gas project, despite strong up pursued by Suga’s predecessor Shinzo Abe, pressure in opposition.

The project, from energy company Santos, that has seen Japan buy planes, missiles and could be one of the biggest in New South aircraft carriers.

In particular, some of the funds that the Wales, and provide up to 50% of the state’s gas military is seeking is to develop an advanced demand.

However, the controversial decision has stealth fighter to counter new aircraft being come amid opposition from environmentalists deployed by China.

This new jet fighter is expected to cost and Australia residents alike.

Critics say drilling wells for this gas field around US$40 billion and be ready sometime will threaten wildlife and water supplies, and in the 2030s. The latest budget request asks for US$731 million for development and research. increases greenhouse gas emissions.

Japan’s leading defense company Mitsubishi Australia suffered from catastrophic forest fires at the beginning of 2020, which Heavy Industries is expected to be named as increased the cries for greener policies from its lead contractor. government.

6 | Endeavour Magazine

AFRICA South Africa township loses illegal power supply Residents of the Diepsloot township outside of Johanesburg, South Africa, have had their illegal power connections taken away.

Much of the township has no official supply of power, forcing residents to install illegal lightning rods.

Eskom technicians were sent to remove the connections, citing a struggle to meet demand on behalf of the power companies as a prompt for the strict measures.

Residents of the township have complained that they have no alternative source of power, leading to dark living conditions that breed a higher crime rate. In particular, residents have complained that sexual assault against women and children is high due to the lack of light.

However, Eskom says it will remain diligent in removing illegal connections to avoid over-loaded demand causing wider-spread blackouts.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has said he is committed to expanding the country’s electricity generation by an additional 11,800 megawatts to drive economic growth and reduce carbon emissions.

Nigeria develops faster, simpler Covid test kit Nigeria has developed a Covid-19 test kit that can give results in less than 40 minutes.

The Health Minister Olurunimbe Mamora said it is much faster and 10 times cheaper than the PCR testing method currently in use.

The kit has also been specifically designed to be usable by low-skilled people.

So far, it is still waiting to be approved by regulatory bodies, but has raised hopes of boosting the country’s low testing rate.

The kit, known as SARS-COV-2 Isothermal Molecular Assay, was developed by Nigeria’s Institute of Medical Research.

Nigeria has so far tested just over 500,000 people out of its population of around 200 million, but its authorities say that as soon as this new test is approved, it will be widely distributed to tackle this issue.

Travel ban for Sierra Leone ex-President Sierra Leone has placed a travel ban on its former President, Ernest Bai Koroma, as well as several officials who served during his term, former heads of parastatals, bankers and businessmen.

The group face allegations of corruption.

The ban prevents the accused individuals from leaving the country, and applies to over 100 people in total.

As well as facing allegations, the accused have been ordered to pay back stolen money and forfeit their houses, or face further investigated.

A lawyer for the party has said that they will go to court to challenge the travel ban.

Last week President Maada Bio said the commission of inquiry, led by foreign judges, was a major breakthrough that would help to tackle trends of corruption in the future.

Mr Koroma’s opposition, the All People’s Congress (APC) party, has dismissed the allegations.

Endeavour Magazine | 7

AMERICAS Donald Trump tax return scandal US President Donald Trump’s tax returns have finally been seen, after the President has refused to cooperate with calls to see them since he first ran for office.

The reveal was not delivered willingly, but revealed by the New York Times.

According to the Times, Trump only paid a scandalous $750 in federal income taxes in 2016, the year he ran for and won election. In 2017, he also only paid $750, and he paid no federal income tax at all in 10 out of the previous 15 years that the paper received information on.

The revelation has been met with shock and outrage – particularly from Trump supporters who have paid much more income tax that he has whilst dealing with a struggling economy.

Trump has called the report “fake news” and claims to have paid the appropriate amount of tax, but is still yet to produce evidence of such claiming that his tax returns are under audit with the IRS. “The IRS does not treat me well… they treat me very badly,” said the President.

There is no legal requirement for a president of the United States to make their tax return public, but Mr Trump was still the first since the 1970s not to do so.

Outrage over lenient charge for Breonna Taylor’s killer A Kentucky police officer has been charged over the fatal shooting of a black woman at her home during a narcotics raid.

The woman, Breonna Taylor, has become a name known by many, as the Black Lives Matter campaign and other protests to protect African American lives have kept the case in the public eye in a search for justice.

Taylor, 26, was shot multiple times as officers stormed her home on 13 March.

Brett Hankison, Taylor’s killer, was not charged for Taylor’s death, but with “wanton endangerment” for firing into a neighbour’s apartment in Louisville.

Two other officers who were involved have not been charged.

Under Kentucky law, someone is guilty of wanton endangerment if they commit an act 8 | Endeavour Magazine

that shows “an extreme indifference to the value of human life”.

This lowest-level felony offence can come with a five-year sentence for each count. Mr Hankison was charged on three counts.

Protestors have been calling for the manslaughter or murder charge, and the result of the case has been met with protest marches in Louisville and elsewhere.

In response to the outcry, the usually secret tapes of the grand jury’s deliberations will be released to the public, in the hopes that it will answer public anger about the legitimacy of the way the case was handled.

White House pressured officials to relax school reopening rules According to the New Yok Times, the Trump administration allegedly pressured the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to undersell the risk of sending American children back to school.

According to evidence found by the paper, the White House tried to coerce the health officials to back a push to reopen schools and the economy, and to give false information on the risk levels of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, supposedly played a major role in the coercion, which took place in July. In early July, Trump criticized the CDC for advising schools to not reopen. The CDC later changed course in new guidelines released on July 24.

Birx personally asked the CDC to include documents that undermined the threat of coronavirus to school-aged children in mid-July.

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MIDDLE EAST Israel passes law to limit protests during coronavirus lockdown Israel’s parliament has approved a law restricting demonstrations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The law restricts protests during lockdown, to prevent the spread of the virus.

Critics are accusing the law of aiming to silence protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged corruption and his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

The legislation gives the government powers to declare a “special emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic”. It was ratified after an all-night debate in the Knesset.

The law bans Israelis from holding demonstrations more than one km (0.6 miles) from their homes.

For weeks, thousands of demonstrators have gathered to call for Netanyahu’s resignation.

Hours before the vote, hundreds of Israelis protested outside parliament, calling the protest limit a blow to democracy.

Kuwait’s Sheikh Sabah passes away Kuwait’s emir, Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah has passed away at age 91.

The emir of Kuwait was the primary mediator in the Qatar-GCC crisis and a widely respected voice in the region.

The news has been met with sadness throughout Kuwait.

Born in 1929, the late ruler served as Kuwait’s foreign minister for nearly 40 years. He was regarded as the architect of modern Kuwait’s foreign policy and a respected voice in the GCC region and the broader Middle East.

The loss comes at a difficult time for the country amid the COVID crisis. Earlier this month, Kuwait cut about $3bn from its 20202021 budget as the nearly $140bn economy is now facing a $46bn deficit. Deutsche Bank estimates Kuwait’s economy will contract by 7.8 percent this year.

A cause of death has not been given, but the emir was known to be receiving treatment for medical complications since last year, including flights to the US. 10 | Endeavour Magazine

UAE to launch spacecraft to moon in 2024, tweets PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum says his country plans to send an unmanned Emirati-made lunar rover to the moon.

The prime minister and vice president of the United Arab Emirates has said his country plans to send an unmanned spacecraft to the moon in 2024.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the ruler of Dubai emirate, made the announcement on Twitter on September 29th.

“It will be an Emirati-made lunar rover that will land on the surface of the moon in 2024 in areas that have not been explored previously by human missions,” he tweeted.

He said the rover would be named Rashid after his late father, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

If successful in 2024, the UAE could become the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on the moon after the United States, the former Soviet Union and China.

India, Israel and Japan have tried but failed in landing a spacecraft on the moon.

The lunar rover will be built on the state’s land and by Emirati engineers.

EUROPE Brexit: MPs approve controversial UK Internal Market Bill Boris Johnson has seen MPs approve his controversial Brexit legislation, which UK ministers have admitted could lead to the country breaching international law.

The UK Internal Market Bill had its third reading passed by the House of Commons with a government majority of 84.

It means the proposed legislation, which has now cleared all its Commons stages, will move to the House of Lords.

The prime minister had gone ahead with the bill, parts of which will give ministers the power to override the Brexit divorce deal, despite the EU’s call for him to withdraw those measures from the proposed legislation by the end of the month.

Brussels has warned it will “not be shy” in taking legal action if the UK government does not agree to the demand.

The government introduced the bill to anger from both European capitals and at Westminster - including its own Conservative MPs.

The foreign nationals are alleged to have violated immigration laws by assisting the migrants’ transfer to the island from Turkey.

“Under the guise of humanitarian action, [they] provided confidential information ... to refugee flows from Turkey via closed groups and internet applications,’’ according to a police statement.

Police say this information included details of when and where on the Turkish coast migrant boats were preparing to depart for Greece, the coordinates of the boats and their direction, the number of people on board, and the situation in the migrant camp of Moria on Lesbos.

The accused are also facing charges of espionage, violation of state secrets, and participation in a criminal organisation.

Authorities have not released the names of those involved or the NGOs. France offers to help Belarus amid presidential vote disputes French President Emmanuel Macron has promised to help mediate in Belarus following weeks of protests over a disputed presidential vote.

He called for a “peaceful transition” in the country after he met the exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Lithuania.

This comes after the European Union said it did not recognise Alexander Lukashenko as the Belarusian president.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced “pressure” on Belarus.

Russia remains Mr Lukashenko’s main ally, and it has promised to provide security assistance if the political crisis worsens.

Many countries have criticised a crackdown on mass demonstrations, as well as the 9 August presidential election that the opposition claims was rigged in Mr Lukashenko’s favour.

Greek police accuse 33 NGO members of migrant smuggling Greek authorities have accused 33 members of non-governmental organisations of facilitating the human trafficking of migrants to Lesbos.

Endeavour Magazine | 11

12 | Endeavour Magazine

THE TASTE OF SOMETHING NEW Prime Cuts Gourmet Delicatessen chevron-square-right www.instagram.com/primecuts_kw phone-square +965 2575 4758

What made a b2b meat supplier with no marketing to the public explode into a highly sought-after b2c butcher and delicatessen? The answer is quality – quality so notable that word of mouth took on a life of its own. We spoke with Abdalla Al-Muzaini, Prime Cuts’ Marketing & PR Director, about the surprising and amazing journey Prime Cuts has taken over the past 13 years, and how it is continuing to operate in this new and trying global chapter.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

E

stablished in 2008, Prime Cuts Gourmet Delicatessen has raised the bar for fresh, fantastic meat in its country. These experts in good meat operate in Kuwait but are in the process of looking to expand into its neighbouring GCC Countries. The company only serves high-end meat, all of which is sourced from Australian supplier Stockyard.

No one does barbecue quite like Australia, and we’re not just talking about throwing shrimps on the barbie: if you want a high-scale meat experience, Australia offers a top-tier of flavour and expertise unlike anywhere else. This is what Prime Cuts quickly realised when establishing its meat source, as Abdalla told us: “When we first started Prime Cuts back in 2008, we actually had meat from New Zealand, the US and Australia. After a couple of months, we identified that Australian meat was of the highest quality. That’s when we decided that we would be sticking to Australian meat as our core offering.”

Whilst it takes expert butchers to identify and properly cut and portion this meat, Abdalla was insistent that Prime Cuts cannot take credit for the standard of the meat itself – this credit must go to Stockyard. It is this private farm that breeds and cares for the cattle, supplying Endeavour Magazine | 13

PRIME CUTS GOURMET DELICATESSEN

companies around the world with beef in the Angus, Wagyu and Kiwami varieties, and everything it supplies Prime Cuts with is 100% halal.

Whilst the meat’s standards begin with the work at Stockyard, however, it is down to Prime Cuts to portion, prepare and handle this meat correctly. On top of this, Prime Cuts took a risk within its market when it opened, and it was this risk that launched it to the popularity it now holds: in 2008, Kuwait’s meat was all sold frozen, with no fresh, chilled meat on the market. Introducing this new option was a gamble, as Prime Cuts did not know how it would be received, but it was a shot that paid off. Abdalla told us about the company’s reception in its early days: “When we initially started Prime Cuts, it had a business model focused on b2b. We did not have a b2c model in mind. When we launched, we started supplying a very big name here in Kuwait – a restaurant that is known worldwide as a steakhouse. That’s when people started

14 | Endeavour Magazine

realizing, ‘Ok, I’m enjoying my burger/my steak at this restaurant. Who is it supplied by?’ So, people started asking questions and calling Prime Cuts. Then, one person asked whether we provide meat for their private barbecue function at home? That’s when word of mouth came into play; people at the function went crazy over it.” Word started to spread that Prime Cuts was the place to get meat for yourself and your private events – a business model the Prime Cuts team hadn’t planned for.

“They’d come into our showroom: we did have lovely interior design, but at the end you were just walking in to find chillers and a cashier.

We didn’t have an Instagram, we didn’t have a website, we didn’t do marketing, because we had only been b2b. When we realized that word had spread out, we started revamping the look and feel of the showroom, enhanced it with more products and condiments that go along with cooking meat, and that’s when we shifted from being a pure butcher to a delicatessen.”

THE TASTE OF SOMETHING NEW

Ramping up both its offerings and its marketing, Prime Cuts became a one-stopshop delicatessen with everything you need from artisanal cheeses and condiments to even buns to grills, with an active Instagram and a whole new approach. Its condiments are all supplied by Stonewall Kitchen, an American company, whilst its meat has remained firmly Australian. As well as supplying burgers and steaks, its main focus, it also supplies lamb, and in March this year, it just launched a line of cold cuts including beef, bacon and pastrami.

So, what’s the deal with these stand-out steaks? Prime Cuts sells steaks that are defined by two categories – the cut and the grade.

The three cuts on offer are: tenderloin fillets, sirloins and rib-eyes, but the grades are where it gets more complicated. First there is ‘gold’ grade, and above this are three levels of Wagyu (red, silver and black), and then the final step beyond these, the Kiwami. These grades are determined by the meat’s marbling score; aka, how many fine veins of fat run throughout the

meat. This isn’t the thick kind of fat that can make a meal chewy; on the contrary, these fine veins of fat will disappear whilst the meat is cooked but help to keep the meat juicy and flavorful as it’s prepared. Therefore, the higher the marbling score, the better the final taste.

