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July 2012 www.endeavourmagazine.com

CAPTURING THE SPIRIT OF LONDON

EMPERORS PALACE

TOTAL WIND

STOP RHINO POACHING

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

Inspired by your success

Having Fun is Serious Business!

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July 2012 www.endeavourmagazine.com

CAPTURING THE SPIRIT OF LONDON

EMPERORS PALACE

Editor’s note

TOTAL WIND

STOP RHINO POACHING

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

By Daemon Sands

Inspired by your success

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

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

Chief Editor of Endeavour Magazine As the excitement and frenzied activities mount throughout the United Kingdom for the Games, we have already arranged the stadium tickets for our partners and booked our seats near the office radio for our favourite events.

There is a genuine buzz of patriotism possessing our Nation with bunting growing across the rooftops, upper windows, balconies and street lamps like vines. Every other car has Union Jacks sticking out of their windows and the sewers run red, white and blue with all the face paint that is getting washed off our children’s faces at the end of every day.

The madness has reached Littlegate too. Donnie Rust has started wearing his spandex running top to work and keeps high jumping the studio department’s iMac, which is why they’ve now moved it closer to the window!

We have a wonderful interview with the inspired Anthony OsmondEvans, a one-man publishing phenomenon who brings London to the world with his “The Spirit of London” book. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has written the Foreword and the book will be presented to all the 15,000 Olympians and Paralympians. Anthony has managed to encapsulate the very essence of living in London during this unique year.

Emperors Palace lets us in on why their casino is one of the best in the world and we take a long look at responsible gambling in South Africa.

Last month we sent two staff members to South Africa as part of a travel and leisure feature. Whilst enjoying the beauty of Guvon Hotels they revealed to us the heart-wrenching truth of the rhino horn black market.

This month, in an exposé, we appeal to you for your support in Anti Rhino Poaching. Please take the time to read the article and if you are able please lend your support to the cause.

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

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

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

Copyright © Littlegate Publishing Ltd 2012

Jim Blythe is his usual upbeat, hopeful self, Donnie Rust discovers that there are people out there that are more manly than him and Rob James explains why being a stand-up comedian isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Trust you are all well.

Kindest,

Endeavour Magazine • June 2012 • 3

Features Emperors Palace: Game On

26 MSC Logistics: Miles Ahead 34 Balobi Fishing: Cape Haul With The Euro Catch 40 Bridgestone Tyres: Bouncing Back 46 Eurolux: Lighting The Way 52 Njoro Canning Factory: Quality In A Can 56 Total Wind: Blowing The Competition Away 60 The Wrigley Company: Chew On This 66 “Never, ever, ever, give up“ Winston Churchill

Articles Capturing The Spirit Of London

6 Stop Rhino 10 Poaching 16 The Announcement Reasons Why Ireland 18 Have Their Own Island When 20 I Grow Up Responsible 22 Gambling

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

Robert H Schuller

CAPTURING THE SPIRIT OF LONDON

by Donnie Rust

“The Spirit of London” is an outstanding photographic record of London in 2012, which celebrates HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

As the Olympics come to London, this period of British History is all the more important to the people. Today we need something to focus on, something to believe in and something to stand for. This is a period that should be remembered by this generation so that we can use it for the next as a guide and a lesson on how London was like in this unique year 2012.

“I want to give something to the athletes, to the people

of London and the people of the world coming to support them. Something that is unique to London, something that can have a resonance with this moment in time.” - Anthony Osmond-Evans Anthony Osmond-Evans is certainly a man capable of achieving anything. As founder of The Beautiful Publishing Company where he acts as primary publisher, sales person and photographer, it is easy to understand why Anthony has made friends with and impressed the high calibre of person that most of us only ever see on television. With sterling recommendations coming from the Prime Minister and Lord Sebastian Coe both of whom he is on speaking terms

All images ©Anthony Osmond-Evans with, as well as being on first-name basis with the cream of business leaders in London today, it is his book that they are all talking about - “The Spirit of London”.

Historically we see the world in terms of records, it is the preservation of documents of a time and a place that makes them accessible and real to the generation that follows. All the greatest events in history are known purely because someone somewhere had the foresight and diligence to record it. In this way Anthony has done nothing short of immortalise the City of London during the 2012 Olympic Games and the HM Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Professionalism oozes from the material: the photography

reveals a profoundly artistic way of viewing the world, the writing is eloquent and the arrangements of the different genres work perfectly together. Take into account the high level of marketing involved prior to publishing to form the platform from which the finished book could be launched and you have a masterpiece that could be the crowning glory of a highly-staffed publishing house. It is, in fact, the achievement of just one man.

“Even after I had sold the idea to Boris Johnson (Mayor of London) I had to raise the funds myself and so contacted over a thousand companies and came up against no after no,” Anthony explains, “But of them over a hundred said Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 7

©Tony Barrett

©Steve Morgan

©Bob Lambourne yes and wanted to be involved in the book and with them on board I had the funds to put the book through the lengthy process of converting wonderful photographic images into a hardbacked, coffee table book.”

More than just a tabletop piece, “The Spirit of London” bridges the gaps between cultures, religions, gender, age and orientation by capturing the very spirit of a city that has grown as a junction of many different faces. Turning through the pages, you’ll immediately sense a synergy within the images and the tales within. You’ll find the real beauty of its soul and it’s there that we find the reason for its meteoric success.

“The book - a legacy - paints with a broad brush the changing seasons, personalities and cultures which make up the colourful mosaic that is London today,” – “The Spirit of London”.

Jaguar were quoted, “Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!

A masterpiece,” and Anthony has received letters from the likes of the Prime Minister, CEOs and presidents of companies and even former South African president F W De Klerk commenting not only on how beautiful this book is but how poignant and important.

It feels that this is not only aimed at the tourist, the spectator, or the athlete but instead at the Londoner, the city dweller. The images are not of popular tourist destinations for the postcard market but rather the breath-taking images are of the beautiful scenes a commuter or a pedestrian would see. This is London - it says - diverse and beautifully varied, revealing the extraordinary in the everyday and adding a touch of humanity to the sublime.

Each of the 15000 Olympians will receive a copy of “The Spirit of London” and bookstores across the country are clamouring for stock, as copies are vanishing off the shelves as fast as they’re put on. It has reminded Londoners of what is beautiful in their city and inspired a fresh patriotism in their homes.

It is the satisfaction of knowing that the moment when the Olympic Games were brought to Britain, despite the economic downturn and the derision from other countries, we stepped up to the plate and took the challenge. This moment will be immortalised for our children, and our grandchildren and our great grandchildren in “The Spirit of London”, so that they will never forget what London was and what London did.

©Peter Draper

©Anthony Osmond-Evans Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 9

STOP RHINO POACHING As regular readers recall, last month Endeavour Magazine sent me to South Africa to report back on the resort and conference centre of Guvon Hotels. I had a fabulous time and they were the quintessential perfect hosts. However there was a dark side to my visit that had nothing to do with their luxurious accommodation or the high standard of professionalism. I have since badgered my editor to allow me some pages to write about the atrocity of rhino poaching and here it is.

It was very apparent from the staff we met on the Game Drives that rhino poaching has recently reached a new level and they are desperate for help. During my stay I listened to their stories with a heavy heart and brought those feelings home with me. I wasn’t going to let them die when I returned to the reality of my safe and secure life. My passion for South Africa and wildlife has been with me as far as I can remember and I have to help in whatever small way I can. I have been pushing hard to get the situation known and together with Littlegate Publishing have contacted my former MP, a senior

by Ken Brickell

representative of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in London and even written to Prince William who is a Royal Patron of Tusk Trust.

Rhino horn is more valuable in South Africa than gold, which accounts for the 250+ rhinos that have already been killed by poachers this year, more than half of them in Kruger National Park.