Prime Cuts still supplies restaurants and other businesses b2b, but given the popularity of its b2c services, it has invested in taking this side of its operations further. As well as the delicatessen, the company still supplies meat for private functions, and it goes one step further – it will send a barbecue chef to tend the grill for you, too. To improve upon this popular feature, the company has invested in a new state-of-the-art catering station from which the chef can work, freeing hosts up to mingle with their guests whilst the company caters your party, big or small, from gardens to palaces.

However, due to the coronavirus that has swept the globe and drastically affected people’s way of life, this side of operations has

PA RT N E RS I N QUA L IT Y

Prime Gourmet Advertisement.indd 1

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PRIME CUTS GOURMET DELICATESSEN

taken a sudden hit. No social gatherings mean no catered functions. Like many countries, Kuwait has also ordered the closing down of its restaurants and hotels, which means that Prime Cuts no longer has b2b orders to supply.

All over the world, this virus has had a sudden and significant impact on both economies and individuals, but Prime Cuts isn’t growing disheartened. Whilst some avenues of business have closed for now, the delicatessen has seen a sudden boom in customers looking for supplies of high-grade meat. Prime Cuts introduced Do It Yourself (D.I.Y) packages to continue serving homes for their cooking experience.

Well timed with this unexpected series of changes, Prime Cuts has also been working on developing its eCommerce. As well as planning to expand its delivery fleet, the company has been developing a new website and app that allow for easier online ordering, as well as tracking order progress. “Unfortunately, we were targeting end of Q1 to have all of that eCommerce website and phone applications

16 | Endeavour Magazine

ready, but given the circumstances today, the process has been slowed dramatically.” This is a frustrating delay, when eCommerce, and especially food delivery, is suddenly in such high demand. However, Abdalla still predicts that this new website and app will launch together later in 2020, further allowing Prime Cuts to serve a need and keep following the shift in demand during this unusual time.

In the meantime, the company’s reputation and its one-stop-shop set-up makes it an ideal place for people to gather supplies for their meals – particularly when looking to recreate that ‘night out’ feeling by cooking some topquality food at home. This is an unclear time for everyone, but good practice and a strong reputation has put Prime Cuts in a good position to ride out the storm, and to come back with its new equipment and services in place ready to cater for the celebrations that will no doubt erupt throughout Kuwait once this period has ended.

THE TASTE OF SOMETHING NEW

18 | Endeavour Magazine

KEEPING THINGS MOVING Gallega Global Logistics chevron-square-right gallega.com phone-square +971 4 8215099

The past few months have been a strange time for us all, but some industries never rest, and logistics least of all. We spoke with Brent Melvin, CEO of Gallega Global Logistics, about the impact that COVID-19 has had on the automotive logistics industry, the Middle East, and how Gallega’s pre-existing best practices stepped up to tackle these new challenges head-on.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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allega Global Logistics works to ship, store and organise the movement of products for the automotive industry between the Middle East and the rest of the world, with offices in Jebel Ali in Dubai, KIZAD in Abu Dhabi, Oman, Jordan and Belgium.

Providing both international freight services and UAE-based warehousing and storage services, their total operations include inbound clearance, storage, stock maintenance, value added services, transportation, distribution, container handling and import and export operations, both of spare parts and finished vehicles, with no limit on make or size.

Regarding the unusual hurdles presented by 2020 – a year that hasn’t played out as anyone expected when it began – Brent had this to say: “For me, it’s just been about continuity. In the logistics business, we keep things moving.”

You would be hard-pressed to find an industry that hasn’t been affected by the impact of COVID-19, and logistics has been a subject of discussion for many during this time. As Brent said, things need to keep moving, even during lockdowns, but with closed borders and quiet markets, what has this period been like for one of the industries that never sleep?

Endeavour Magazine | 19

GALLEGA GLOBAL LOGISTICS

The pandemic’s impact on logistics providers varied depending on the type of service they offer, as well as the nature of the product being moved. As Brent explained: “The field of logistics that you’re in has either suffered or it has gained.

Looking at your express deliveries and your last mile distribution, there has been a huge boost.

When you look at your traditional slow-moving goods from manufacturing enterprises, there has been a massive slow down.”

In Gallega’s case, operating strictly in the automotive sector; “We operate in a market that is competitive and is differentiated by service, bespoke practices and customer care. Our role is to be available to all automotive companies to provide on the ground operations to help them reach their customers, distributors and agents in the most effective manner.” This responsibility towards customers counts for double during a time of difficulty, and whilst challenges were present, the temptation to yield to them was one that Brent resisted, passionate about Gallega’s responsibility to “meet customer expectations instead of using COVID as an excuse.”

This attitude has undoubtedly sorted the wheat from the chaff during this pandemic period. Like Brent said, logistics keeps things moving, even during a period of lockdown.

Gallega has built a reputation for itself based on transparency with its customers, reliable delivery of results and maintaining a solid track record with customs, port authorities, shipping lines and other stakeholders. To maintain this reputation and prove that it counts when it matters, the company couldn’t drop the ball.

“It’s been very interesting for us, because we’re in kind of a see-saw set-up. What I mean by that is, when COVID struck, there were vessels already carrying cars for market. Those cars had to go somewhere. There weren’t buyers in market – there was a massive slowdown in the retail sector for new cars, which means companies like Gallega ended up taking on storage volumes for extended periods and providing stock maintenance services.” A new need had arisen – the need to not transport, but store long-term. By utilizing our expansive yard facility for these dormant vehicles, Gallega 20 | Endeavour Magazine

was able to continue supporting its customers and keeping their lives simpler, whilst also responding to a new need and therefore a new source of business. “That drove the revenue on the ground in the UAE for us.”

Whilst some companies have needed to create new processes in order to respond to the pandemic, Gallega found that for the mostpart, the systems they needed were already in place. Unlike some products, new cars don’t depreciate in value until the new model is introduced. This means 2020’s models have not changed in value during the past months, and will continue to hold their initial value until the 2021 model reaches the market. Company by company, we will see which car producers will choose to go ahead with their usual ordering schedule, and which will choose to delay the launch of their 2021 models in order to get the most out of their 2020 release. Either way, for Gallega, this meant that there was no immediate sense of urgency for their customers to sell their vehicles – as long as the cars were maintained to ensure their quality whilst in storage, they maintained their worth: “You don’t want anything to affect the car while it stands: things like tire pressure maintenance to avoid flat spots or batteries going flat. Our maintenance programs make sure the car is in pristine shape until it’s ready to go onto the sales lots. These were systems that we offered already: our different customers have different requirements, and some customers have longer turn-over cycles on their fleet, so we introduce it for different customers depending on the aging of their fleet.”

An unexpected source of income during Gallega’s pandemic slow-down was, funnily enough, a sudden spike in business from China.

Interestingly, this had nothing to do with COVID itself: rather, it was because of the recent change in China’s emission standards. This change was announced in June 28 and came into effect July 1st, with standards comparable to the Euro VI emission standard. “We saw a vast amount of exports from our markets going to China. That was tremendous for us as a boost during a quiet period, suddenly having a couple of thousand vehicles per month heading towards China.”

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Whilst these areas of business were able to fill some of the gaps, however, business as usual needed to continue, at least to a point. As Brent said, he wasn’t prepared to ‘use COVID as an excuse’ to not fulfill the company’s commitments to its customers, but the world was ready with plenty of obstacles for Gallega to contend with: “There were huge challenges. One of the first things we saw was a shut-down of land borders, so there was no longer much in the way of trucking, and what little trucking was allowed was very restrictive in terms of clearances, as well as new protocols for drivers at the border posts. We even saw lockdown in certain city limits within the UAE itself, meaning no freedom of movement between emirates without your PCR test ready in hand, valid within the last 48 hours.”

“We also observed a large throttling of airlines cargo capacity. Obviously, priority was given to medical and aid relief, which

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means regular cargo was being bumped or wasn’t getting uplifted at all where flights were still operating. We’re quite lucky, as Emirates have started opening up to a lot of our major destinations again, so that’s come back somewhat.” Fortunately, in terms of new measures, shipping was less affected than other modes of transport, as container handling etc. is mostly mechanical and performed at a safe distance.

When challenges arise, you quickly learn who your friends are, and whether small or well established, businesses have been looking to their governments and partners for support.

Regarding the government’s COVID response, Brent was extremely impressed with the UAE: “They reacted very quickly. They created protocols very quickly, they made early calls, and even now, if you listen to the radio, it’s a clear, ongoing message: wear masks, maintain your distance, etc.” This type of strong and clear leadership has been essential during this

KEEPING THINGS MOVING

time. In terms of financial support, however, whilst the UAE has put measures in place for its people and businesses, the support that Gallega has felt the strongest has been from its partners. In particular, Brent mentioned the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) and Abu Dhabi Ports: “As a freight business, we are reliant on partners in the form of shipping lines, airlines and agents. Each of these play a fundamental part in the success of our service delivery. We spend a lot of time building strong relationships with partners, as the payback is directly linked to performance and customer service and an essential part of growing our business.

“Abu Dhabi Ports are a good example of a partner supporting their customers. In terms of Gallega, my main business runs out of KIZAD, and we have very strong relationships with them not only at Gallega level but at group level.” In recognition of their long relationship, Abu Dhabi Ports was able to offer key customers

such as Gallega assistance such as extending lease payments over longer periods in order to give companies greater cash flow flexibility, as well as lowering costs such as admin fees for processing day-to-day documentation.

“They were very quick to respond, and there have been subsequent follow-ups to that, and each one has had a different flavour of support.

And then there is the port itself – we have a lot of operations going through Abu Dhabi Ports, and whether we were operating ro-ro or container stuffing, they made sure that every vessel cut off was met. We never had a single container not make a vessel.”

‘Consistency’ was a word Brent mentioned many times when talking about Abu Dhabi Ports.

‘Visibility’ was another – Brent mentioned that the port is pro-active in encouraging liners and other vessels to call in at Abu Dhabi, in addition to Jebel Ali, which people otherwise tend to opt for. Whilst Gallega also has operations at Jebel Ali, its main focus is in Abu Dhabi, and so

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GALLEGA GLOBAL LOGISTICS

this proactivity is greatly appreciated. The port’s new digital platforms have also been providing a source of visibility, letting the port’s customers know which logistics partners are present. All in all, the port has been an invaluable partner to Gallega over the past months, aiding the company in providing the continuity of service it holds a reputation for.

In light of this, it’s no surprise that Gallega’s already heavy involvement in KIZAD has recently increased. Already a main hub for its operations, the company opened a new facility there mid-2019. This vast investment included 320,000 square meters of space, supported by warehouses, wash bays, post-production facilities, car stock yard and offices. In this space, the company is able to store over 14,000 vehicles and still have space to handle the ins and outs of shipping and their other operations.

As you may be thinking, summer 2019 has proven to be an interesting time to launch a new facility, as business in 2020 has not been as

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predicted. However, this new site was far from a deadweight – the increased space played a crucial part in Gallega’s expansion of its storage services during this time, and overall, the company has managed to pool its resources and capabilities to come out of this period without a negative commercial effect: “We’ve continued to achieve the plan that we set out to achieve this year so far to date, whereas a lot of companies are saying they haven’t, so I’m pleased about that. We’ve actually managed to maintain growth.” This just goes to show – Gallega must be doing something right.

Thus far, we have looked at Gallega’s physical, outward processes, but there is also the administrative side to look at. In terms of communications and internal operations, the pandemic was, as it was for many companies, motivation to speed up a process that was already happening – digitization. “We have joined the digital journey to expand our customer facing interaction by enhancing our visibility tools and order processing.” This transition was already underway, but remote working conditions calls for digitization to be embraced on a wider scale, both front of house and in-house.

Whilst this led to the streamlining of many internal processes – benefits that will carry over into the company as life returns to normal - Brent hasn’t chosen to stick with remote working, instead opting for an office that carefully adheres to the latest safety measures.

For him, that face to face interaction has value that can’t be re-created remotely: “In an office, you can just nip across to someone’s desk and ask them a question as opposed to having to dial them up and go through all that sort of formality. Zoom doesn’t replace face-to-face – it really doesn’t.”

Another reason that Brent is glad people are back in the office is to better guard the divide between work and home life – something that became blurred for many during lockdown.

As many companies found, people at home naturally extend their work hours into their evenings, which can mean that home and work life are permanently blurred, with a negative impact on both. Whilst some employers would

KEEPING THINGS MOVING

GALLEGA GLOBAL LOGISTICS

look to maintain those extended hours, Brent believes that staff produce better-quality work when they are well supported: “I believe in empowerment, transparency and collaboration. By making sure employees are enabled, skilled and accountable, it gives them a sense of ownership and inspires them to contribute their best everyday towards our common goal.” Clearly, this approach has been working, as Gallega how not only survived but continued to growth during this globally slow, complicated period of time.

So, having come through this year of challenges thus-far unscathed, what is next for Gallega? It has tackled a make-or-break year and shown that it is made of solid stuff, with some areas of development having been accelerated to respond to the requirements of the past few months, and other investments waiting to at last be utilized in the way they were designed to be:

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“Presently, our primary drive is to develop additional customers to fill our new operational facility, of which we have a number of new customers in the pipeline showing interest in our bundled service and price positioning.

Suffice to say that we have big ambitions to expand in a contracting market through a variety of means, including new market entry and potential acquisitions.”

As the business world slowly gets back to a new kind of normal, companies that managed to tackle the height of the pandemic head-on should be well-positioned and well-equipped to step into the next wave of this journey with their best foot forwards. It seems as though Gallega has the correct balance of structure and flexibility to achieve success, and as the world continues to adapt and change, it seems as though Brent, his team and the Gallega Group should have no trouble adapting and changing with it.

KEEPING THINGS MOVING

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MAKING WAVES FirstWave Group chevron-square-right firstwave.ag phone-square +31 20262 4242

Give a person a fish, and they’ll eat for a day; create a company that significantly lowers the cost of fish production, and you can supply an entire population with healthy and affordable protein. We spoke with Tembwe Mutungu, coCEO and co-Founder of FirstWave Group, to learn about the company founders’ incredible journeys into accidently becoming market leaders in aquaculture, and the fantastic changes they are making in Africa now that they have committed themselves to this impactful work.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

“F

irstWave is a low-cost producer of fish and an aquaculture pioneer in Africa,” Tembwe told us. “We have developed the complete value chain; fish feed production, fish production, distribution, and retail. Our mission is to become the most affordable producer of animal protein on the continent.” FirstWave’s founders began their journeys in aquaculture through the companies, Yalelo Zambia and Aller Aqua. In Tembwe’s case, this began when he became Yalelo Zambia and Aller Aqua Zambia’s CFO in 2016. “I joined Yalelo a few years ago in – postrevenue but pre-operating profit, essentially – and it was very clear to me that this was a business that had all the characteristics I was looking for.” Tembwe was seeking businesses which had the potential for not only profitable growth, but also a significant local impact. To identify such an opportunity, he was looking for a number of factors: “Looking through an investment lens, I was looking for a business that had the chance to be number one or two in its market, could be expanded into the region, had a wide economic moat - classical private equity characteristics - but then, also, for me, being Zambian and African, I was looking for an opportunity for Endeavour Magazine | 29

FIRSTWAVE GROUP

significant impact. I moved to Zambia in 2011 and Bryan [McCoy, fellow co-Founder and Yalelo’s CEO] moved to Zambia a year after me.