This is how the rhino poachers work. At best, they dart the rhino and, whilst it is still alive, they chainsaw off the horn.

The animal is then left to die a slow and painful death. That is the best scenario. At worst, poachers turn up, often from Mozambique, and the animal is shot to disable it, probably with an aging AK47, and then the horn is brutally hacked off with a hand axe. The rhino is again left to die an even more painful death. If it is a cow with a calf, the calf also dies from dehydration, malnutrition and grief! What we can’t ignore is a report in the South African Mail & Guardian newspaper in March 2012 detailing the names of eleven Afrikaner vets who are currently appearing in court charged with supplying huge

quantities of M99 tranquilizer to the poachers. 1mg of this substance will kill a human being. They often get bail of R1, 000, (£83), probably because they are white and they didn’t take part in the poaching!

On Wednesday 9th May during our stay at Askari Lodge & Spa, there was an item on the SABC news stating that the Asset Forfeiture Unit had seized assets worth R55m (approx. £4.5m) from suspected rhino poachers in Polokwane in the Limpopo province. They included the lodge and its outbuildings, two helicopters and seven top-of-the-range cars. They were seized from Dawie Groenewald and two vets, Dr. Karel Toet and Dr. Manie Du Plessis. In 2010, these three men had been officially charged with 1,872 counts of racketeering in one of the biggest wildlife crime cases in South Africa. We were able to confirm these details on arrival at Kloofzicht Hotel & Spa. The day after, a Vietnamese man was arrested in his flat in Bedfordview on the East Rand. He had in his possession ten rhino horns, an elephant tusk, gold jewelry, R3.5m, Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 11

Stop Rhino Poaching

(£300,000) & $40,000. Further, on 14th May another Vietnamese man was arrested at Tambo (Johannesburg) International Airport for having three rhino horns hidden in his luggage.

On Thursday, 10th May, a poaching suspect was shot and killed in a shoot-out at Crocodile Bridge. Two other suspects were wounded. They were suspected of killing a rhino cow and her calf. Four fresh rhino horns, a hunting rifle and an axe were recovered from the men. Then, five people were arrested in Polokwane on Monday 14th May when police spotted them driving along a quiet road near Pafuri in the north of the park. They were all from Mozambique. On searching the vehicle, police found a rhino horn. They also confiscated a rifle with ten live rounds of ammunition and an axe.

After living on this planet for millions of years, it is calculated that with the current rate of slaughter, there will be no rhinos left by 2026. FACT! Where do they go, these things that are worth more than gold? China and Vietnam. For what purpose? To be ground to a powder to be used in Chinese medicine claiming to cure cancer, aids and promising to act as an aphrodisiac. They had just as well grind down the reader’s toe nail clippings because they are one and the same thing! Some aphrodisiac!

Chinese law allows for one child per family, so who needs an aphrodisiac?

However, it’s not all bad news. In March a Limpopo game farm manager suspected of rhino poaching, shot and killed himself in his house at the Atherstone Reserve outside Thabazimbi. According to police, rhino horns and carcasses were found on the farm. When police approached him, he locked himself in the house and committed suicide.

It is alleged that the bullet found in one of the carcasses matched the caliber of the man’s firearm. Police suspect he was working with a rhino poaching syndicate.

The South African government, the police and Kruger National Parks authorities, Sanparks, are trying to put a stop

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 12

to poaching, but whilst people are prepared to pay for the slaughter of these lovely animals, they are fighting a losing battle.

We arranged to meet some friends Theo and Marinas to get their opinions. They are both huge Afrikaner men.

They told us with faltering voices and tears in their eyes that if a helicopter flew low and slow over their property, they would immediately be outside with high velocity rifles and if the helicopter hovered, they would have no problem with shooting it down and if there were any survivors, they would shoot them too. These huge men live in abject fear night and day that someone should turn up to harm one of their animals. They were shaking with emotion as they spoke to us. Theo, on a recent game drive, saw one of his passengers taking pictures with a camera with a GPS facility. He immediately confiscated the sim card. They are now members of an organization set up nationally for sameminded people in South Africa. They told us of a detachment of Special Forces operational near Phalaborwa near the north of the park. These men patrol night and day and relieve each other whilst on patrol. They claim to make on average eight to ten contacts, i.e. shoot-outs with poachers every week.

On 7th December last year, a baby male rhino was orphaned in Namibia after his mother was shot and had her horn cruelly sawn off in front of him and was found suffering from grief and dehydration. He was taken to Ed Hern’s Rhino & Lion Nature reserve North West of Joburg. There he was cared for by Ed and his daughter Lorinda. The mother’s horn was valued at R7m (£580,000). Ed and Lorinda cared for the youngster night and day whilst it was on a lifesaving drip. Eventually it was deemed well enough to be allowed to mix with some other orphaned rhinos. They named him Vusi. Sadly, on 17th December, Vusi gave up and died - of loneliness.

Now, some people are fighting back. Sanparks and the University of Pretoria are joining forces using state-of-the art technology. They hope to gather DNA samples from every

rhino in South Africa in order to increase the successful prosecution of rhino poachers. At the moment, when caught, they can only be charged with possession. Sanparks hopes that with the introduction of DNA profiling, prosecutors will be able to charge offenders with illegal hunting and theft which carries a much more severe penalty. This project is led by Dr. Cindy Harper of the Pretoria Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. She said in an interview in the Saturday Star on 12th May, “It’s good to know this is being done in South Africa for Africa. Namibia has sent us samples, so has Zimbabwe, Botswana & Kenya. What we want is to get all our rhino onto the database, because it’s not just a forensic database, but also a traceability system”.

On 4th June 2012, a Thai national, Chumlong Lemthongthai, believed to be the mastermind behind rhino poaching, changed his plea from guilty to not guilty in the

Kempton Park Magistrates Court. It is as yet unknown if this change of plea will be accepted. Four other Thai nationals and a Free State game farmer also face charges of contravening the Customs & Excise Act and fraud.

And now, as of 6th June 2012, Kruger National Park can take to the skies. Managing executive for the park, Abe Sibiya, officially handed over a Bantam aircraft at Shingwedzi camp in the north of the park. This aircraft will regularly change its base location around the park. They intend buying another three aircraft over the next three years. Kruger National Park is a no-fly area. The idea is if radar picks up someone flying over the park, a spotter plane will take off to take photos of the aircraft registration. The owner will then be charged with flying over a no-fly area without entering a flight plan. The aircraft can then be confiscated.

Still, not enough is being done. China and Vietnam both have agreements with South Africa to ban the import of rhino horns. Thailand is the next country to be targeted.

Still the problem persists because of greed, ignorance and also corruption within South Africa whilst vets like those mentioned above are allowed to continue practicing and magistrates take advantage of leniency in punishments possibly for reward. It has got to stop. A www.news24.co.za article on the 16th June reports how Dr. Johan Hendrik Meyer was found guilty of unprofessional conduct after dispensing 26 bottles of M99 to poachers. He was fined R25,000, (£2000) by the SA Veterinary Council and given a six month suspension, set aside for ten years on condition that he didn’t do it again. I wonder if that means that he shouldn’t get caught again? Surely that council is more guilty than the poachers for not being more strict with their corrupt members. Not all blame can be laid on ignorant Chinese/ Vietnamese people who are only following the advice of their superstitions. South Africa needs to put its house in order NOW! It’s no good police making arrests if the magistrates are then going to be lenient with the mostly white Afrikaner offenders.

Man is destroying what we are entrusted to protect.

Please, please stand united and take responsibility for the long term survival of our animals and our planet. It has to stop. Come 2026, I don’t want my grandchildren having to go to a library to see a rhino!

Things are being done - but not nearly enough.

Frankly, these beautiful creatures need your help. It is our responsibility to stamp out the demand for these horns by educating the masses into realizing that the horns have no curing powers.

Show your support by writing to us here which will give us the power to hit as many officials as we can with your support. Together we can change this situation before it’s too late, please care enough to write in to us and give us the power to try.

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 15

THE ANNOUNCEMENT

by Jim Blythe

It’s been announced that there is going to be an announcement. Not that that was the announcement. There’s going to be another announcement later the same day. And that announcement won’t be about an announcement; it’s going to be about a very large company re-structure.

It’s been planned for months and has been top secret so of course everyone knows about it. And one thing that everyone knows is that there will be considerably less of us once the re-structure is complete. “Downsizing our way to glory” is how Mel describes it.

I don’t like announcement time. Aside from the uncertainty and the potential loss of my job, it throws me.

No one really knows what to do for the month or so from the announcement being announced to the new structure being in place. And I just wonder how much efficiency we get from re-structuring that we can afford to lose a month’s work to inactivity and then have a few months after that at less-thenfull efficiency whilst we work out what our new jobs are and how they all interact.

People have different ways of coping at these times. I like to go a bit quiet and start working out how long I can survive on my redundancy money before I have to start working again, Mel starts shouting at people, Dave likes to appear as busy as possible so that everyone can see he’s indispensable and Phil enjoys worrying a lot. To be fair to him, on this occasion (oh yeah, we’ve been here before, several times) he seems to be trying to form a plan from his panic.

“We should take a long lunch or something and then we’ll miss the announcement,” Phil suggests.

I stop my scribbled sums and look up at him. “What will that achieve?” I ask, genuinely puzzled.

“Well, they can’t re-structure until they’ve told everyone, can they?” he explains triumphantly. I consider this for a few moments.

“Are you genuinely trying to suggest that they won’t do this re-structure until they’ve told the two of us personally that it’s going to happen?” I ask.

“They can’t, can they?! It must be illegal or something Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 16

surely?” Phil suggests. Again I take a few moments to consider.

“I’m not sure; it doesn’t sound illegal to me.” I decide.

“OK, maybe not illegal but still, they wouldn’t be allowed to, would they!” Phil says certainly.

“Who’s going to stop them?” I ask.

Phil thinks this one through. “The Union?” he suggests.

We both laugh long and hard.

“No, but seriously,” I press him, “who’s actually going to stop them?” Phil thinks this through again and then shrugs.

“And anyway, a long lunch wouldn’t do anything other than hold them up for an hour, would it?” I follow up. That seems to have stumped him. I return to my maths. I can easily manage a year, even eighteen months…

“We could hide.” Phil suggests.

I sigh a deep sigh and look up at him. “Hide?”

“Yeah, when we get back from lunch we could hide. For the rest of the day.”

I give Phil what I hope is along, searching look but might have simply looked a bit gormless. In fairness it’s hard to know how to reply to a suggestion of that kind.

“Hide?” I repeat.

“Right.” he replies.

“Where?” I ask, for want of anything better to say.

“I dunno,” he shrugs. “Stationary cupboard?”

“You want me to spend the afternoon hiding with you in the stationary cupboard?” I ask, incredulously.

Phil thinks that one through again.

“OK, maybe not the stationary cupboard,” he concedes.

“How about the canteen kitchens? There’ll be closed by then.”

“Yes but… well, back to my earlier point, that won’t stop the announcement or the re-structure. All it will do is make

us look a bit silly if anyone finds us.”

“We could say we got hungry and popped down to make a sandwich,” he suggests.

“Ye-es, we could, I suppose,” I reluctantly accept, “or alternatively we could just not hide in the kitchen at all.”

“Well where should we hide then?”

Phil asks.

“Nowhere.” I reply.

Phil gives me a steely look. “You can’t hide nowhere,” he scolds, “You’re just being silly now.”

This catches me surprise. “I’m being silly? You’re the one who wants to hide in the stationary cupboard or the kitchen. I can’t help but feel that makes you the silly one.”

“That’s not fair,” Phil protests.

“I’ve agreed that the stationary cupboard’s a no-go.”

I sigh. “Phil, if you really think that the company won’t re-structure until they’ve told you personally, why don’t you just go home and switch your phone off!”

Phil thinks this idea through. “And hide?” he asks.

“Sure,” I smile, “If you want to.”

Phil nods thoughtfully and wanders off, his mind clearly working through the best hiding places in his flat and the surrounding area. We probably shan’t see him for a week or so. I look back down at my scribbled workings out and start to think about how, with a bit of economising, I might scrape through two years, when Mel starts shouting at someone again.

I glance up. It’s Dave trying to get her to attend a meeting about something.

I sigh. I don’t like announcement time.

If I survive it I’ll tell you how it all worked out next month.

Jim Blythe is a writer, actor, director, producer, comedian and inconsiderate lover.

When he isn’t moaning about his experiences in the field of business he runs Spooky Kid Productions, a platform to help new talent get in front of an audience. See more of what he does at www.spookykid.co.uk.

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 17

REASONS WHY IRELAND HAVE THEIR OWN ISLAND On a recent trip to the emerald isles with my girlfriend I realized very quickly that the reason the Irish have their own island is because no one feels comfortable next to a country where they combined rugby with sticks.

HURLING is a sport that has been played in Ireland for over 3000 years. It is responsible in many ways for the reputation that the Irish have for being Irish and called a “Bastion of humility” because there are no names on the jerseys and teamwork is crucial. I personally believe it’s because despite a lifetime of thinking my South African/Scottish heritage had equipped me with enough manliness to take on all forms of contact sports (Rugby) after watching a twenty second television ad for hurling I was left shellshocked and entirely undeserving of the Guinness clutched in my hand.

The game is simple. You have to cause as much physical injury to an opposing player while making it look like it is part of a game. To do this you are equipped with a bat called a hurley*. The hurley is exactly what a hockey stick would look like if it was redesigned for hitting people in the head. *Never refer to it as a Liz - because they won’t get it **Which required too much faith.

The hurley is used to strike a ball, called a sliotar, which as far as I can tell is a baseball coated in bad-intentions, at a goal. You’re given a helmet to protect your face and while directly bludgeoning an opposing player to death is prohibited, making accidental contact with someone’s head at full swing will not earn you a foul.

This game predates Christianity - which makes perfect sense as people need a reason to find religion and previous to Christianity the Irish worshipped the sun**. It hasn’t really changed at all since then, except that today they can film and replay games so that in perfect, high quality slow motion you can watch the sort of rage that just isn’t allowed on the rugby pitch because it’s too brutal and fierce… hence their own island.

What amazed me, as I stood there in Ireland, a drink far too manly for me clutched in my shivering hand was that I had never heard of Hurling. Not even whispered in the darkened alleyways of deepest Norwich City, where the fables of foreign lands still occasionally reach our ears.

Nothing! There is an entire nation celebrating a game that is like medieval warfare with rules and shorts and nobody else knows about it?!

Everyone knows about Irish music, everyone knows about Guinness and unfortunately everyone knows about their dancing. Oh, while we’re on the subject of things to know about the Irish, should you go to the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin be warned, it is an amazing and educational experience on the manufacturing processes of making Guinness, the primary food source for 70% of the world’s population [citation needed] and asking for a rum

by Donnie Rust and coke at their sky top bar is a dumb, dumb thing to do.

Shouldn’t the world in general be warned about the scores of youngsters who are being trained to play this game?

As quietly as possible I snuck off to my table where my girlfriend, the red headed Scottish celt who, finally in a land where they worship red headed faeries such as her, was perfectly at ease. I sat down beside her and put my Guinness on the table in front of me and looked at it long and hard, wondering if I, a mere six foot five, two hundred pound South African was man enough to consume this iron-laden Irish drink.

A general rule of thumb is that if you don’t think you’re man enough to drink something then you are almost definitely not man enough to drink something.