While he started with Adam at Yalelo in 2012, I spent a few years exploring businesses in other industries like; energy, food, agriculture that fit the bill. “My attention turned to Yalelo at a time when the company was beginning to prove out the production model, and the irony was seeing exactly what I had been seeking; a company with the potential to make protein available at an affordable price on a large-scale throughout not only Zambia, but Africa. There was potential for expansion, and even more importantly, the real opportunity to change and improve lives. Even then, we were not sure we were quite ready for how successful the venture could be.”

“Initially, we thought, ‘Let’s be the team that knows how to launch businesses in frontier markets.’ We moved from that position to,

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‘We just need to lead African Aquaculture as a whole’.”

Fish production is a far cry from the careers that the co-founders originally saw for themselves. Instead of moving into careers in venture capital, private equity and management consulting, they found themselves looking at a future in fish. “Adam [Taylor, FirstWave Chairman and co-Founder] will often remind people, ‘There are easier ways for us to make money.’ Our backgrounds are not in aquaculture. They are not in food or in supply chain management. For example, Adam started his career as a hedge fund manager on London’s High Street!

“However,when you very quickly find yourself, at the beginning of 2018, after essentially four or five years of operation, the largest producer of fish on the African continent, and then the most efficient producer of fish of the African continent in 2019, probably leading on a global scale in terms of production efficiency. Then from an impact perspective, there’s almost a moral obligation to push this as the solution for delivering affordable protein to the continent.

I think we started to see that at the beginning of 2018. In some ways, where other people have tried to do this and failed, and we’ve been fortunate to see success up to this point, as industry leaders, we’ve got a responsibility to not just sell this off and let this go.”

The decision to walk away from their imagined futures seemed like it would be a difficult one, but instead, it was unanimous and almost unspoken. “The decision to commit to this mission was easy. It wasn’t even a decision, it was coming together to say, ‘Okay, so Adam has had this idea and this is what we’re doing and this is why we’re doing it.”

At the end of 2018, FirstWave Group was founded, taking in Yalelo and Aller Aqua Zambia as subsidiaries, and all non-aquaculture ventures for the team ended. Instead, they focused on their new mission to produce affordable protein for Africa. “We’ve got the opportunity to make fish as affordable as chicken, and it’s healthier, and it’s better for the environment. So, we should probably do that.”

MAKING WAVES

Headquartered in Johannesburg and Amsterdam, the company currently has a market reach in southern and eastern Africa.

Since the team already had experience and a presence in the country, FirstWave began its operations in Zambia, where it is still thriving today. From one farm, the company supplies Zambia with affordable fish through over 120 distribution points including 50 company-owned outlets, as well as through other traditional trade outlets and various supermarkets.

FirstWave recently launched operations in East Africa through its subsidiary, Yalelo Uganda.

The new facilities are still under construction, but that hasn’t stopped it from producing fish, and recording its first harvest is June.

“Our ability to develop large-scale multi-million dollar projects in frontier markets is exemplified by the team’s achievement in Uganda – safely continuing construction and launching operations in the middle of a global pandemic

is a testament to that unique capability in of itself.”

FirstWave‘s data-driven approach has enabled them to study both their successes and challenges, allowing the business to quickly learn and develop its strengths. This makes for an extremely tight and efficient operational machine. Tembwe told us that people often ask why the company doesn’t diversify in the types of fish it supplies, and the answer is one of priorities and also one of business; the team’s mission is to be the lowest-cost producer of meat in the region, and that means streamlining operations.

Instead, the company is expanding in reach.

Setting up a new production site in Uganda, from construction to equipping, cost FirstWave between $10-15 million, and this is the figure the company is looking at for all subsequent sites as well. Located on Lake Victoria Yalelo Uganda will serve as FirstWave’s hub for reaching the east African market, with plans for further

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expansion across the continent. The company also plans to establish a hub in West Africa in the next three years. In the meantime, the Zambian site is expanding its reach too, with exports starting to ship to Malawi, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya.

While the company isn’t looking to introduce new fish species into its mix, it still does offer variety in its products. Its fish are available either ‘whole round’, or gutted and scaled, and as Tembwe mentioned when describing the company’s full value chain, the company produces fish feed that other fish farmers can purchase. The company is also looking to introduce higher-margin products such as fish fillets, marinated fish, and dried and/or smoked fish. “We will also introduce modern trade packs in the fourth quarter of 2020. Modern trade packs are a new processed product line created specifically for our supermarket customers and target a higher income consumer. The packs will be sold in the two largest supermarkets in

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Zambia; Pick n Pay and Shoprite. We will also introduce frozen fish products that will be sold to our export markets, as frozen products are easier to distribute.”

Making affordable and healthy meat available to the African markets is not the only way FirstWave is looking to make an impactful difference within the continent.

The company is also passionate about the wider economic impact of generating business. “We see the world of affordable fish through the lens of the Prosperity Paradox.

By constantly innovating across our local supply chain, we can unlock pent up demand while transforming protein nutrition.” It is also involved in numerous corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, including the support of local small-scale soy bean farming, again to promote and increase the availability of protein in the region. Lastly, the company also seeks to make a difference in the life of its employees.

MAKING WAVES

HIGH QUALITY FEED FOR

AQUACULTURE

LET’S GROW TOGETHER

“We invest in our people and our teams, ensuring that FirstWave not only achieves success as a business, but as an employer and workplace.” The company currently has a team of over 1000 staff. In addition to careful learning and development and a focus on promoting from within, the company provides for its staff through various benefits, such as optical care, a bicycle loan scheme, and a motorcycle ownership scheme. Yalelo is also in the process of building a clinic in Siavonga which will offer basic health care to the surrounding community.

Through a vertical integration model and a deep management team, the structure of this workforce has been built with smooth scalability in mind, allowing efficient operations to continue no matter the reach FirstWave expands to. Planning ahead in this way is always the sign of smart business and will enable the company to keep its levels of efficiency and reliability as it grows. From staff structure to

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FIRSTWAVE GROUP

supply chains, exports and company relations, the inner workings of FirstWave have all been prepared for and geared towards growth. “Quite frankly, what we see in the end is a billion-dollar business. As soon as you see that, you naturally build an enterprise orientation.�

This is a company that strives to rise to anything. Despite the current pandemic, FirstWave Group is looking at ways to stay in operation. After all, as not only a food producer, but such an affordable and effective one, its produce is needed now more than ever. The food industry is one of those that will be operating on the front lines in the coming weeks and months. So, we tip our hats to Tembwe and his team. With the determination, passion, and entrepreneurial spirit FirstWave’s founders all seem to share, it seems that this current global situation will simply be the latest in the line of challenges that they have risen to.

What FirstWave Group has managed to achieve is extremely exciting, and the only

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thing more exciting is the prospect of what it could still go on to achieve as this business and operation model spreads. We hope that the current blow to the world economies does not hinder such a fantastic company. FirstWave is tackling something that could truly improve the state of the world, and we look forward to watching it continue to thrive, and to help Africa to thrive with it.

MAKING WAVES

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CONTINUING A LEGACY University of Mary Washington chevron-square-right www.umw.edu phone-square 540-654-1000

Named after the mother of American founding father and first president George Washington, the University of Mary Washington opened in 1908 as a teacher training institute for women. Now, 112 years later, it has developed into a successful public liberal arts and sciences institution that operates under the slogan “Where great minds get to work”. We spoke with Anna Billingsley, Associate Vice President for University Relations, who told us about the many ways in which UMW preserves direct links to America’s rich history, and in particular, to Virginia’s part in that narrative, while also keeping a keen eye on the future.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

M

ary Washington is an apt name for a Virginia university, given that Virginia is the state in which George Washington and his family rose to great economic and political eminence. It was also fitting that Washington’s mother be recognised by an institute geared towards the empowering of women in education. The university’s primary campus is even located in Fredericksburg, the same city where Mary Ball Washington lived; a set of classic red-brick, columned buildings on wooded grounds. This main campus enrolls about 4,500 undergraduates, but the university has expanded beyond this to two additional campuses dedicated to graduate work and non-traditional students. For example, one campus near a local naval base offers a series of science and engineering-focused courses, and elsewhere, the university runs a program of Continuing and Professional Studies, which offers classes and workshops in career advancement, personal enrichment, degree completion, and leadership development.

We spoke with Anna Billingsley about the university and the many elements that commend the University of Mary Washington (UMW). Speaking on the ongoing expansion to the main campus, Anna told us, “As the Endeavour Magazine | 37

UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON

university has grown, so has its footprint. It now incorporates residence halls and athletic fields adjacent to the main campus. Our newest buildings include an academic building for the sciences featuring state-of-the-art laboratories, research areas and classrooms; a convergence center that features an ‘academic commons’ where a variety of technology, information and teaching resources come together in an environment that is modern, energetic, and vibrant; a massive University Center that serves as the campus ‘living room’, offering dining services, meeting spaces, game rooms, and a ballroom; and renovated residence halls that took original 111-year-old buildings and made them over into modern, functional spaces for 21st century living and learning.”

UMW has everything a university could need, but there are a few satellite facilities that stand out. The first is the James Monroe Museum & Memorial Library. Named after another Virginia-born founding father, the fifth president of the United States, this library is also dedicated to preserving Monroe’s legacy.

If you need to know something about Monroe, the last president of the ‘Virginia dynasty’ (a run of Virginia-born presidents in the early years of America’s history), then the chances are you will be able to find the information here. “The facility owns the largest collection of Monroe artifacts, Monroe-related books, and significant archives including 700 letters to and from Monroe and 26,000 other original documents, including many focused on the Revolutionary and Federal periods of history.” This specialized resource benefits both students and other academics, as does the publishing project, ‘The Papers of James Monroe’.

‘The Papers of James Monroe’ seeks to help make sense of the Museum’s vast wealth of resources by publishing an accessible and comprehensive ten-volume collection of letters and papers by and about Monroe. Whilst ten volumes sound vast, this is still merely a selection of the full set of materials available in the museum. The latest volume in this series, Volume 7, was published earlier this year: the

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volume begins in 1814 and follows Monroe through his last years as Secretary of State through to his election as president in 1816.

The next two volumes will follow Monroe’s presidential terms, and the final volume will presumably follow his life post-office.

Another piece of American history that makes UMW distinctive is the Gari Melchers Home and Studio, an estate and art museum at Belmont, a short distance from the Fredericksburg campus. UMW administers this estate, which is the former home of Gari Melchers, a famous 18th-century American figure painter. The Belmont grounds encompass 26 acres of wooded land that overlooks Fredericksburg’s Rappahannock River.

Unfortunately, both this stunning site and the James Monroe Museum have been temporarily closed to the public, due to efforts to help control the spread of the coronavirus.

Like so many other incredible locations around the world, these sources of education and beauty must lay dormant for now, but their efforts to preserve history remain and mean that these cultural sites will still stand when the world returns to normal on the other side of this partial hibernation.

The same could be said for the university at large, which is continuing to support its students whilst also suspending some in-person classes in order to keep the student population and the wider population of Fredericksburg safe.

This quiet is strange to observe in a state where tertiary education is so active. As Anna told us, “With 86 colleges and universities, including some of the most renowned in the U.S., the higher education landscape in Virginia has grown much more competitive.” In fact, Virginia’s higher-education system generates the second-highest graduation rates in America, despite receiving diminished funding from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

COVID-19 is not the only threat for traditional universities. “Four-year institutions in the U.S compete with dual degree/early college programs, community colleges, other regional campuses, and online providers,” Anna

CONTINUING A LEGACY

explained to us. “An even greater threat is the pending drop in the number of American high school graduates, expected to bottom out in 2026. Many colleges like UMW are striving to recruit more first-generation and minority students (especially Latino students), whose share of the population is growing, as well as adult students and non-traditional learners.”

Whilst the challenges that lay ahead for everyone are still partially unknown, UMW is heading into them from a strong position as one of the leading universities in the U.S. Smart Asset recently ranked Virginia the No. 1 higher education system in the country, based on graduation rates and returns on investment.

Even while students have been away from campus, construction projects have continued.

Virginia Hall, one of the school’s oldest residence halls, is being upgraded, and Seacobeck Hall is being transformed in the College of Education.

Before this virus caused the world to slow down, too, the university had other development plans

Catering at the University of Mary Washington is renowned throughout the Fredericksburg region for Chef Rigoberto’s exceptional food and presentations and for the top-notch service provided by its professional sales team and wait staff.

Whether catering a black tie wedding reception, corporate luncheon, or outdoor barbecue, the team creates memorable events to fit any personal style and budget!

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UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON

in the works. One of these projects was an oncampus theatre that will be able to seat 300400 people. Also, 2020 is the 50th anniversary of the university’s Philharmonic Orchestra.

“The UMW Philharmonic Orchestra boasts approximately 80 members – a unique blend of both students and community members.

True to UMW’s liberal arts roots, membership in the orchestra is open by audition to all UMW students, regardless of major, and to any community musician. In addition to touring the world, the orchestra has hosted and played with world-renowned musicians such as Itzhak Perlman and the Irish Tenors.”

Another distinctive undertaking that has needed to pause temporarily is the university’s annual ‘Crawley Great Lives Lecture Series’.

“Beginning in 2004, during each spring semester, the University of Mary Washington offers a public lecture series/academic course titled ‘Great Lives: Biographical Approaches to History and Culture.’ Since the inception of

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the program, more than 200 figures have been covered in public lectures. Those individuals have been chosen to provide diversity, not just in terms of race and gender, but also in chronology and, especially, in fields of accomplishment. Participants have included a number who have won Pulitzer prizes and other prestigious awards, and the series has also investigated a few non-human subjects such as the racehorse Secretariat, as well as fictional characters including Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes. James McGrath Morris, former president of Biographers International Organization, has called it a ‘truly remarkable achievement,’ concluding that ‘quite simply, there is no other program comparable to it in the country.’”