My girlfriend, more at ease than a kitten in a crib, necked down another pint of Guinness and elbowed me hard in the ribs.

“Go on Donnie,” she yelled to the general and jovial applause of everyone around us, “It’ll put hairs on your chest!”

I don’t want hairs on my chest and for very good reason, I have a reputation to keep. My chest is almost entirely hair free and the few hairs that are there are so fine as to be called cultivated. But wasn’t this just typical, I knew what she was going to suggest next. I just knew it.

“Why don’t we take up hurling?” more applause from the crowd and someone fell over - more applause.

Looking at the Guinness in front of me, which looks like it should taste delicious, looks like it should be an elixir passed down by some sort of Irish God, it looks wonderful.

But I simply didn’t feel like I could handle it. If I took a sip would my body rip itself apart unable to contain the sudden onslaught of excessive Irish manliness that would ensue. The reality I knew was far simple: “A couple of pints of this tonight and I probably will!”

POST SCRIPT NOTE: Guinness ( /ˈɡɪnɨs/ gin-is) is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness (1725–1803) at St. James’s Gate, Dublin where he signed a lease for 9000 years. Guinness is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide. It is brewed in almost 60 countries and is available in over 100. 850 million litres (1.5 billion imperial or 1.8 billion US pints) are sold annually.

It is also important that while its consumption has certain anti-oxidant properties which are good for removing cholesterol and improving health, this is counteracted by the negative-health benefits of falling down stairs, getting into fights and believing that after three pints you’re He-Man and finally capable of playing Hurling.

In addition, while it is rumoured that drinking Guinness will put hairs on your chest this is not the case when it comes to red headed, Celtic faeries from Scotland.

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

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 19

What did you want to be when you grew up? You know, when you were a kid and you didn’t realise how difficult getting and building and keeping a career would be? When you just thought you’d be able to do the job you wanted to do and not have to go through applications and interviews and reapplications and all that nonsense?

WHEN I GROW UP

by Rob James

I bet you never dreamt of working in telemarketing for an insurance company or being an accountant did you? There’s no way that any accountant ever looks around their office, lets their eyes drift across their desk and thinks “Yes! Living the dream!”

Me, I wanted to be an actor first, then a writer, then an actor again. For a little while I went a bit left-field and I wanted to be a doctor. When I realised that becoming a doctor was actually pretty hard I thought I’d be a physiotherapist instead. But it turned out that was pretty tricky to get into as well so I went back to wanting to be an actor again. Thing is I then made my first bad career decision and started working in a shop and from there I got stuck for quite a few years, until I decided to become a comedian on the side. Not quite acting but not far off and being a stand-up you don’t have to remember lines in quite the same way – you can improvise a lot more than a script would allow. So now of course I like to tell anyone who asks that I’m a comedian. That it’s my job.

Which is partly true. It just happens to be one of two jobs that I do and the one that pays considerably less money. And here are five reasons why I do that, five reasons why it’s brilliant to be a comedian: - People find it impressive. They say things like “Wow, you’re so brave.” And all I do is get up in front of a room full of people (well, hopefully full) and say stuff. Whether they laugh or not I still get paid. Of course if they don’t laugh I don’t get booked again so I hope they will but still, there’s not a lot of bravery going on right there.

- When people shout rude things at you, you’re allowed to shout even ruder things back. Indeed, it’s expected that you will and if you don’t, you’ve failed. I used to work in Customer Service for a bank and people shouted rude things at me all the time. And the one time I shouted something ruder back I got fired. Madness!

- You’re allowed to drink alcohol whilst you’re at work.

And there aren’t many jobs where that’s the case now are there?!

- If people don’t laugh at you, you can claim it’s because they don’t get you. That makes it “not your fault”. In other words, you can be rubbish and it’s the audience’s fault.

- You get to say what’s actually on your mind and people listen. In other jobs I’ve had to say things like ”great idea” or “yes, I’d love to get involved in that” rather than the honest answer which I’m sure I don’t have to spell out to you here.

But it’s not all sunniness and light claiming to be a comedian. Oh no. Because I could only think of five reasons why it’s brilliant. Now here are ten reasons why it’s awful being a comedian: - People want to tell you jokes. All the time. Especially taxi drivers – what is it with those guys?

- People want you to tell jokes. All the time. If you tell someone you’re a painter and decorator they don’t

immediately say, “Go on then, wallpaper my hall”… or do they?

- People assume that if they’ve never heard of you then you must be rubbish. End of debate. This doesn’t happen in any other career except maybe acting.

- It’s the only type of performance art where you don’t get groupies. Even dancers get groupies.

- You only ever work unsociable hours. Comedians are simply not wanted from 9 - 5 Monday to Friday - And, ok, you can drink on the job but it’s just not the same somehow.

- People heckle you. And many of them do so in the mistaken belief that they’re funny. Usually they just shout things like “You’re (four letter word for waste)” which isn’t even slightly funny but can often spoil a carefully written and rehearsed routine. Imagine trying to do your job whilst a group of drunken fools constantly shout “You’re (another four letter word for waste)” at you. Be a bit off-putting wouldn’t it.

- You end up offending people. Even if you don’t mean to.

This is a problem for me because I’m English and so offending someone is just about the worst thing I can do. The English are happy enough to invade and occupy your country but we hate to think we’ve offended anyone.

- The best paid work is the worst and that’s corporate gigs where you have to tell jokes about whatever it is that corporation does – pharmaceuticals or something. And you’re expected to gently poke fun at the CEO whilst not actually making him a figure of fun. It’s the worst form of creativity ever but you have to do them.

- You have to constantly come up with new jokes all the time. Your act is never finished, you have to keep adding and tweaking and being topical and dropping stuff in a never ending cycle of material that no longer seems funny anymore because you’ve tweaked it so many times and you spend long nights agonising over whether your material is any good and whether or not you’re any good until you drive yourself just a little bit crazy…

But despite that, and despite the fact that it only earns me about 10% of my actual living and despite the fact that I can find a 2:1 ratio that shows it’s awful being a comedian I’d sooner claim that’s what I am than admit that I’m a desk jockey in a featureless corporation somewhere. Some dreams aren’t perfect and that thing you thought you wanted to be when you were a kid might only ever be a hideous and ridiculous side-line but I think it’s still worth doing the thing you wanted to do when you grow up.

Rob James is a guerilla comedian prefering never to announce a gig in advance and to just turn up. He dislikes organised events, organised political parties, organised religion and organised socks.

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 21

KEEPING THE FOCUS ON RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING A foreword by Jacques Booysen, MD of Tsogo Sun Gaming The vast majority of people who gamble do so for the entertainment value that it provides. Unfortunately, for a small proportion of the total number of people who gamble, gambling addiction is a harsh reality and it is the responsibility of every casino operator to ensure that the campaign to promote responsible gambling is actively pursued.

At Tsogo Sun, which is home to 14 of South Africa’s top casinos, we take the issue of gambling addiction extremely seriously, as we do every aspect of our business that relates to our customers. We place tremendous focus on how people experience our offerings and we’ve put systems in place to assist people who experience gambling problems – as well as every part of our customer relationships.

We’re committed to the National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP), which is wholly funded by the gambling

industry on a voluntary basis. The NRGP is a comprehensive private-public sector initiative that addresses problem gambling through public education and prevention; treatment and counselling services for problem gamblers; and research, which helps to ensure that the first two components operate effectively. This approach is aimed at early detection and treatment of problem gamers.

According to a media statement by Professor Peter Collins, Executive Director of the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation, “The number of problem gamblers in the country has also declined from 3% in 2008 to 1% in 2011. This figure is similar to that found in European and other English speaking jurisdictions and considerably higher than the number in Asia,” Professor Collins said. “However, in South Africa, poor people are disproportionately likely to

gamble too much on cheaper forms of gambling such as the lottery and illegal games such as iFafi, dice and cards, which is commonly played in and around township shebeens”. It is clear, from the research conducted by Professor Collins, that the incidence of problem gambling in casinos is extremely low.