Whilst pausing such programs must be difficult, the true mission of UMW has continued unabated. The heart and soul of the institution is its outstanding students and phenomenal faculty. They are carrying on Mary

CONTINUING A LEGACY

Washington’s great educational and cultural tradition.

“Institutions that started as women-only have a certain feel to them. A little friendlier. A little warmer. A little more inviting. Through the years, that’s created a palpable sense of welcome that’s very attractive to prospective students.

More importantly, perhaps, this has shaped a culture that values inclusivity. Another factor that distinguishes Mary Washington is a strong connection to community. Not necessarily the community around Fredericksburg, but a community that encourages service and prepares students to be effective leaders. In other words,Mary Washington produces leaders who are connected to people they’re serving.”

These lessons are more important now than ever, and through imparting them to its students, UMW’s influence will likely have farreaching consequences in the coming months, and in the world beyond it. As our cultures across the globe adapt to the changes we have

experienced and the lessons we too have learnt during this time of crisis, caring leadership and an inclusive heart will be needed and should have the space to shine through. In that sense, the University of Mary Washington is a bright beacon.

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AMAZING WORLD

A SCARRED PARADISE

by David Kimberley With a population of just over 115,000, the bulk of Kiribati’s production and export is in fish Republic of Kiribati is a country that many and copra, which is the kernel of the coconut would find difficult to describe. Having gained used to create oils and fats. Unfortunately, the independence from the United Kingdom in country’s phosphate deposits were already 1979, Kiribati consists of 32 atolls and a raised depleted by the time of their independence. coral island by the name of Banaba, with However, the island does have other exports: over half of the people living on Tarawa atoll. eighty percent of the population participates in Curiously, its position in the central Pacific farming or fishing across the atolls, with crops Ocean means that it is one of only a handful including originally imported foods such as of countries in the world located in all four cabbage, pumpkin, tomato, watermelon and hemispheres. cucumber. Seaweed farming is also a very Due to the relatively young geological age important part of the island’s economy, with of the islands and the high level of salination two major species introduced to lagoons in in the soil, the flora of Kiribati is not as unique 1977 from the Philippines. The lagoons hold as one might think, with only 83 indigenous vital resources for the people of Kiribati, with plants compared to over 300 introduced oysters and shellfish being farmed too. Despite species. Sadly, many of these indigenous plants having over 600 species of inshore and pelagic have also become endangered however due to fish in the waters of Kiribati, as well as 1000 the amount of phosphate mining undertaken species of shellfish, their main fishing trade on the island. focuses mostly on tuna and flying fish.

The most common plants on Kiribati are The other fauna of Kiribati consists of only coconut trees, pandanus palms and breadfruit a few land mammals, including rats, dogs, cats trees. As a land with few natural resources, the and pigs. Dogs in particular have grown in 42 | Endeavour Magazine

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number so substantially that they can now be found in roaming packs, mainly around South Tarawa. There are also some 75 bird species active in Kiribati, with the Bokikokiko the only one endemic to the country.

The people native to the country are known as the I-Kiribati and are classified as Micronesians. Archaeological evidence found on the islands indicated that Austronesians originally settled there thousands of years ago. In the 14th Century. Fijians, Samoans and Tongans invaded the islands, leading to an ethnic diversity that would permeate the population.

Two main languages are spoken across the atolls, with the primary one being Gilbertese, named after the Gilbert Islands which are now part of Kiribati. The other language is English, although it is not widely spoken outside of the capital of South Tarawa. Over time, the

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two languages have intertwined with locals combining the languages to form their own unique dialect. Many of the old Gilbertese words are still used to this day to describe more modern aspects of day-to-day life. For example, the word wanikiba is used to describe a plane but the actual translation is ‘flying canoe’. The origin of certain Gilbertese words is also fascinating, with the word for dog (kamea) actually coming from when the local people would hear European settlers shout for their dogs to ‘come here’. The word for motorbike is rebwerebwe, which was created simply because that was the sound they made.

With no rainy season recorded on Kiribati, the country has a fairly consistent tropical temperature throughout the year. The nights are often hot and humid, with minimal winds to cool the air. The indigenous plant life has even evolved to thrive in drought conditions.

For intrepid explorers and salvage hunters, the Bay of Wrecks can be found on the northeastern side of the republic. So named for the sheer amount of ships found sunken below the waves, the popularity of the bay has grown over recent years and is now a 21st Century hotspot for salvage activity.

An island of some tragic historic significance amongst the atolls of Kiribati is Kiritimati, more commonly known as Christmas Island. In the late 1950s, the United Kingdom conducted nine nuclear tests there, with the United States undertaking three times as many detonations in 1962. During these tests, the islands were not evacuated, meaning that the local populace were exposed to radiation, as well as a number of British, New Zealand and Fijian servicemen.

This has caused obvious health concerns for the generation living there during this time, and for those to come.

As the Republic of Kiribati still recovers from the fallout of the tests, it now faces the threat of climate change as some islands begin to ‘drown’. To many, the country might look like the perfect holiday destination for a tropical island break, but look below the surface and you will find a scarred paradise in danger of disappearing altogether.

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CLEANER WATER BAUER Engineering Ghana chevron-square-right www.bauer-ghana.com phone-square +233 302 544113

Founded in 1790 and based in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria, the BAUER Group has made a name for itself by being one of the go-to Groups for challenging foundation work.

In fact, the name ‘Bauer’ is often linked with some of the most difficult and largestscale foundation work in the world, attached to a range of machinery and processes fit for the demanding task.

Reliable, innovative, efficient – BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH lives up to the high expectations the world has for a German company of this scale.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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s one would expect, this successful Group has many subsidiaries around the world – 110, to be exact. One such company is BAUER Engineering Ghana Ltd. This Ghanaian branch focuses on groundworks for mining and construction projects and, in particular, on groundwater control. We spoke with Giuseppe Canducci, Managing Director at BAUER Engineering Ghana, to find out more about this arm of the Bauer Group entity.

The Bauer Group as an overall entity is a behemoth of an organisation, employing over 12,000 people worldwide and achieving a total revenue of EUR 1.7 billion. As Giuseppe told us, “We operate everywhere and in any ground conditions, from western cities to offshores operations in the sea and in the desert.” The group’s activities are divided into three main segments: construction, equipment and resources. Giuseppe broke these three categories down for us and explained what each one entails: The construction wing focuses on foundation engineering and construction for infrastructures. In other words, Bauer designs and caries out services such as piling, sheet piles, grouting and soil improvement services.

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BAUER ENGINEERING GHANA

focus, however, it doesn’t stop there: this part of the Group is also heavily involved in the mining industry, offering customized engineering equipment and services for mine exploration through the Group’s company SCHACHTBAU NORDHAUSEN. Through this entity, Bauer works on mineshafts, new drifts, restoration and maintenance by shotcrete and anchors, customized solutions for safekeeping of abandoned areas of mines, construction of traffic routes and infrastructures.

Lastly, this section of the organisation also provides water control management services for open mining, in order to stabilize slopes, create water slopes and perform other watermanaging undertakings to preserve the integrity of the open-pit mine against the elements.

As for the equipment portion of the Group, Bauer uses this to provide leading companies with machines for foundation engineering.

Once again, though, Bauer doesn’t stop here, as it is continually working to develop new products. More specifically, it creates these

products for the mining, deep drilling and offshore drilling sectors, such as sheet piling, core sampling, injection anchors (“Invented by Bauer in 1958”, Giuseppe was sure to tell us), cutters for continuous cut-off wall, and rigs that can be used both for piling and for blasting holes for open-cast mining.

Lastly, the resources segment focuses on environmental technology, water treatment, dewatering wells, environmental remediation, waste management and groundwater control.

Bauer Engineering Ghana combines elements of all of Bauer’s three sections of focus. Providing equipment, products and engineering services, Bauer Engineering Ghana has this section of the market covered. The company is headquartered in Accra, Ghana’s capital, from where it reaches out to not only the whole country, but the entire West African region. “In the last years we have seen a significant increase of the construction segment and infrastructures, especially on large scale project as seaports and bridges. We are

Yaramoko Mine bored piles drilling in Burkina Faso.

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CLEANER WATER

confident that this upward trend will continue after the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

However, in order to maintain workflow, the company must not limit its operations in one country only.” Operating internationally comes with its added complications these days, but Bauer Engineering Ghana are willing to take on the extra effort in order to have a stronger base from which to operate. “We first reached the region as a provider of drilling solutions for civil infrastructures. Now, we seek the opportunity to consolidate our presence as a provider of integrated solutions also in mining and water management sector.”

As well as carefully training its own staff to a high level of performance, Bauer Engineering Ghana is also able to benefit from the collective expertise of the international Group where needed: “We have specialized operators who are mobilized when necessary anywhere in the world in order to have the most skilled ones accordingly to the peculiarity of each site.” This added expertise where needed,

combined with the strength of its team, allows Bauer Ghana to stay ahead of its rivals in West Africa by enabling it to offer a wide range of capabilities: “We are not just a supplier of drilling services. We manage the full sequence of the drilling: we do design, we manufacture our own equipment and we provide the site drilling. This allow us a complete control of the process. We also continuously update our methods and equipment due to site feedback in order to guarantee timing, quality, safety and performance to our clients.”

Given its global location, Bauer Engineering Ghana has enabled the Bauer Group to play an active hand in one of the region’s most profitable and interesting industries – mining.

Giuseppe told us that this reach extends to both mining and exploration, as well as, of course, keeping water away from open pit mining: “We develop equipment for alternative mining methods and adapt typical foundation technology to special needs such as the use of trench cutters for digging narrow, long and

Offshore rock drilling below the sea level for the Knope Power Station in Ghana.

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deep veins in rock, as hydraulic grabs for bulk sampling of up to 3000 mm diameter and as Kelly rigs for coring 1200 mm diameter up to 360 m depth. We provide working platforms (also variable diameter ones), towers, hoist and more for shafts.

“In recent years, we developed synergies with rose boring contractors in order to provide deep shaft drilling in mines in Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso. Rose bore drilling is a rock drilling method performed from the bottom upward, with the recovery of the drilled material from the below gallery of the mine. However, the upper part of the shafts is usually excavated in loose soil and it would collapse inside the drilled hole if adequate measures are not in place.

“Therefore, Bauer provides the cut-off wall on the top of the shaft in order to block this collapse. It consists in a series of secant piles whose diameter depends on the depth required. The precision required may be

elevate to reduce and avoid gaps between the piles at deep and flowing of water into the excavation.”

Water management is a key part of Bauer Engineering Ghana’s operations, keeping groundwater away from affecting open pit mines or construction works. However, this water management is not where the company’s involvement with the element stops – it also plays a key role in water treatment. This service can get lost in the list when rattling through a prolific company like Bauer’s processes, but it deserves highlighting. One doesn’t think about heavy industrial operations ever having a positive effect on pollution, but in this case, it’s true!

“In the last 25 years,” Giuseppe told us, “We have constructed, maintained and operated over 1,000 plants for treating contaminated groundwater from municipality, agricultural, mining and oil activities. These plants range from simple filter plants to complex biological

Diaphragm walls cranes at work for a service shaft at the Woodsmith Mine in United Kingdom.

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diaphragm plants that are natural water treatment systems.”

In the Sultanate of Oman, Bauer Engineering Ghana has been working on the largest treatment wetland of its kind in the world.

The Nimr Water Treatment Plant treats oilcontaminated wastewater and makes it clean again. This waste tends to be created during oil exploration and production, and is a huge problem when it comes to pollution, but thanks to undertakings like this plant, that negative impact on the environment can be spared. This is possibly Bauer Engineering Ghana’s most exciting area of operations, as it has such a positive green impact. Giuseppe broke down how it works: “While utilizing the power of nature and energy from the sun, polluted water can be cleaned in a sustainable way, with minimum operation and maintenance cost and low energy footprint. Contaminants are removed via a range of natural processes mediated

by complex interactions between water, plants, microorganisms, soil/gravel media and the atmosphere.” Over the years, Bauer has developed and installed hundreds of wetland applications worldwide, but the largest and most impressive is Oman’s Nimr Water Treatment Plant which treats 115,000 m3 of water from nearby oil fields per day.”

It’s shocking to think that this scale of water needing treatment exists, but given that this is the case, thank goodness that companies like Bauer Engineering Ghana are taking care of it.

All in all, this Ghanaian has many impressive credentials and achievements to its name, but for us, this is one of the most exciting. Thankfully, Bauer’s reach in West Africa seems to be broad enough that it will make it through this unusual year we’ve had, and it can continue to protect industrial undertakings and clean water alike.

Nimr Water Treatment Plant in the Sultanate of Oman is the largest treatment wetland of its kind in the world and treats oil-contaminated wastewater created during oil exploration and production.

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FORGING A FUTURE Atlantis Foundries chevron-square-right www.atlantisfoundries.com phone-square +27 21 573 7200

The largest grey iron foundry in Africa and one of the largest automotive component manufacturers in South Africa, Atlantis Foundries focuses on producing heavy duty engine blocks. Its high standards have made it the engine block producers for some of the world’s leading truck brands, including MercedesBenz and Freightliner.

Earlier this year, the company celebrated its 40th anniversary, and we took a closer look to see how it has managed to position itself on the global market and in association with such key names.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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ocated just north of Cape Town, Atlantis Foundries (AF) is a tier one automotive supplier with customers in Europe and the USA, including multiple household name truck brands. Thanks to the efforts of a team 800 people strong, AF has become a leader in implementing Industry 4.0 in a foundry environment. The company CEO, Christoph Ewers, has frequently gone on record to state that it is the dedication and skill of these employees that has elevated AF to the position within the market that it now holds, allowing it to offer incredible quality at a highly competitive cost.

Atlantis Foundries concentrates on one product, allowing it to perfect its processes and create this one product with expertise. This product, truck engine blocks, is highly complex to produce, and as a large cast iron product, requires the correct facilities. AF’s casting of this engine blocks has earned it a global reputation, as well as a major one in South Africa.

This company not only acknowledges that it relies on its employees, but it takes care of them as well. The company has an extremely low staff turn-over rate, which is the clearest indicator of job satisfaction there is. This consistency and continuity also contributes Endeavour Magazine | 53

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greatly to the continuity of its product, as staff have been working this trade for a long time.

With many members of staff having been with the company for 25 to 30 years, the foundry is a key part of its local community.

So, what has this company been doing to take care of its staff? For one, in a move more relevant now than ever, it provides everyone on its team with private health insurance, which is far from commonplace practice in South Africa. Before the pandemic, the company also ran a staff transport program, picking members of staff up at their homes and bringing them home again. This initiative was not only for convenience and saved expense for its staff, but was also a matter of security for those who might otherwise have a dangerous time traveling in.

Whilst parts of South Africa can provide their challenges, the country has also been a strong contributing factor to AF’s success. For one, the workplace culture is known for its enthusiastic

and dedicated people, in companies where those people are provided for and given the opportunity to grow, contribute and see that their efforts are valued. Additionally, the banks and government were ready with support to the company when it was founded, to the extent that the German-born CEO has become a South Africa convert. One of the ways this support manifested was through the SA government’s Automotive Masterplan – an initiative set up by the Department of Trade and Industry to encourage and boost the country’s automotive industry. This plan supports exports, offering all exporting automotive companies a customs rebait which they can set off against their own customs duties, or which they can trade in South Africa’s open market. The more a company exports, the higher the rebait it gets.

For Atlantis Foundries, this is excellent news, as the company’s business is 100% export!

With such advantageous elements in place, the best way forwards was to build upon them.

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FORGING A FUTURE

ATLANTIS FOUNDRIES

AF has recently completed the renovation of its administrative buildings, to ensure that all admin staff are close to the foundry operations and in an up-to-date environment that allows them to work to the best of their potential. As a part of this renovation, in 2019 the company invested in an on-sight clinic at which employees can get regular health checks – a highly prescient move given the recent pandemic. The company also invested in expanding the capacity of the foundry itself, primarily through investments in machinery from essential suppliers such as GUT Umwelt Technik and Lahnwerk, with whom the company has long-standing alliances.

Lahnwerk ensures that the company is always in possession of the best tooling for its production processes, and GUT Umwelttechnik provides it with the most intelligent solutions for sand recycling. This solution from GUT, known as a sand reclamation plant, allows the company to re-use one of its most essential resources, with great benefit to both the environment

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and its own efforts to save costs. In both cases, these companies provide AF with the efficient, reliable engineering you would expect from German manufacturers, which allows AF to operate at the standards it sets for itself.

2020 has marked Atlantis Foundries’ 40th anniversary, and whilst it has been a tumultuous year for everyone, the company entered this time of challenge on strong footing. In 2019, it was one of four companies to receive an award from South Africa’s president - in AF’s case in praise of its sustainable operations. This came the same year as several other awards, including the South African Factory of the Year award and the Record Product award.

As for the presidential award, AF encouraged its staff to feel involved in the recognition by asking them to sign a giant, metal letter that the company sent to the president in thanks.

The 1.5 x 2 meter metal sheet, marked with the company’s letterhead, was signed by all of AF’s 800-person team.

FORGING A FUTURE

DESIG N Y OUR S UC C ESS.

Sand R eclamation

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ATLANTIS FOUNDRIES

As well as supporting its own people and working towards sustainability in terms of maintainable business practice, Atlantis Foundries has also turned some of its resources towards the support of the wider community.

It does so through many different schemes, including supporting soup kitchens, sporting and cultural events and partnerships with schools. However, the current jewel of these initiatives is an educational support program called Hope Atlantis. This project seeks to assist in bringing balance to education in South Africa by providing support and opportunity to kids who otherwise wouldn’t get it. There is a pay-wall to good education within the country, and for families who cannot afford it, it is hard for students to achieve the results they need to go on to higher education. Hope Atlantis provides a summer school of tutoring to assist driven pupils in Years 10, 11 and 12 in attaining those grades. The tutors for this scheme are sourced from Stellenbosch University – one

Since 40 years Atlantis Foundries has a close connection to its country, its people and even more to our earth in general. Now this close connection gets a name: the Brownfield award!

This award is a success of hard work, the right decisions at the right time, a success of good hearts, trust, honesty and the believe, that everybody can change our future in so many different ways.

We are proud to be part of a company with compassion and love for local and worldwide sustainability.

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of the top universities in the country. In 2018 and 2019, 22 out of the program’s 25 students made the grades they needed to go on to tertiary education – a difference that could be 1life-changing.

When one thinks about the production of truck engine blocks, one probably doesn’t think about the opportunity to transform lives, but that is what Atlantis Foundries is doing through Hope Atlantis. This 40-year enterprise has hit upon a successful and long-standing stride, and this security gives it the foundation upon which to take good care of both its staff and its community, and, of course, to produce high-tier, high standard products that form an essential element of many well-known truck brands. In an uncertain economic time, Atlantis Foundries seems like it’s made of the sturdy stuff it takes to withstand the storm.

For more than 15 years we have accompanied Atlantis Foundries on it’s way. Because for sure: we share the same values.

We are so blessed, to be a partner of pioneers and idols in so many ways.

Congratulations to 40 years, to the award and the innovation culture, you implemented in your company.

Harald Nispel Lahnwerk

A STRONG PARTNER AT YOUR SIDE MOTIVATION... ... Concept and tooling in high performance and quality for excellent castings

ENGINEERING Concept work Simualtion Innovativ Product developement Designing

PRODUCTRANGE Coreboxes Pattern LP/HP Dies Devices to automation

Lahnwerk is a global toolmaker, producing complex core boxes, patterns and tools for foundry processes.

With more than 70 years of experience and a team of 150 specialists we develop and manufacture customerorientated solutions for well-known partners from the automotive and other industrial sectors.

Lahnwerk GmbH – Industriestr.6 – D-35216 Biedenkopf – fon +49 (6461) 7007 0 – mail info@lahnwerk.de – www.lahnwerk.de

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HOLIDAYING WITH HISTORY Sarova Hotels & Resorts Kenya chevron-square-right www.sarovahotels.com phone-square +254 709 111 000

If you want to visit Kenya in true style, you want to visit Sarova Hotels and Resorts.

A name with a rich history within the country, Sarova set the bar for luxurious accommodation within Kenya. Tourism may have slowed to a challenging stand-still in recent months, but Sarova’s hotels’ rich legacy remain a glittering part of both Kenya’s past and its future. We spoke with Jimi Kariuki, Managing Director of the Sarova Group of hotels, to learn more about these hotels’ history and how the Group has responded to the pandemic.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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ushing accommodation in East Africa to new heights, Sarova says of its hotels: “The ultimate standard in design, comfort, facilities, food and leisure come together to create a blend of quality and opulence rarely seen at any five-star hotel in the region.” We spoke with Group Managing Director Jimi Kariuki, who had this to add about the Group’s reputation: “Sarova Hotels and Resorts is not only one of the largest chains of hotels and lodges in Kenya and East Africa, but also one of the most unique and innovative, offering guests diverse experiences that are simply unforgettable through refreshing African Hospitality.”

Sarova’s hotels are in highly select company: to this day, there are not many five-star locations in the country, and within this pool, Sarova has a claim like no other. Not only is it a leader within the 5-star sector, it was the trend-setter, having opened the very first 5-star hotel in the country – a hotel that is still alive and opulent today. We are of course referring to the jewel of Sarova’s collection, the first-ever five-star hotel to open in the country: the Sarova Stanley.

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Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra in its ledgers, it can truly back up its claims to offering a slice of glamour to its guests. World leaders, authors, celebrities; the hotel has hosted countless famous faces, and has even named several of its conference rooms after some of these famous guests, including the Hemingway and the Baden Powell rooms.

The Sarova Stanley (then the Victoria Hotel) opened in 1902. With simple beginnings, it would be some time before it become the country’s first five-star hotel, but it was the first-ever hotel in Nairobi, giving it yet another claim to fame! It was established by an English businesswoman called Mayence Bent, who, depending on who you ask, either eventually named the hotel the Stanley after her husband (William Stanley Bent) or after Welsh explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley who famously explored central Africa and found missing explorer David Livingstone. It was a love of this admittedly Anglo-centric view of Africa

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that inspired the Stanley’s name, and some of the world leaders it has hosted are not now known for their inclusivity (Winston Churchill, for example, even has the ballroom in the hotel named after him), but the hotel has come a long way since its early beginnings. Granted, there is a sea of white American and European faces dominating the rich and famous who have enjoyed the luxury it has offered over the years – including, along with the ones we’ve already listed, Ernest Hemingway, Ava Gardner, Gregory Peck, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Elizabeth Huxley, Colonel John Henry Patterson and even Princess Elizabeth – but now in the hands of Sarova, this hotel is proudly Kenyan-run and Kenya-centric.

However, its history is still as fascinating as it is stylish. A central surviving piece of history in the hotel is the Thorn Tree Café. As well as supposedly having been the spot where Hemingway wrote during his stay there (a 1936 short story by Hemingway, “The Short

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SAROVA HOTELS & RESORTS KENYA

walks, nature trails and other activities that teach kids about Kenya’s shore.

This impressive slate of hotels needs to be lovingly maintained if it is to stay at Sarova’s standards, and the Group knows the importance of this investment. “In 2018 and 2019,” Mr Kariuki told us, “We embarked on major refurbishments on three of our properties including Sarova Whitesands Sarova Mara Game Camp and Sarova Panafric. We completed Sarova Whitesands earlier this year and we are committed to finish the other two in the course of the year. This period has provided us the opportunity to do so.” Some companies would have responded to the slow, challenging year we have all had in 2020 by battening down and reducing spending as much as possible, but forward-thinking Sarova saw a window to prepare for a better tomorrow. “The hospitality industry in Kenya is very competitive. As a result, we need to strategize and find innovative ways to keep appealing to the market.”

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Of course, it wouldn’t be the full Kenyan experience without the food. As eclectic as their guests, the catering at Sarova’s hotels offers a delicious and creative fusion of Swahili, African, Western and Asian cuisines. As well as serving this to their guests, the company also offers a catering service that brings this zing of flavour to parties and events. Known as the ‘Kitchens of Sarova’, this service caters to both events hosted by a Sarova hotel and events at other locations, sending a full waiting team and bar service along with their caterers.

Another service that Sarova’s kitchens has recently added to its operations is quite different. As a company, Sarova Hotels has long been vocal about its commitment to being involved in the communities around its hotels – a drive known as #SarovaCares - as well as showing dedication to making its operations greener (which it has achieved through moves such as composting, water purification and the safe recycling of waste oil into Bio Diesel).

HOLIDAYING WITH HISTORY

This emphasis on CSR came into play during this global time of need. As none of us can forget, this year has been one of change and challenge, and one of the industries hit hard has been tourism. Mr Kariuki told us: “Before the advent of Covid-19, the hotel industry in Kenya and beyond was at its peak.

The hospitality sector was projected to increase with the number of international arrivals growing by an annual appreciation of 6.7% to approximately 2.3 million in 2020.

“However, when the pandemic hit, everything came to a standstill. This was largely due to travel restrictions, flight cancellations and fears of community spread through travel and group dynamics. In addition, the curfews and lockdowns also affected the business climate for hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes and other businesses dependent on guests.”

“Covid-19 has posed major challenges virtually to all sectors and our company was not spared. In August, the number of tourists

visiting Kenya dropped by over 90 percent according to the statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism. Covid-19, therefore, has been one of the greatest challenges in this sector.”

However, that hasn’t kept Sarova from thinking about others. This aid came in the form of a Meals for Medics initiative, launched in April this year. As Sarova stated, “As the Coronavirus continues to disrupt life as we know it, Sarova hotels has embarked on shedding a little love to the front-line health care workers.” Joining many other companies who chose to salute and support these heroic workers, Sarova committed its kitchens to preparing and providing daily meals for health care workers in two of Nairobi’s major hospitals - Kenyatta National Hospital and Mbagathi Hospital. As the company explained: “Sarova hotels saw that there was an opportunity to help provide hospital staff with food to keep them energized as they work tirelessly long

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shifts. We are here to serve in the only way we know; by getting in the kitchen to create and serve nutritious food.”

Mr Kariuki continued: “The program ran for 40 days, where Sarova provided daily lunches to 250 healthcare workers who are providing the most critical services to patients at the facility. We also provided teas and snacks to the Emergency Operation Centre. The move was a gesture by Sarova to say thank you and recognize the commitment of the heroes and heroines in the facilities who have put their lives on the frontline to lead the war to eradicate the virus.”

This move is may be described as a gesture by the hotel, but would feel like more than a gesture to a health care worker at the end of a long day, without the time or energy to fuel up at home before they do it all over again. This kind of outreach is the sort of all-for-one spirit that has been helping people to get through 2020, with other hotels in Kenya also offering support in the form of either food, linen or even beds.

Fortunaqtely, although the future is uncertain, things are starting to pick back up.

“The economy is slowly opening up,” Mr Kariuki shared, “And we have begun receiving guests in

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our properties across the country, which is very positive for the industry. Countries across the world are opening up and airlines are beginning to fly in and out - there is hope of going back to normalcy, albeit gradually.”

In the meantime, Sarova is not simply sitting and waiting. As well as responding to the year’s crisis by providing aid, Sarova Group also adapted the ways its hotels did business, making use of the facilities they have even when tourism itself had slowed. The company used the opportunity to move all of its bookings online, and its kitchens once again found a new use for their skills: “We have, for the first time, been doing takeaways. We have given an opportunity to our customers to order their favourite dishes and we deliver them to them within the shortest time possible.”

As this year slowly draws to an end and the world looks to 2021, unsure what we can expect, let us look forward to when we can travel freely and without fear once more.

Sarova’s hotels have existed through so much that one day, this will just be another story in their rich history.

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SPEEDIER SUCCESS Tietto Minerals chevron-square-right www.tietto.co phone-square +61 8 9331 6710

Tietto Minerals is a junior exploration company operating out of West Africa that bills itself as focusing on “fast-tracking the development of gold�.

We spoke with Caigen Wang, company Founder and Managing Director, to see how they attempt to achieve this goal.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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ietto Minerals was founded in 2010, when Australia-based Caigen decided to turn his academic involvement with the mining sector into the practical kind. The junior exploration company was originally intended to operate in Western Australia, where Caigen had been working in the sector for ten years, following a career in education where he specialised in mining technology.

Familiar with the Australian mining world both through experience and study, Caigen assessed his options, but eventually concluded that the industry was bloated, and that it was too dominated by established names to provide fruitful opportunities for his new company.

So, he turned his attention to the rest of the globe, and soon settled on West Africa. If one was willing to invest the time and the funds, Caigen saw the potential in West Africa to yield far greater success; it would be more of a challenge, but the rewards would be a less glutted market to operate within, and the space to find promising prospects to explore.

Nine years later, Caigen is continuing to apply what he learnt in Australia, but has also become well acquainted with his new environment. The company started out with a licence in Liberia in 2010; it now has two projects in the Republic Endeavour Magazine | 69

TIETTO MINERALS

of Liberia, in Dube South and Cestos, and it has also expanded into Côte d’Ivoire. Despite not entering Côte d’Ivoire until 2012, two years after their first project began, this has become the most advanced, and is now treated as Tietto’s main focus.