However, the level of attention given to problem gambling by the casino industry has not declined and we believe that these efforts are contributing to the reduced incidence.

Tsogo Sun’s broader focus on customer service is also strategic and focused and is firmly embedded in our ethos.

It’s called ‘Personalised Service’ and the descriptor is, ‘We make every experience magical and memorable’. This is one of the top-line principles of our formula for success, which provides the guiding principles that staff members strive to achieve every day. This principle was identified by our

staff as central to the company’s ethos, which indicates how highly prized customer service is to us.

Of course, it takes gifted staff to recognise these values.

Another of our top-line principles is ‘Attract & Develop Gifted People’. This underscores the emphasis we put on the development of our people and goes a long way to explaining how we were recognised as one of the Top 10 Best Employers in South Africa, according to the CRF Institute’s annual survey.

South Africa has much to offer leisure and entertainment seekers and, as a group with over 90 hotels and 14 entertainment destinations throughout South Africa, Africa, Seychelles and the Middle East, we are proud to be one of the companies at the forefront of this exciting industry, with all its complexities and boundless opportunities.

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 23

A GLOBALLY-ACKNOWLEDGED APPROACH TO RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING AT SUN INTERNATIONAL Sun International has, since inception, produced and approved at board level a comprehensive responsible gambling policy to ensure that the company not only meets, but exceeds, regulatory requirements and the expectation of citizens wherever it operates - in that it would do everything reasonably possible to address the question of irresponsible and problem gambling.

We actively promote a culture of responsible gambling. As a founder member of the South African National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP), the Group – at its various casino properties – provides assistance and counselling for customers where required through the NRGP and similar interventions in other countries.

Sun International has a globally-acknowledged reputation for the high degree to which responsible gambling initiatives are offered and managed in the group’s casinos.

These initiatives include comprehensive staff training, customer educational material, health warnings on and in advertising material, a process of self-exclusion and close monitoring of minors in the casino.

World trends in approaches to responsible and problem gambling are closely tracked to ensure that the company stays at the forefront of global initiatives and best practice. Sun International’s approach is not simply the result of a corporate mandate but of full engagement; the company’s employees

are extensively trained in the detection of problem gambling and the skills to refer those with perceived problems for expert help at clinics or similar centres where expertise has been identified and is readily available for referral.

Staff Training Sun International provides three levels of comprehensive training for gaming staff in the promotion and handling of responsible gambling related matters.

Level 1, which is for all gaming staff, and forms part of employee induction, introduces the concept of responsible gambling and explains the initiatives and processes in the casino.

Level 2, which is for gaming supervisory staff, provides the skills to recognise potential problem gamblers and bring these to the attention of gaming management.

Level 3 provides gaming management with the skills to approach problem gamblers, known and potential, and to counsel them regarding help that may be available.

Employee training on how to render assistance to ‘problem gambling’ customers remains the main focus of our responsible gambling programme at all our casinos. This includes the facilitation of self-exclusions and advice given to customers on next steps during an exclusion process, direction with regard to the scope of counselling services, guidance on

the responsible use of crèches, safeguarding of unattended minors, and the prevention of underage gambling.

Awareness of minor children (13 years old and younger) attending our premises is constantly reinforced to staff members as they may not be left unattended and must be booked into a crèche or children’s area where they may remain for a maximum of four hours. Any minor found unattended in any part of a casino building complex, including motor vehicles and gardens, is taken to a place of safety on the premises, or remains with a appropriately trained and designated employee until the parents are located.

Customer Educational Material Customers have ready access to printed material which explains the potential dangers of excessive and irresponsible gambling and assistance available throughout the casino.

Clearly visible posters and electronic displays positioned strategically throughout the casino create awareness of the addictive nature of gambling and the dangers of excessive and underage gambling.

Advertising Material Where appropriate, casino advertising material may carry messages warning of the potential danger of excessive gambling and provide information regarding help which may be available.

Self-exclusion Sun International’s casinos provide their customers with the opportunity to follow a process whereby a person may voluntarily exclude themselves from all gambling activity for a stipulated period of one year, which is renewable. During this time, the casino will ensure - to its best ability that the self-excluded person does not receive any communication from the casino and that their membership of the casino loyalty programme is cancelled. The onus remains on the self-excluded person to stay away from the casino. Failure do

so may result in legal sanction depending on the jurisdiction.

Minors While minors are able to move freely about resort and casino properties they are prohibited from gambling or gaining access to the casino floor.

To that end, reasonable and practical measures are in place to prevent minors gaining access to gaming devices.

Should this occur, the minor is immediately removed from the gaming floor and taken to a place of safety on the premises until contact is made with his or her parents or caretaker or guardian, who may then be warned or refused future entry to the casino.

Staff are trained to ensure that there are no unsupervised and unattended minors on the property waiting for parents or guardians who may be gambling. In this case, casino management will take minors to a place of safety on the premises and attempt to find the parents or guardian who may be warned or refused future entry to the casino.

Responsible Gambling Committee In terms of its policy, Sun International casino properties are required to constitute a Responsible Gambling Committee consisting of the senior gaming management including the General Manager and Heads of Department.

This committee meets quarterly to consider all aspects of responsible gambling and adherence to policy in the casino, and provides a quarterly report to the Board of Directors.

Policy and Regulations Sun International has a comprehensive Responsible Gambling Policy which is applicable to all casino properties in the group. Stipulations are met through amended and modified measures and processes appropriate to the jurisdiction where the casino property is located . Compliance with the policy is monitored by Sun International’s Group Internal Audit department at least annually.

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 25

Emperors Palace www.emperorspalace.com +27 11 928 1992 Written by Chris Farnell

GAME ON

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 27

Emperors Palace

We discover why Emperors Palace Hotels Casino Conventions Entertainment in Johannesburg is the place where you should definitely try your luck.

“Don’t come to a casino with expectations of winning.”

I’ll admit it – when I was told I’d be interviewing Marc Carlton-Smith General Manager for Gaming, this is the last thing I expected him to say. Of course, it’s something everybody knows – a casino that let’s you win all the time wouldn’t be a very good business model – but it’s unusual to hear someone who runs a casino put it so frankly.

So the question is, if you’re not going to win, why would you go to a casino?

The Entertainment Business “We see ourselves as an entertainment business,” Carlton-Smith tells us. “Our philosophy is to make sure our customers get value for money when they’re gaming. We have slot machines ranging from 1c to R500, the widest spread of offerings at a casino in South Africa. The way we look

at things, when somebody comes here they have a certain amount of money to spend. Some casinos believe their job is to take that money from the customer as quickly as possible, but we want to give them time to really enjoy themselves.”

It’s a philosophy that’s embraced by everyone in the company; even, perhaps surprisingly, their accountants.

“We like to look after our guests, offering them complimentary tea and coffee, whilst allowing them to pay for their alcoholic beverages through their play, this is called “Earning Comps” in the Casino world,” Carlton-Smith says.

This is another place where Emperors Palace is a good deal more transparent than other casinos. While plenty of casinos offer perks for high rollers, ranging from free drinks and meals all the way up to special hotel suites, Emperors Palace staff will tell you how many points you’ve earned through your play, and what you’re entitled to as the points accumulate.

“Our top end players each have Executive Hosts that look after them,” Carlton-Smith says.

“They act like a personal banker. The executive host will get a call saying ‘I’m coming in for the weekend. Can you book hotel rooms for my family and book us into a nice restaurant?’ and they will sort everything out for them.”

Of course, just because you shouldn’t expect to win, doesn’t mean that you won’t, and for the big winners there are huge prizes and progressives to be won.