This jewel of their portfolio is still only 5% explored, but they have high hopes for its prospects. Multiple sections of gold veins have been exposed by artisanal mining. All illegal miners have now been removed from the area by the government, and the company has set out 11 key areas that it plans to drill. Of these, it has so far drilled four. “We are currently working towards a resource update at the end of this month,” Caigen informs us, “And we are expecting to have a mature increase of this resource.”

“We really enjoy working in Côte d’Ivoire.

They have very good infrastructure and logistical supplies. Finding spare parts for machinery can sometimes be a challenge, but

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the country’s Ministry of Mines is very efficient, so we really don’t encounter many challenges.”

It is partly these working conditions, but largely the promising explorative data, that has prompted Tietto to put most of its eggs in the Côte d’Ivoire basket. That said, their projects in Liberia are also starting to be explored in earnest.

“At this stage, we are focusing on resource growth, so will not be rushing towards a mine development at this stage. However, we have a major resource update this month, and another at the end of the year. After these, we will then begin to look properly at the mine development side of operations.”

“I think it’s going to be a slow growth moving forwards. However, we’re expecting the transition from exploration to production to be a smooth transition, as we have the support of the community, and of the government as well.”

At their Côte d’Ivoire project, Tietto currently employs between 70-120 people, with the addition of many part-time locals. In their Liberia projects, as well, a full-time team of both local and expat employees is complemented by part-time local labourers. In all three areas, this allows Tietto to give back to the local economies in a direct way, as well as helping to address the issue of the artisanal mining that its operations have replaced. In fact, expats are only hired in specific cases, where a particular skill cannot be found locally, but the company makes it a priority to hire locally as much as is possible.“Working in the community is our main principle. We also work to bring awareness of our operations to these communities, to make sure they understand what we are doing. So, that cooperation has been quite successful.”

This open back and forth has allowed Tietto to navigate local feeling and avoid causing a clash with or damage to the community, which is always an essential focus and concern for a mining company, whether explorational or operational.

Tietto’s exceptions to hiring locally are reserved for roles such as technical experts, who are brought in to work closely with local managers. Both technical knowledge and an

SPEEDIER SUCCESS

TIETTO MINERALS

understanding of the land and community are essential for overseeing projects such as these, and so these two groups are asked to work together and combine their knowledge.

Sometimes, sourcing technical experts has involved Tietto taking on students, offering them the opportunity to put their talents into action, whilst providing the company with the skills it needs. These students assist in the implementation of the most modern exploration technologies, combining geophysics and geochemistry. However, this is only a handful of staff, compared to the many locals that Tietto employ, from labourers to team supervisors well-versed in the land.

As well as being careful not to disrupt the local people, Tietto is careful not to disrupt the local environment. The two are essentially one and the same, because any damage to the environment has a direct impact on the people living in and around it, and in many cases, relying on it. Currently, there is little fallout to

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watch out for, but Tietto is still being mindful of it: “At this stage, as we are still in the exploration stage, our impact to the environment is at a minimum, particularly as in West Africa, you have so much rainfall that if you cut some grass, say, it is soon back to normal.”

“In Côte d’Ivoire, we did need to cut down a few trees to make an access road, but we did this in a careful manner. We have experts working on an assessment of the cost of the tree – how much it would cost to replace – so that we could prepare the funds and deliver them through government officials to the farmers and land owners who were affected.”

This careful assessment, combined with an open communication with said land owners, has proven successful in allowing Tietto to stay accountable for any impact they make, and to make this minimal impact whilst maintaining a positive relationship with the community.

From working as a university lecturer on the topic to working his way through the sector itself,

SPEEDIER SUCCESS

Caigen feels that the only successful way for an exploration company to operate is to balance its perspective between a geologist’s mindset, and a mine engineer’s. Whilst exploration is a geological undertaking, a project must have a potential commercial value that justifies the amount of work and investment going into it.

Exploration is, essentially, an informed gamble, and when appealing to investors, this gamble must seem as limited as possible. “It is quite hard to find the right project, but the money is there. You have to make sure that your investors understand the industry and the real value of the project. If that can be presented to them, then everything will be fine.” A gamble will always be involved, and you can’t win every time, but through a careful approach and the right level of expert analysis, Tietto does its best to minimise its investors’ risks and maximise a speedy return on their investment – at least, as ‘speedy’ as anything can be in the world of mining!

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AUTOMOTIVES

THE ALL-NEW PEUGEOT 208 RRP starting at £16,250

trails whilst delivering a peachy punch when required to accelerate onto dual carriageways. his month, we received the All-New The All-New refined 208 is a great looking car.

Peugeot 208 to review. Our model was It is beautifully finished with 17 inch ‘Camden’ the 208 GT Line 1.5 BlueHDi 100 StopStart diamond cut two-tone alloys. It’s practical and in a striking Faro Yellow. The total price for this comfortable, perfect for town and city driving car, including additional options, is £22,850. too. I was astonished to find how economic Peugeot are continually winning awards, this car is, even when fully loaded: it’s rather and this is no exception. The 208 has recently impressive and capable of producing 60.8 won the ‘2020 European Car of the Year’, and 71.4 mpg. As I enjoyed driving this car so much, I can see why. The family and I tested this ca the more miles to the gallon the merrier. by packing our bags and heading out for a This car oozes style from every exterior few days away hiking. Test driving this nimble, angle and has a strong presence on the road. compact car allowed me to reminisce on the I particularly like its signature 3-claw full LED early days that I took to the roads. You see, I headlights. This distinctive lighting ensures that have always had a soft spot for Peugeots since you can see and can be seen at all times and my nascent days as a driver. I enjoyed our time optimises both driving and safety. I really enjoy spent with this car: it handled great when not dipping the lights to oncoming traffic: it’s a driving the winding back roads towards the delight that the car does this part for you.

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Inside, the car is just as lovely, from the large 10” capacitive colour touchscreen* and the 7-satin chrome ‘piano’ toggle switches.

A nice option is to personalise your interior environment with a choice of 8 RGB LED colours. I particularly like the neon green. Looks great.

The new PEUGEOT 3D i-Cockpit takes a little while for your eyes to adjust, especially if you are like me and wear glasses. The compact multifunction steering wheel allows you to easily configure the 3D head-up display to the required setting, allowing maximum eye time on the road. Its crisp and colourful graphics within the instrument panel can be adapted to give a variety of display modes including: ‘Dials’ mode - a classic view to replicate the analogue set-up of most modern cars; ‘Navigation’ mode - turns the dials on their sides to a ‘roller’ format, 3D navigation with instructions fill the centre of the display; ‘Driving’ mode with ‘roller’ format dials and driver assistance information including Lane Keeping Assistance

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(LKA) and ACC Stop. The LKA is very strange to experience as you cross over lanes, because it momentarily pulls to the opposite direction of the one you’d like to go in. I am glad this feature can be turned off quite easily.

Peugeots have irregular shaped steering wheels these days, slightly smaller than standard rounded steering wheels allows you to see more of the dashboard. It is however a bit like marmite – you either love it or hate it.

You do get used to it quickly.

From the outside, the passenger space in the car really looked uncomfortable, but surprisingly, there was plenty of space inside to make the ride enjoyable for all of us. It would have been a cozy fit if we’d had two adults in the back as opposed to children, but the headroom in the cabin is fine, topping the sixfoot mark, and the elbow space is good. USB slots in the back were a nice touch for the kids, allowing them to stay connected on the move.

311 litres of boot space was ample for the trip, and perfect for the weekly grocery shopping.

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However, I would suggest that a monthly food shop would be out of the question based on a family of four.

Buyers of the All-New Peugeot 208 can choose between different trim levels called Active, Allure and GT Line with the e-208 also on offer in flagship GT trim.

Prices for the Active trim start from £16,250, with the Allure priced from £18,850 and the GT Line starting from £20,700. The all-electric e-208 GT trim car has an entry price of £29,650.

Well done to Peugeot on the All-New 208.

If you are looking for a stylish, nippy, very economic city car then this could well fit the bill. It is certainly worth a test drive and I am confident that you will enjoy the experience. www.peugeot.co.uk

THE ALL-NEW PEUGEOT 208

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A TIME OF CHANGE Sol Guyana chevron-square-right solpetroleum.com phone-square +592 233-0582

Involved in the oil interests of a number of countries, the Caribbean-based Sol Group was perfectly situated in Guyana when the country struck rich oil deposits three years ago.

Since then, the Group has used its expertise and its position within Guyana to step in during this exciting and formative time.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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ounded in 2005, The Sol Group of companies was formed through the acquisition of Shell’s business in the Eastern Caribbean, Guyana, Suriname and Belize. After expanding into Puerto Rico through further acquisitions in 2006, the energy group strengthened its presence in Guyana the following year through the acquisition of assets belonging to Exxon in the country, as well as similar purchases in Suriname and Haiti.

The Group describes its mission today as the same one that inspired it then: to power the region reliably and safely. Named after the Spanish word for ‘sun’, the group says of itself; “Our name and our sunburst logo are direct representations of our team’s energy and commitment to being a central element of all aspects of life in the Caribbean. The Sol visual brand reflects the vibrancy of the Caribbean.”

Ten years after Sol solidified its involvement in Guyana, the country that was long predicted rich oil deposits finally made a discovery that should change the course of its fortunes: in January 2017, both Exxon Mobil and Hess announced that explorative deep-water drilling had discovered one of the richest oil and gas deposits to be found in decades, just off of the country’s coast. As a small nation with low Endeavour Magazine | 79

SOL GUYANA

power requirements, Guyana would be able to export most of the oil and gas it retrieved from its deposits, which could mean a revolution for the country economically.

This discovery garnered instant attention from many major oil industry players, and already well-situations in the country, start to take an interest in the country in the wake of this discovery, Sol Guyana was in a strong position to catch their eye and form partnerships. Not only did the company already have the local knowledge and links that an overseas party would need, but it was also physically well placed, situated alongside Guyana’s shoreline, and with a series of strategically located depots that could allow it to sufficiently supply the entire country.

Between its resources and working relationships, as well as its affiliate companies, it had a great deal to offer interested partners.

However, one of Sol Guyana’s key attributes is its reputation for health and safety and a sturdy

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environment management system. Sol Guyana is aware that these safety measures do not just protect oil interests, but protect Guyana’s environment and thus both its residents and its other industries. Through its safe practices, Sol Guyana supports these essential industries and, in turn, the country’s future as the oil industry expands. Its track record for safety also allows the Group to stand out in its sector.

This dedication to safety is acted on in a number of ways; as well as careful and strict every-day practices, the Group also regularly invests in the upgrading and upkeep of its equipment and sites. For example, it recently dug up every single-wall steel underground storage tank that it owned in the country, as well as all of the connecting pipelines, and replaced them with double-walled tanks and pipes. This highly costly undertaking also included the installation of electronic monitoring for the fuel system. This restoration work was a preventative measure: single-walled steel tanks have a 20-

A TIME OF CHANGE

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SOL GUYANA

year shelf-life before the steel corrodes and risks leaks. As this time period was coming to a close, the company diligently sprang into action to act and replace it with something new. Whilst they were at it, they decided to up the investment to install something stronger and more reliable than the model that came before. For an idea of how much this cost, it’s important to remember that this restoration wasn’t only in Guyana, but across the Group’s full international reach.

However, even this extensive footprint is not where the Group’s commitment to safety ends. For example, looking beyond itself to face outwards, Sol Guyana has been speaking with the government and overseas entities to make sure that it can be a part of a win for the environment even in the wake of this oil revolution. For example, it is working with the local US Embassy to offer advice on matters such as petroleum legislation, and the company

is becoming deeply involved in conversations with both government channels and NGOs to ensure that Guyana implements global standards as it adapts to its exciting future.

The last time we looked at Sol Guyana, its General Manager, Liz Wyatt, had this to say about the years to come: “Although Guyana is celebrating its oil as a game-changing breakthrough, Sol is conscious about the need to pursue alternative fuels and renewable energy solutions. We are aware of the country’s growing focus for some time now on renewable energy. Sol Guyana is far from short sighted: industries are dynamic and, while we foresee significant growth in our sector for years to come, we are also aware that other players might take roles such as natural gas, solar, and hydroelectric power. The dynamics of the business are not new to Sol, and therefore, we’ve already actively tendered on the natural gas plant and will continue

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A TIME OF CHANGE

to assess any reasonable opportunity that would support to our objective of providing energy solutions.”

The Group knows that the future for Guyana is taking shape in many ways. However, investment in green energy may be being taken seriously, but the impact of the new oil deposits cannot be ignored. For Liz, the real excitement is the knock-on effect this could have for the country’s economy as a whole, and therefore, what it is possible for Guyana to achieve: “The country has an opportunity now to catch up on a digital-technology based platform. The initiatives that are being built now, which oil revenue will allow, will revolutionize how people interact with banking systems and multiple other transactions that would influence the individual, corporate and government daily interactions. Ultimately, I think Guyana is getting an extraordinary

opportunity to implement the best and most innovative technology-based platforms.”

Sol Guyana is aware of the promising years ahead – years that are likely to be crucial and profitable for the country. As Liz Wyatt concluded; “The next couple of years are a stimulating time for Sol Guyana, as they respond to this historical time and try to anticipate its ever-changing factors. As the exact plans for action settle across the country, 2020 and beyond is sure to only get more exciting still: we look forward to seeing what the future holds, both for The Sol Group and for Guyana as an economy.”

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BULLSEYE The Dart Group chevron-square-right www.dart.ky phone-square +1 345.640.3500

With properties and subsidiary companies spanning real estate, hospitality, retail, entertainment, finance and biotech, Dart is a wide-ranging and eclectic company with a focused purpose – to contribute to and improve the economy and quality of life in the Cayman Islands.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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riginally from Michigan, USA, Ken Dart was and is an innovative investor and entrepreneur, and it was this entrepreneurial spirit that took him to the Cayman Islands. He moved to Grand Cayman in the early 1990s, and opened a small office with a grand total of three employees there in 1993. That small investment office turned out to be the seed that grew a global enterprise; to date, the Dart group of companies has invested over $1.5 billion into the Cayman Islands and its employee size has risen from three to 800.