The casino regularly has leader board promotions that are divided into “Slots” and “Tables” categories and

depending on how much turnover the player has, the higher up the leader board the player will be. The top player in each category automatically qualifies for prizes, while the remaining players are entered into a draw to be eligible to win the balance of the prizes.

Carlton-Smith tells us, “We recently launched a promotion where we’re sending five couples to Monaco for 4 days and included in this is attending the Royal Command Performance held at the Royal Opera House with one of our local artists namely Johnny Clegg. We heard that he’s one of the Royal

“Some casinos believe their job is to take money from the customer as quickly as possible, but we want to give them time to really enjoy themselves.”, Marc Carlton-Smith, General Manager for Gambling Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 29

Emperors Palace

couple’s favourite star, so we arranged for Johnny to go and give a special performance. In conjunction with this, 10 players will be whisked to Monte-Carlo, be hosted by the Casino De Monte-Carlo, enjoy the Johnny Clegg show and return to South Africa with amazing memories.”

Emperors Palace is always looking for apparitional ideas for our promotions, and sometimes it finds them in the most unusual places.

“We recently ran another promotion where 12 ladies won a shopping trip to Dubai,” Carlton-Smith remembers. “I got the idea from watching Sex and the City 2 with my wife, and her turning to me and stating ‘What woman wouldn’t love to go there and shop… Four months later the ladies where there and shopping!’”

Johnny’s Liquor Hypermarket has the best liquor prices in Gauteng! We will beat any written quotation so contact us today for our latest great specials and for countrywide delivery. Wholesalers can qualify for discount and everyone is welcome to join our mailing or SMS list to receive our specials every week.

Email sales@johnnysliquor.co.za or SMS 0832518179.

A Winning Atmosphere But while the prizes are great, that’s not the reason people come to Emperors Palace. At the end of the day it’s the entertainment experience that people enjoy.

“Sections of our complex have real gold-leaf in-laid into the walkways,” Carlton-Smith says proudly, “but I think the experience is best summed up by our players who tend to dress up when they visit Emperors Palace. Our complex drew a lot of inspiration from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. We had the same architects and designers, so it has a very similar look and feel to Las Vegas. It has a timeless look and feel with lots of marble, classical columns and high ornate roofs.

We have real opulence on display, yet at the same time we

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 31

Emperors Palace also have areas where people can be comfortable in trainers and jeans.”

Of course, all the pretty architecture in the world is no good unless it is coupled with excellent customer service and Emperors Palace is dedicated to providing the best frontline staff.

“We look for people who can communicate well,” Carlton-Smith says. “Good communication is of paramount importance. Our belief is that communications and personality matter more than good school marks, these are skills you can’t teach anyone. It has to come naturally.”

The fantastic safe environment that Emperors Palace offers has resulted in some unexpected bonuses.

“When we opened in 1998 our customer base was around three quarters male,” Carlton-Smith says. “Now our customer base is 55% female. There’s been a huge gender shift. We found that the reason for this is because the casino is a safe environment for a single woman to go to relax. Everyone’s here for the same reason: to gamble, relax and enjoy themselves.”

Responsible Gambling While most people come to the casino just to have fun, Carlton-Smith is quick to admit that there is a darker side to gambling. Some people don’t understand that you “Don’t come to a casino with expectations of winning”.

“There are always challenges in the casinos. Often you’re dealing with people who aren’t happy about losing but that’s part and parcel of the job. However I find that 95% of people don’t want you to solve a problem, they just need to vent and that’s where being able to talk to people becomes an essential skill.”

With twenty-one sites, six of South Africa’s top ten cinema complexes and 25% of its screens digital, Nu Metro is concentrating on developing the premium side of its cinema division.

Nu Metro delivers great service and experience while staying focused on being the best in the marketplace, very customer-centric and alert to the wants and interests of cinemagoers in a particular market. Avid cinemagoers want to see and experience the movie in the big format, with the sound, their friends around them, and experiencing a true entertainment evening. And with Nu Metro they will find it all.

Unfortunately, for some people that isn’t enough and Calton-Smith has learnt to spot the signs of gambling addiction, which is something Emperors Palace takes extremely seriously.

“That’s the first sign of a possible problem. At that point I sit them down and say ‘Is this no longer fun?’” Carlton-Smith explains. “We ask them to speak to our responsible gaming helpline, which is independent from any casino.”

Responsible gaming is a core concept at Emperors Palace.

10% of their advertising floor space is taken up by posters raising awareness of the problems of gambling addiction with slogans such as “When it’s no longer a game”.

The important thing is to get players who have a problem to help themselves.

“We take it very, very seriously,” Carlton-Smith emphasises. “When we have relatives or spouses coming to us to say that somebody has a problem, we will investigate and approach that person to encourage them to self-exclude themselves. Unfortunately self-exclusion is the only option in these cases. As with any addiction, they themselves have to recognise they have a problem and take action.”

While some people have problems however, the vast majority of people who pass through the doors of Emperors Palace have a great time.

As Carlton-Smith says, “We’ll look after you.”

In conclusion, Emperors Palace provides not only an invigorating destination where people can enjoy the excitement and the thrill of gaming, but also a safe one.

Together with their enthusiastic and supportive staff, their strong leadership and their “spare no expense” approach to layout and design, Emperors Palace can make everyone feel like a celebrity. Or indeed like an emperor.

0861-CINEMA (246 362) customercare@numetro.co.za

www.numetro.co.za

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 33

MILES AHEAD

MSC Logistics (Pty) Ltd. www.mscsouthafrica.com +27 31 360 7317 Written by Jack Slater

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 35

MSC Logistics (Pty) Ltd.

In order to capitalize fully on the latest requirements in the industry, strategic decisions to diversify into new areas are crucial for success. In defining this approach MSC Logistics (Pty) Ltd are ahead of the competition. I had the opportunity to speak with MD Lawrie Bateman regarding MSC Logistics growing network across Africa.

Established in 1985 MSC Logistics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mediterranean Shipping Company and rates second in the world for container fleet capacity. Benefitting from longstanding contractural relationships with service providers of rail corridors in South Africa, MSC Logistics have been known for many years as a rail freight company although there has also been a determined attention to the use of road.

“The majority of our traffic moves by rail as we have contracts with the rail operating companies in South Africa and our neighbouring countries ). Our South African contract handles some 80 000 teu movements per annum,” Lawrie Bateman explains, “We recently started a Longhaul road division, in order to counteract any rail delays, between Port Elizabeth and East London and between Durban and Johannesburg ” Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics Head office is situated in Durban with South African branch offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Rosslyn and Cape Town. Outside South Africa there are offices in Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho to ensure a thorough and reliable network.

“Our objective is to provide our principal, MSC., together with upwards of 140 clients, a professional, efficient and cost effective inland transport service through southern Africa.

To this end we utilize the full spectrum of the MSC Group facilities including MSC Depots which provide storage and handling facilities if required.” Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics In the logistics industry relationships between customers and service providers have to be carefully nurtured as well established partnerships translate into major benefits. For example, thanks to their long history and strong approach

with their suppliers, MSC Logistics are able to offer a standard of delivery simply unmatched in the industry.

Competitive rates, very good transit times, between ports and inland destinations and up to date tracking through their electronic connections to the computer systems of the South African rail operating company, Transnet Freight Rail.

The staff complement is important to MSC Logistics.

Not only in maintaining the company’s high standards of professionalism but also the development of individual staff members.

ZAMBIA LOGISTICS (PTY) LIMITED

Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics

Unpacks via Durban, Full and Part Loads, Warehousing and Consolidation of Cargoes, Project and Abnormal Cargoes For all your transport requirements ex RSA Contact us for best rates and service: Tel: +27 11 3921000 Fax: +27 11 3923454/56 Email: opszam@matvin.co.za jeremy@matvin.co.za Web: www.matvin.co.za

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 37

MSC Logistics (Pty) Ltd.