Today, the Dart group is known as a bestin-class real estate developer, although the company’s various investments and subsidiaries cover many industrial areas. As the company explains in its own words, “Our primary area of activity in the Cayman Islands is real estate investment, development and management. Different subsidiaries within the group are responsible for design and construction, asset management and business operations. Other major subsidiaries are involved in retail, hospitality, entertainment and biotech.” These operations are coordinated from Dart Enterprises, Dart’s investment holding company for all of Dart’s Caymanbased entities, and provider of services for the Endeavour Magazine | 85

THE DART GROUP

group such as finance, human resources, IT, legal and corporate services, marketing and PR, and internal audit and risk management.

Whilst its operations focus around the Cayman Islands, however, Dart also has investments in Europe, the US and the Caribbean.

Why did the Michigan-born Dart choose the Cayman Islands as the hub for his businesses?

The area had appeal both in terms of lifestyle and financial opportunity; as a British Overseas Territory, the Islands are politically stable, have tax neutrality, offer access to world class professional services and use a legal system based on English Common Law. On top of all of these reasons, the territory is close to the U.S. and, physically, the area is beautiful, with crisp, stunning blue and white beaches drawing in a thriving tourism trade for Dart to cater to, as well as proving a rewarding home for the entrepreneur himself.

So, how has Dart impacted the development of Cayman and this thriving, tourism-led economy? Aside from Dart Enterprises, the group also holds Decco/Dart Development, the Caribbean’s leading real estate development and construction management company, and a local leader in sustainable building practices. Decco works closely with Dart Real Estate and, together, they have developed over $1.3 billion in mixed-use, commercial, residential, educational and hospitality projects throughout the Cayman Islands.

Whilst these companies construct, Active Capital provides marketing, project management and accounting for a large portfolio of businesses, and Dart Management provides investment services for a selection of the group’s companies. Finally, the company owns multiple properties in the hospitality and entertainment industries, many of which are located at Camana Bay, a stunning business and retail development spearheaded by Dart. Some of Dart’s retail and entertainment properties on the island include the Cayman Islands Yacht Club, the North Sound Gold Club and the Camana Bay Cinema, as well as locations for companies such as Swarovski, Pandora and the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman.

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Through all of these businesses, Dart aims to continually contribute to the Cayman Island’s economy and to further stimulate its development. As Ken Dart said himself, “I believe business activities based upon Dart Values, Culture and Philosophy will create employment, provide exciting career opportunities and serve as catalysts for economic growth in the communities where the businesses are located.

The resulting improvement in our standard of living will provide better opportunities for us and others to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.” Building upon that, the company has stated,” regarding its mission: “We are committed to sustainable economic growth and community development in the Cayman Islands. Our purpose is to invest in people, business and communities, enhancing the quality of life and creating meaningful opportunities for productive and fulfilling lives.” In keeping with these aims, the group of companies also contributes to the community through various charitable avenues, through which $6 million has been given back to the community over the past five years.

Two foci of this outreach work are education and youth development. The company contributes to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) educational programmes, as well as providing Work-X work experience placements and funding numerous other educational initiatives such as the Minds Inspired Math Challenge, MI ACADEMY Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Summer Camp, the SeaPerch Challenge, mentoring sessions and career fairs. On top of these, the company also offers scholarship funds to select high schools and undergraduate students every year.

Looking outwards to their wider involvement in the community, Dart also offers grants to nonprofit organizations working in education and youth development, and also environmental work. The company awards up to 15 grants a year for CI$10,000 – CI$50,000 each. It is also more directly involved in an initiative called Growing Communities, a public-private partnership with the Cayman Islands Government that sets

BULLSEYE

www.mcw.com 615 - 207 Queens Quay W., Toronto, ON, M5J 1A7 | 1 416 598 2920 Endeavour Magazine | 87

THE DART GROUP

up and maintains parks throughout Cayman.

To date, the initiative has established a park in each of Grand Cayman’s five districts. Whilst the government owns and manages these parks, Dart maintains their landscaping. It does similar work for pre-existing parks through Growing Communities, too, working with local committees to restore parks that have fallen into disrepair and disuse.

This commitment to outdoor spaces has of course been complimented by Dart’s own push towards greener operations. As the company states, “Sustainability is intrinsic to our development approach, business practices and technological innovations. An early advocate for recycling in Cayman, we collect and reuse glass by crushing it to produce the aggregate used to pave our sidewalks. Also championing the move towards alternative energy sources, we have installed solar panels on Dart properties across the island and are one of the largest producers of solar energy in

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Cayman.” Most of Dart’s properties have also received LEED certification for sustainable design and construction.

Dart truly is prolific; from extremely humble beginnings, its presence is now found through the Cayman Islands, literally shaping its cities and parkland, and contributing to the country’s economy and ongoing success in a significant way. Ken Dart had a vision, and he pursued it, probably to lengths that he didn’t even dream of when he first set out. Now, Dart’s influence should only continue to spread, applying its founder’s values as it goes to make sure that good business and good practices travel hand in hand.

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GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY Red Pine Exploration chevron-square-right redpineexp.com phone-square 416 364 7024

This year has seen many changes take place in the business world, and that includes gold prices. They saw a spike in August that has since calmed a little, but prices are still far higher than it was at the start of the year. This is a development that gold companies had already predicted, and is also a trend that often occurs during times of uncertainty such as the ones we’ve recently been living in.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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his is good news for gold producers, and also a prompt to move quickly to those in the exploration business. Excitingly for Red Pine Exploration Inc (Red Pine), the Canadian exploration company, it already has a number of potential-rich sites in its portfolio, and despite the challenges of this year, it has been able to keep operating to develop them.

Headquartered in Toronto, this precious metals explorer focuses on properties within Ontario, Canada rather than working abroad.

Its activities within the mining chain are to do with the identification, acquisition and development of these properties, expanding on their finding to turns ‘maybes’ into certainties for their investors and the companies who will eventually take on the mining of these sites.

By far the most developed and promising property in Red Pine’s current portfolio is the Wawa Gold Project. Located 2km southeast of the Municipality of Wawa in Northern Ontario, this vast property is 6,519 hectares in size and holds several former mines on it, as well as many prospective new locations. These historic mines collectively produced 120,000 oz gold when they were active, but this is only a small fraction of the gold that Red Pine has found in the area. Of the many deposits in the Endeavour Magazine | 91

RED PINE EXPLORATION

project, the two main ones are the Surluga Deposit and the Minto Mine South Deposit, of which Surluga is the largest. Between these two sites, there is a predicted 700 Koz of gold that is accessible using the historic tunnels as a starting point. Most of this gold (around 95%) is thought to be between the surface and 350 meters’ depth. However, Wawa’s potential doesn’t stop there. A further six targets across the site are thought to hold a potential total of up as much as 3.0 Moz! These sits appear across a 6km gold-mineralization corridor through the site known, unsurprisingly, as the Wawa Gold Corridor.

How did so much gold go unfound by the operators working here before? Interestingly, the reason is largely because these sites were all owned by different operators, meaning that data was not shared and the sites were never geologically connected. Studying the area as a whole, with a comprehensive examination of the geology, geophysics, geochemistry,

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alteration mineralogy and structural geology, Red Pine has uncovered new these numerous untapped targets. Now, in total, the Wawa Gold Project is made up of 371 unpatented and 164 patented mining claims. 64.5% of the property is being explored directly by Red Pine Exploration, whilst the other 35.5% is being explored by Citabar LP, with Red Pine serving as the operating manager.

Traditionally, the surface - 350 meters’ depth area has been the entirety of the focus in Wawa, both in Red Pine’s exploration and in previous mining endeavors. However, as the company stated in early 2020: “While focused on delineating shallow, high-grade deposits amenable to bulk underground mining along the Wawa Gold Corridor, the Company’s 2020 exploration program will target proving the continuity of the mineralization of the Surluga Deposit at depth.” Just as the miners who once operated on this land didn’t find the many shallow sites that Red Pine has now located,

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

RED PINE EXPLORATION

the company once again intends to turn its attention in a direction that no one has looked before, with the aim of proving that this goldrich area is even more prospective and exciting an investment that already shown.

To this end, during the past months, when many businesses have been operating at a slower pace, Red Pine has safely carried out this aim. The company paused its operations in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but only remained shut for two months, re-launching its Wawa operations in May with strict safety precautions in place. The focus of these relaunched operations was to carry out this downwards investigation, and the results they got show that it was well worth pursuing. Shortly after drilling began in May, the company announced that it had found a whole new mineralized gold zone underneath Surluga’s existing Deposit 1. The drilling results from this exploration suggest that high-grade gold mineralization extends at depth, well

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beyond the footprint of the current resource of the Surluga Deposit, meaning the site is prime for being extended.

Quentin Yarie, Red Pine’s CEO, said of the discovery in a public statement: “Following the results from holes 285A and 286, today’s results from hole 289 represent more definitive evidence that the higher-grade core of the Surluga Deposit extends well beyond the footprint of the current resource. Finding this extension early in our exploration program validates the accuracy of our predictive modelling of the Jubilee Shear Zone [the host of the Surluga Deposit].”

These finds are extremely exciting for Red Pine and its investors, hugely expanding the appeal and potential of this already attractive site. But what about deposits outside of Wawa? This project is the most developed of Red Pine’s portfolio, but is far from the only one. The company also has exploration efforts in Cayenne, Mt. Logano, Moffat and Algoma-

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

Talisman, all in Ontario, and all owned 100%

by Red Pine. Most of these projects are either exclusively or primarily gold deposits, but at Cayenne, located in the Genoa Township of Ontario, the site contains a variety of different minerals: namely silver, copper, zinc and lead.

This variety is an interesting addition to the company’s mostly gold-dominated portfolio, and means the company is able to appeal to and interact with investors in other markets.

This is a shrewd move from any exploration company, so that the entirety of a pipeline doesn’t depend solely on the trends of one market. Whilst Cayenne is a wild card, it could also prove to be an ace in the hole.

To reach and travel over some of the more remote of these locations by air, Red Pine uses local company Hearst Air Service. Hearst Air Service primarily advertises itself to tourists and day-trippers looking to take a fishing or hunting excursion or to enjoy one of their flight and canoe packages whilst exploring the

beautiful Canadian countryside. However, this independent air strip and charterer also holds a contract with Red Pine to provide the company the air access it needs to its remote drill sites – an example of Red Pine’s presence providing work to local businesses.

Mining exploration can seem like a game of battleships at times, but really, it’s more like detectives putting together a case, forming a hunch, and then bringing in enough evidence to make a slam-dunk conviction. Red Pine has long had the hints to tell it that its mine sites were prospective investments, but the more it investigates, the deeper the plot thickens, the more resources it finds, and the more concrete a case it makes for its investors and future companies that its hunches were correct.

It’s an exciting line of work, when you get to combine running an investigation with hunting for treasure, but that’s exactly what Red Pine have been doing, and as it’s now indisputable to say, they’ve certainly struck gold.

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AMAZING WORLD

UNDERWATER CROP CIRCLES

Deep down under the ocean, there is a mystery at the bottom of the seabed. Could it be aliens, could it be the evidence of the underwater city of Atlantis, or could it simply all be a prank?

In 1995, 80ft under the water off the South coast of Japan, underwater crop circles were discovered by deep-sea photographer and diver, Yoji Ookata. During a routine dive, Ookata spotted a magnificent sight that took everybody by surprise – shapes that resembled crop circles on the bottom of the sea bed.

Fortunately, he had his camera at hand! Due to the ephemeral natural of these incredibly unusual geometric formations, they remained a mystery for 16 years until the culprit was finally discovered. Fortunately, it was not a menacing extraterrestrial from space, but a tiny pufferfish!

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by James Lapping to just 5 inches in length, but their beautiful creations on the ocean floor are approximately 7 ft in diameter. The tiny pufferfish must keep working relentlessly and non-stop for 9 days to complete their sea-bed circles, otherwise the ruthless currents wash them away and they must simply start all over again.

But why, I hear you ask, do they make these at all? It is in fact a very intriguing mating ritual.

The male pufferfish uses his fins to form the ridges in the sand, these align up to make the unusual pattern throughout the circle. Once the framework is completed, the pufferfish will then embellish their masterpiece with broken bits of shell. Due to the design of the circle, fine sediment gathers on top of this, and then it is finally completed! The mysterious crop-circle serves the purpose of a nest for the female pufferfish, who lay their eggs in the middle of the circle for the male to then fertilize. Once

the eggs are fertilized, the female pufferfish goes off again, leaving the male pufferfish to protect the eggs from any potential predators.

The ridges created by the pufferfish also serve the purpose of protection for the eggs, and because the of the raised edges and the gathering of fine sediments, studies have shown that water moves 25% slower across the surface of the sand nest, therefore making it less likely that the pufferfish eggs will be washed away along the sea bed.

Though some other fish and sea creatures are known to create nests on the ocean floor, the elaborate design, decoration, and pattern of the circles makes them a completely unique phenomenon. Another conundrum that still stumps researchers is the aspects of the circles that captures the eye of the female pufferfish.

Is it the decorative shells? The elaborate ridges?

Or is it just the fine sediment? The circles clearly serve a practical purpose as a nest, as protection, and the size of them certainly attracts the attention of a female pufferfish to an extent.

But all the decoration and painstaking effort made by the male pufferfish – is it all just futile?

Whether or not, you must admire the beauty of our natural world. Be it the feathers on a peacock or the dancing birds of paradise, animals will do anything for love! These little pufferfish off the coast of southernmost Japan are now giving some human artists a run for their money. So remember, pufferfish aren’t just the poisonous sushi that you hear of - they are proud crafters too!

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CARPE METALLUM Lesego Platinum chevron-square-right www.lesego.com phone-square +27 86 186 7333

When you come across an opportunity, you have to seize it, and that’s what Village Main Reef Limited did when they formed Lesego Platinum Mining.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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esego is a cross-border PGM company that brings together a Chinese and South African team focused on the execution of the Lesego Platinum project - a shallow, highgrade platinum deposit located in the Limpopo, South Africa. The deposit is currently estimated at some 50 Million ounces at an average grade of over 5,5 g/t. This quality and amount of ore in a shallow deposit is an attractive prospect, and explains why an entity has formed and arisen purely to take advantage of it.

As well as its main material, the Lesego Platinum deposit also contains notable amounts of copper and nickel. As for its main orebody, the shallow deposit sits at only 350 m below ground level. Whilst sitting at the cutoff point of what is regarded shallow, this is still appealing prospect that promises a low-cost operation. More than this, shallow mine work promises a safer endeavour, which saves both funds and undue risk, and is an easier operation to keep sustainable.

About 300 km from South Africa’s capital, the site’s relative proximity to Johannesburg is also an attractive feature of this deposit.