“We provide employees with the opportunity to study through to university level and, as long as the course material relates to their career within the industry, we are happy to fully or partially subsidise the fees ” Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics Training and internal promotion through the ranks are continuous to keep everyone up to date with latest procedures and technologies in order to stay ahead of the fierce competition from other sectors of the logistics industry.

“Our staff have the expertise to handle all situations including landing and overland transport of abnormal breakbulk.” Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics.

Situated in Durban, MSC Logistics is perfectly located to take full advantage of the city’s busy harbour and from there they can ship cargo out with the efficiency their clients have come to expect.

“Durban is where the control takes place of the majority of the 3000 containers delivered per month by rail, road and transhipment into African states. Furthermore, the 800 containers per month arriving overland at Durban for export shipment are also controlled here.” Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics Other activities include Merchant & Carrier Haulage controlled from a satellite office established at the Durban Container Terminal to accommodate the degrouping of LCL containers and the consolidation of cargo to destinations over the border.

“A Harbour Carriers Division with a mixture of owner drivers and subcontractors handle the local delivery of import and export cargo.” Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics MSC Logistics has a customs bond capacity of R25,000,000 (ZAR) allowing the carriage of Removal in Transit cargo with no delays.

“All in transit cargo delivered by road requires bonding,” Lawrie Bateman says, “In order to bond cargo we are required to submit a copy bill of lading and copy commercial invoice and packing list to SA Customs. These Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 38

commercial documents must be in English and provide the full requirements for customs, i.e. exact description of each item, harmonised commodity code, quantity and net weight” Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics Compliance with the Customs act is important and MSC Logistics is reputed for attention to detail, timing and accuracy.

“In Johannesburg we have 2 divisions. The rail division controls the Merchant & Carrier Haulage of export SA cargo together with export containers arriving by road, mainly from Zambia and Zimbabwe. We also receive breakbulk cargo which is packed into containers in Johannesburg and railed on our contract to Durban,” Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics Historically, companies that make a point of providing opportunities for others to be successful stay around the longest as no relationship can be stronger than a mutually beneficial one. In this case, by sub-contracting to individual truck owners (i.e. owner drivers) and small trucking companies MSC is able to make use of committed drivers.

“The Johannesburg Cartage division provides a local delivery service from the railhead at City Deep within a 130 km radius using 148 vehicles, all based on the owner driver concept. This is in line with creating opportunities for Black African owners under guidelines laid down by the SA Government” Lawrie Bateman MD MSC Logistics Pretoria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London branches all have Cartage Divisions similar to Johannesburg together with facilities to handle Merchant and Carrier Haulage activities.

For a company that is setting the bar for its industry MSC Logistics has set it very high indeed. In conclusion, preparation and experience are elements from which a company can only benefit and this is what has kept MSC Logistics at the forefront of their industry for the past 27 years. It will continue driving them onwards for many decades to come.

Balobi Fishing www.balobi.com +27 42 294 0148 Written by Ben Walker

CAPE HAUL WITH THE EURO CATCH Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 41

From the waters off South Africa’s Eastern Cape are caught some of the finest fish in the world. But 10,000 miles to the north, in Spain and along the Mediterranean coastland, financial crisis has sent demand plunging, as Mark Rowe, MD of leading exporter the Balobi Fishing Group tells Ben Walker. “But we are well positioned and very positive about the future.”

St. Francis Bay in Eastern Cape is one of the most beautiful places in South Africa, white beaches and picturesque redroofed port, home to squid, long-line vessels and leisure yachts.

Here, close to the pristine waters where the finest quality fish is caught, you will find the Balobi integrated Fishing Group; processors, packagers and exporters of squid, hake and pilchards as well as line fish for the South African market.

South Africa is not a fish-eating country. But mention squid in Spain, Italy and Greece, and Balobi is celebrated as brand leader. In Taiwan it is renowned for its specially prepared and packaged sardines; line-bait for Taiwan’s tuna fishing fleet.

“We are particularly focussed on the excellence of our squid brand which is why we have quality control and grading

standards on our vessels and processing facilities where fish is packaged and boxed for export,” says MD Mark Rowe.

“Our squids are among the best you can get anywhere in the world, our long line white hake a beautiful fish. You won’t get anything better or fresher.”

Fish is delivered fresh or sea frozen, processed and packaged to client needs. Freshly caught long line hake is sent on a 36 hour journey by truck and airplane, mostly to Spain, while squid is brought in to Port St. Francis in containers and then moved on to the Mediterranean market. Shipped in; shipped out.

But while the clear home fishing grounds remain supreme, the turbulent economic waters of the critical European market are bleak.

“The global recession had a serious effect on us,” says Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 43

Balobi Fishing

Rowe. “In 2008 the Group was selling squid for €7 a kilo.

Then it fell to 3.50. And that year here the fishing went on and on - we were catching all the time. So as well as this crash in the selling price we were sitting on a huge volume of stock.”

The following year the market settled, and since last year the price has moved back close to seven euros a kilo. But the demand for squid has lessened - down by around 30% Rowe reckons.

“If we had a bumper year we wouldn’t be able to sell all our fish as quickly as in the past. Yet because of the decrease in supply from other parts of the world, demand has been fairly consistent. And so over the last two or three years as squid has come in we have managed to sell it.”

But the ability to pay for fish is now a major issue. “For our clients and buyers, banks, liquidity and credit availability have become a problem. When we have landed a consignment of squid in, for example, Spain or Italy, the guys have not had the money to pick up the container. They want the product, they can sell it, but they are not being paid by their clients in time. Cash flow is the issue and the banks won’t extend credit. This has had a huge effect on our business.”

For hake, the waters are even more troubled. Balobi has been operating in the hake long line business since the mid-nineties and up to the recession was a high performing sector. Then, in 2008, prices in Rowe’s words, “went through the floor. And now we cannot successfully send long line

Endeavour Magazine • April 2012 • 44

hake to Spain anymore because they are unable to pay us, and to complicate matters there is a lot of local catch with European fleets dumping at half the price.

“And since for us the air freight and trucking cost to Spain is almost €3 we are faced with a real problem. As a result we are now looking at selling hake very cheaply to the local market here in South Africa as well as markets elsewhere. We are also looking at processing and other options - whatever we can to move the hake we are catching.”

With both white hake and squid high end/recessionhit, diversification is clearly a key. One Balobi innovation is a new product coming on to the market with increasing success - the Mandela Bay Snapper, a local line fish, caught, processed, vacuum packed and pan-ready for the Asian market. Balobi is also succeeding in developing a direct market to Mediterranean countries in association with possibly Europe’s largest fresh fish wholesaler.

With the typical South African not a fish eater, preferring red meat and chicken, Mark Rowe sees a challenge shouting to be taken up. “It’s a market that needs developing and we will be doing this now. And, although we don’t have a quota, Africa, up to the Congo and Nigeria, is a huge market for horse mackerel. We need to focus much more on Africa itself.”

Meantime Balobi’s success is critical for the economy and social development of the district. “This is a relatively poor area compared with the rest of South Africa, and we

are creating a lot of employment here for people who would otherwise be without work. So whatever we achieve brings huge benefits to the local community.”

And for the Group, its 350 employees and the economy of St Francis Bay, 2013 brings a challenge with massive consequences. “The problem we have in South Africa is that fishing rights are on a term basis. And at the end of next year our squid fishing rights expire and will have to be reapplied for. It means all the investment in boats and vessels is hanging in the balance.

“Will we get those rights? One of the factors is transformation - the degree to which we have brought Black, Coloured or Indian partners into our business. We have a very good transformation profile; Balobi Processors being black owned which means more than 50% Black and as we speak moving up by a further five or even ten per cent.”