This proximity to the capital also means the roads needed to travel that 300 km (which is still no small distance) are majoritively in Endeavour Magazine | 99

LESEGO PLATINUM

great condition. As well as easing up travel, the fact that these highways and roads were already in place significantly reduced the cost and impact of setting up the Lesego Platinum Project, removing the need to set up a clear road network or other method to reach the site. Likewise, power and water are both easy to access: these are details that we may take for granted, but when setting up heavily industrial operations in sometimes distantly remote locations, they are the sorts of details that mining companies look out for when weighing up the cost of an exploration or operation site.

To develop the Lesego Platinum Project, Lesego Platinum Mining was founded by Village Main Reef Limited and backed by investors Umbono Capital, a specialised investment group that focuses on natural resource projects.

These forces came together in the hopes of creating a vertically integrated South African/ Chinese company that could grow with the scale of the project as it develops and gains

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momentum, and could support the project’s processes from first to last. The company describes its mission thus: “Lesego Platinum Mining aims to be a profitable, sustainable, and vertically integrated platinum company that provides products to the international market. It is our mission to develop a safe, state-of-the-art, sustainable mining operation, with downstream beneficiation, fully supported by the regional communities, and thereby creating superior life of mine value for all stakeholders.”

In pursuit of this goal, the company aims to be an all-in-one operation that is involved with as many stages as possible, not just in terms of mining and processing the platinum, but even in terms of its use. Fuel cells, jewelry – Lesego Platinum Mining aims to be involved with its metals from ore until final sale. Of course, these latter steps are not carried out in-house, but instead through partnership with local jewelers and manufacturers – a fact that provides additional business and jobs with the company’s local communities.

Lesego’s products are sold internationally, but primarily, the company focuses on the Chinese market. Given that it is a South Africa/Chinese operation, this focus is natural, fulfilling the company’s shareholders’ interests and securing a cost effective, reliable source of its materials for China whilst generating work in South Africa. These Chinese-run, Chinafocused mines are increasingly common in the mining world, and whilst they generate competition for and can threaten more local operations, they also inject money into the economies they mine within.

Like its fellow mining companies, Lesego also seeks to be of benefit to the communities around its mine by placing a strong emphasis on its Corporate Social Responsibility outreach.

In its case, Lesego has chosen to put the majority of its CSR efforts towards education.

As it explains; “Traditionally, companies like to focus on what can be seen – the fruit (e.g. infrastructure). Our focus is on the roots – those elements that, if transformed positively, impact the fruit for the long-term. We aim to positively influence schools and learner performance.”

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LESEGO PLATINUM

This work is carried out in support of both young people and adults, providing aid to better education at any age. With a particular focus on mathematics, science and accountancy, Lesego supports tutorship and class resources, as well as offering additional support and teaching input such as winter schools. As well as these subjects, the company also contributes towards education that supports personal and leadership development courses, empowering people to apply their knowledge and make the best choices for their futures. The company even provides the funding for career guidance services and career expos. Some mines would seek to pass on teaching and training that gears locals towards jobs within their own company, but not much else besides: Lesego, however, goes out of its way to help people find the careers that are best for them, to leave a stronger community behind it that will have a continuing positive impact for generations.

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This involvement with the local community is also reflected in the company’s shares, with 10% of the Lesego Platinum Project belonging to the three communities that surround it. The other shares are divided 74%/16%, with a 74% share attributable to Village Main Reef and 16% to South African Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Partners (BB-BBE).

As for leadership, the operation is headed up

by CEO Xia (Jeff) Dong and COO Johan Jansen Van Vuuren. Dong has only recently stepped into his current position, taking over as CEO in July this year. Mid-2020 is a curious time to take on a leadership role in any company.

Van Vuuren, too, was appointed COO the same month, but is bringing a bank of experience to the role following his position as the General Manager of mining contractor Redpath.

Having begun in 2008, Lesego Platinum has been preparing this deposit and its approach to it for some time, and the recent change in leadership seems to indicate that the company

CARPE METALLUM

is getting ready for the next stage of execution.

2008 and 2020 are a challenging set of years to bookend the project’s life thus far: from the economic crash to a global pandemic, this long-term undertaking has made it through rocky times without being deterred. Mining is a slow business, but once it begins to pay off, it can pay off big time: after all of this patience, then, it seems unlikely that Lesego is going to be dissuaded now. With new leadership taking the mantle during the heart of COVID challenges, it seems that Lesego is ready to tackle 2021 with determination, vigor and, as is needed by everyone as we march onwards with business plans right now, hope.

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MAKING THE DIFFERENCE Azmet Technology & Projects chevron-square-right azmet.co.za phone-square +27 10 020 3811

When it comes to processing metals, you need machinery that can handle the challenge. AZMET Technology & Projects, a South African Engineering Design and Project Management company, focuses on designing and creating machinery for all things gold, silver and copper, as well as cobalt, zinc, manganese, and even more hazardous metals such as uranium and lead.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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n the company’s own words: “AZMET’s Industry knowledge and experience, linked to sound fundamental understanding of numerous metallurgical processes, ensures feasible and economical viable solutions to our clients. Our capabilities range from PEA’s through to Project Implementation and beyond. AZMET distinguishes itself by constantly striving to provide our clients with the latest process technologies and designs with an unparalleled safety and environmental consciousness.”

This company not only produces existing models of equipment, but works on studies and development processes to innovate new machinery for the field, assisting in research and even managing these projects where called to.

These studies have been carried out for some of the world’s leading mineral producers, but the results they have produced have been able to impact mining giants and juniors alike. To quote the company; “AZMET has developed numerous process technologies to beneficiate ‘difficult to treat’ ore bodies. We specialize in Refractory Ores, Heap Leach, VMS and multi mineral ore separation and beneficiation.” An exciting recent example is the company’s creation of a new process Endeavour Magazine | 105

AZMET TECHNOLOGY & PROJECTS

for cyanide removal from gold tailings. The MacArthur-Forrest process involves cyanide being added to gold when extracting it from low-grade ore, but this requires both the cost of adding the cyanide in the first place and then, of course, removing it safely again once the gold is extracted. The gold industry is currently under pressure from OPEX and environmental constraints relating to cyanide (and fairly so), so this new process is a game changer for many.

This now-patented process (AZ-CRP) uses activated carbon technology to extract free cyanide radicals, as well as metal cyanide complexes from gold tailings. The process has proven most successful in removing copper cyanide, both from solution and pulp streams, and a bonus secondary result of the process is that it allows companies to create part-recycled cyanide at a reduced cost.

Currently, the gold industry must pay to acquire cyanide and must then pay to have it safely destroyed. AZMET’s solution offers

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a reduction to both of these costs in a way that is OPEX compliant – a very attractive alternative indeed.

Another profitable side-effect of this cyanide removal process is that it involves a second pass over the gold itself, thus allowing a secondary extraction process to catch any gold or other metals that could have gone to waste in the leach tails.

When this process is finished, the remaining cyanide tailings discharge in the gold tails will, according to AZMET, be guaranteed to be well within the limits set out by the International Cyanide Code (ICMI), at a fraction of the usual cost.

Other such studies carried out by AZMET have included projects such as this that have looked at metal properties and stages in metallurgical processes themselves, and others have been feasibility studies that examine the metallurgical and infrastructural requirements of specific planned projects.

As we’ve seen in the case of its de-cyanidation process, AZMET’S research can lead to the development of new technologies, and as engineering designer is one of its main stripes, the company has many such technologies to offer. Some others in AZMET’s roster include a leach process for recovering copper from low-grade secondary copper minerals; an acid leach process for the beneficiation of base metal complexed ores; an ultra-fine screening technology to offer a more detailed, consistent classification screening process; and purchasable products such as mercury scrubbers, ammonia gas scrubbers and fine particle filters.

The company even offers ‘package plants’ - containerised processing plants that can be created out of modules by commission and sent to AZMET’s clients – particularly useful for junior companies. These commissionable plants include facilities that can handle sodium cyanide, caustic soda, lime, cyanide detox and sewage treatment plants As well as offering its research services and resulting products, AZMET also provides procurement, construction and project

MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

management services to the global mining and mineral industry. This is a company with many areas of expertise, thus securing itself an ongoing position within this broad and immovable industry. One the recent projects it has been called on to manage is for the CHAARAT Tulkubash Gold Heap Leach operation in Kyrgyzstan. The company was awarded this contract in Q4 2019, which calls for the construction of a four-ton carbon batch gold ADR plant.

Then, in Q1 2020, the company was awarded a contract from RMS. The contract is for RMS’s ATICO operation in Columbia, which seeks to extend the life of RMS’s tailings storage facility in the area. AZMET’s contribution is coming in the form of the company’s Tailings Dewatering System, which the company is contracted to create, deliver and construct. The system is made up of a modular CECMS ceramic disc filter, a feed and filtrate systems, a containerized MCC and a radial stacker. Work on this contract

was planned to take place throughout 2020, but of course, given the global pandemic that has thrown most of 2020’s plans off-kilter, progress has been affected.

Slowed, but not deterred, AZMET joins companies the world over in its determination to carry on. This innovator within the metallurgical world has brought too many crucial technologies to the table to walk away from the industry now, much to the relief, we’re sure, of the companies that are hoping to implement these money-saving, ore-utilising solutions.

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10th Avenue, 148, 10th Avenue, nvale 1609, JHBEdenvale 1609, JHB 0)11 452 6826 +27 (0)11 452 6826 @pacevalves.co.za sales@pacevalves.co.za .pacevalves.co.za www.pacevalves.co.za Endeavour Magazine | 107

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KEEPING UP THE HEAT Baker Pacific chevron-square-right bakerpacific.net phone-square +44 7710305309

Delicious and nutritious, biscuits are the first and best convenience food, much-loved by consumers the world over. Following a near continuous period of uninterrupted economic growth, Asia Pacific is booming and the rising disposable incomes of a burgeoning consumer class means that demand for biscuits, snacks and confectionery has soared, to the extent that the region’s biscuit and confectionery market is now one of the world’s biggest and fastest growing markets.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

W

ith a growing market that is yet to reach its true potential, there has never been a better window of opportunity for the region’s domestic biscuit and confectionery producers to capture market share from the industry’s global giants.

Until recently, the divergence in process knowledge, industry experience, equipment and the capacity to invest between large global producers and the smaller domestic Asian producers meant that foreign multi-nationals led the growth in many markets. Bridging this gap became important for Asian producers and this facilitated the growth of Baker Pacific.

“As companies in Asia grow, they need expertise on formulations, ingredient specifications, processes and the development and commissioning of new products. I saw in 2000 many local biscuit production lines and some imported lines and at that time overcapacity. However, the capacity was underutilised mainly because of a lack of capability to develop successful new products for a growing market. This is the opportunity which enabled Baker Pacific to start”, explained Iain Davidson, founder and Director of Baker Pacific.

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BAKER PACIFIC

Made up of a small team of industry professionals from UK, China, and Korea, each with over 30 years of experience in the food industry, with leading biscuit, confectionery and engineering companies, Baker Pacific established a valuable source of expertise and know-how for the Asian biscuit and confectionery industry.

Even in a marketplace as competitive as Asia, Baker Pacific’s services have been sought after by leading companies in the industry.

Drawing on the experience and skills of its team in production, R&D, project management and engineering, the company is capable of providing clients with industrial market studies based on first-hand experience in Asia, new product development and the transfer of process technology for biscuits, cookies, chocolate, wafer and confectionery.

Indeed, it is through such work in a consultancy capacity that Baker Pacific first made its name, but as Iain explained it was his

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decision to begin manufacturing biscuit ovens that were both high-quality and affordable that took the company to the next level: “At the beginning, the business was consultancy based, and later we began to design and build biscuit baking ovens for a multi-national company with investment in biscuit factories in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan. This was partly because I had, with a Japanese colleague, established an oven manufacturing facility for Baker Perkins at Dalian in the north of China.

Having agreed to build ovens for this multinational, we built ovens in India, Indonesia and China where we have continued our work. We now have a good agreement with a company called Dingson Food Machinery Ltd. in China and we’ve already transferred some of our technology for a specific oven type to this company. We work closely with them and have built a strong working relationship.”

The rest, as they say, is history. An ability to deliver biscuit baking ovens to international standards at very competitive cost, enabled the company to grow. Asian biscuit companies wanted to source equipment locally as it was increasingly difficult to justify investment in equipment from Europe and USA. While Asian companies were able to source good process equipment in Asia, they were reluctant to purchase ovens from China, where, at that time, most ovens were heated by electricity, or India, where the predominant fuel was diesel oil. The growing market in Asia was increasingly using gas fired ovens.

Iain elaborated on this, saying: “The oven is a critical part of the production line and the experience didn’t exist, at that time, in China and India to build reliable gas fired ovens to international standards”.

So, we brought European technology to start building gas fired ovens in Asia. We were a small team, using contractors, so we didn’t have investment in a factory, our overheads were very small and our costs competitive. At that time steel fabrication work in China was purchased for around 50% of a UK factory cost in terms of labour, materials and overheads.

We were able to meet the standards

KEEPING UP THE HEAT

required by multi-national companies at very competitive costs”.

From here, the company grew, and Iain and his team’s technology and expertise continued to grow too. As a result, as well as making direct innovations in the industry through the company’s own factories, Iain has also published several books on the topic. One book is titled ‘Biscuit Baking Technology’, and serves as a guide to the biscuit baking process and the design, operation and maintenance of biscuit ovens. The book is based on over 40 years of experience not only by himself, but his colleagues, the late Glyn Sykes, who provided all the biscuit process knowledge for the company, as well as the knowledge of the company’s chief engineer, John Lilley, and design engineer Steve Eldridge. This book is just one of three, and the other two are just as technical, titled ‘How to Build a Biscuit Oven and ‘Biscuit, Cookie and Cracker Production’.

Say one thing about Iain – he knows his field, and he’s passionate about it.

Of course, being a China-based company, and one whose market relies on expansion throughout eastern consumers, it is unclear how the current coronavirus situation will affect Baker Pacific’s business, if at all. However, all being well, this is a company that continues to go from strength to strength, and whilst economies such as entertainment and dining are feeling the impact, grocery shopping continues, and that means the market still needs biscuits and crackers. As long as these products need to be made, then companies need the equipment with which to make them, and that is where Baker Pacific comes in. There’s no doubt that this company has an in-depth knowledge of the technology it produces; if we needed a biscuit oven, there doesn’t seem to be a more clued-in or dedicated source.

DSM International Ltd Hong Kong

Quality, Professional, Expertise

Tel: +852-2545-6122 Fax: +852-2541-9643 Email: sales@dsm-intl.com

www.dsm-mc.com

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