Rowe is hoping this, along with Balobi’s social development, compliance with sea fishery regulations, excellent management and committed, well-trained workforce, will bring the boat home.

“We are known as a company that specialises in products of consistent high quality backed by a reliable service. Among our clients we have built a reputation for being serious and honourable. We are very positive about the future. We are well positioned, active in three sectors of the industry, not just one. And as long as Europe can sort out its monetary woes we shall be fine.”

S T I

s e c i erv rt S t po or s p n s a n Tra ted Tr o Ind igera indo@mweb.co.za r f +27 (0)41 368 6964 Re

+27 (0)83 654 7522 P.O. BOX 10050 Linton Grange Port Elizabeth 6015 South Africa

Bridgestone Tyres SA www.bridgestone.co.za +27 119 237 572 Written by Chris Farnell

BOUNCING BACK

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 47

Bridgestone Tyres SA

Back in October we took a closer look at the South African branch of the world’s largest tyre and rubber manufacturer. It’s been an eventful few months since then, so we decided to it was time to check in with Bridgestone South Africa.

It’s been a while since we checked in on Bridgestone South Africa. Back in October the tyre manufacturers were enjoying the benefits a dramatic jump in demand for extralarge off-the-road tyres thanks to a boost to the mining industry. To respond to the increase in demand the company had opened its first new factory in over 35 years at their Japan HQ in Kitakyushi. What’s more, after some tough years for everyone it looked like the global financial crisis was finally starting to cool down.

Of course a lot’s happened since then. Most notably, the economies of half of Europe seem to be going down the

plughole and taking the rest of planet’s economy with it.

Jordan San, Bridgestone/Firestone’s National Operations Manager for South Africa tells us, “The biggest change is we’ve hit the tail end of the recession. What’s happening in Europe has already been affecting Africa. It’s hit us hard in the construction area, but we’ve been making a lot of progress, particularly in the mining sector.”

Rising Demand Indeed, the growing demand for mining equipment that San was telling us about last time we talked to him has continued to build. In October it was getting to the point where San said there was actually a risk of a shortage of tyres for the mining industry.

Since then, the shortage has continued.

“That situation hasn’t improved as much as we’d have liked,” San admits. “We’re maintaining the stock that we have and we’re getting a bit extra from the new factory, so for most part we manage to meet the demand from the mining companies. But I think the shortage will continue. Speaking to people across the industry, the way growth is going, this shortage will be in place for the next two or three years.”

San still cites the company’s race to meet client’s demands as the biggest challenge they’ve faced since we last spoke to them. The orders Bridgestone have been getting are acting as an excellent barometer of the status of the mining industry.

“We’re getting orders from a lot of mines who aren’t getting rid of their existing equipment,” San explains.

“They’re not replacing their existing equipment, they’re just growing their equipment list.”

The brand new factory that had only recently been opened

H&R South Africa is a sales and marketing company dedicated to the supply of speciality products originating from Lubricant Refineries.

Our expertise is focused on blending of these speciality raw materials to fulfil the needs of the various Industries which we service globally.

The brand is synonymous with quality and consistency and a drive to build lasting customers partnerships. The H&R Group is proud to have an association with Bridgestone and has fostered similar relationships with other major players in the international Tire and Rubber Industry through the development, engineering and consistent supply of the full range of label-free process oils.

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 49

Bridgestone Tyres SA

in October is already being forced to grow to keep up.

San says, “Our manufacturing arm in Japan is looking at increasing factory capacity. Looking further into the future than that, we’ve started building a factory in the United States in Aiken, South Carolina. They will start producing by the start of 2014. That should free up some production for Japan which means its produce can be shared among more local areas.”

During our last interview San told us that Bridgestone was aiming to build their OTR output to 30% more than it was two years ago. It seemed like an ambitious target, and we’re curious to see how that went.

“We’re on target,” San says proudly. “There are global requirements we’re required to meet that have limited our growth a bit, which makes it harder to put out any kind of surplus. But we’re in line with the goals that we want to reach.”

manages to hook them you can be sure they’re going to cling onto them for all their worth.

This makes it increasingly important that smaller companies such as Bridgestone South Africa are able to appeal to the talent on the market. However, San’s approach to recruitment is surprisingly straight forward.

“We make sure we build a really strong reputation by word of mouth, promoting the company well within the market,” San says. “We’ve got a lot of positive people in the company and they aren’t shy about telling people why they like working for the company.”

The approach creates a sort of virtuous circle, where the good people already in the company inspire more to join. Once the company has hired the talent, it begins investing in it.

“We have a full training department who goes through our planning, inductions, all things involved that concern our people for job improvement,” San says.

A Staff That Speaks for the Company Tyres haven’t been the only thing to face a shortage in recent times. Talk to anyone in the mining, manufacturing or engineering industries and you’ll find there’s also a severe shortage of skilled labour.

Like many other companies, Bridgestone has felt the bite of this shortage. Those who have the right qualifications and experience are constantly hopping from one position to another, taking advantage of the fact that their skills are so in demand. Companies can get extremely competitive over hiring the best talent that’s available, and if a big company

Bridgestone’s Sustainable Future Bridgestone South Africa isn’t just investing in its staff and facilities. It’s also investing in the future of the planet. The Bridgestone Group as a whole has established an Environmental Mission Statement that sets long term objectives for the company’s branches across the world. In accordance with these goals the group recently highlighted several projects to mark Word Environment Day on June 5, including two great projects by Bridgestone South Africa.

First there was Bridgestone South Africa’s Roadkill Research and Mitigation Project. The company has been

working alongside the Endangered Wildlife Trust to find out how roads and vehicle traffic are impacting upon native wildlife. Bridgestone South Africa took part in accident prevention activities to assess potential threats to local animals and report back to researchers at Rhodes University.

Similarly, in support of World Biodiversity Day the company supported an Environmental Preservation Program in collaboration with The Cape Leopard Trust. The Trust focuses on protecting a rare species of native mountain

leopard, as well as helping to educate children about wildlife and conservation.

With plenty of projects like these in the works, Bridgestone has established itself not just as a trusted manufacturer of tyres for the mining and construction industries, but also as an integral part of the community it serves.

And what of Bridgestone South Africa’s future?

San is optimistic: “We’re growing with the market and keeping up with the times.”

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Eurolux (PTY) Ltd www.eurolux.co.za +27 (21) 528 8400 Written by Daemon Sands

LIGHTING THE WAY Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 53

Eurolux

Last November we featured Eurolux and touched on their new developments and changes. This month Brand Manager Andrew Wex, talks to us about the ways Eurolux are expanding their LED projects, moving into energy efficiency and diversifying the market.

Everywhere you look today there are reports online, on television and radio about rising energy prices and the terrible consequences of climate change. Governments, businesses and even families are having to rise to the challenge to make the way we live and work more sustainable.

Eurolux is one of the companies making this possible.

For 20 years Eurolux has been selling and distributing energy efficient lighting to electrical wholesalers, retail chain outlets and specialised lighting stores. The company has been pivotal in bringing the latest innovations in the lighting industry to South African businesses and consumers since it was founded in 1991. Eurolux has been on the front line of energy efficiency with products such as Compact Fluorescent Lamps that produce five times as much light per watt as a standard incandescent, while using only a fifth of the electricity, or the increasingly popular LEDs that can last for up to 30,000 hours.

Those solutions are needed now more than ever. Fifteen per cent of the electricity used in most homes goes towards keeping the lights on and that number jumps to 25% for commercial buildings. South Africa has begun introducing energy efficiency requirements for lighting, aiming to help people keep their energy bills down and soften their impact on the environment. As a well known innovator in the industry, Eurolux has fortunately only had to make minor changes to meet these new requirements.

“These savings have a massive knock-on effect throughout the market and not just on the end consumer; large businesses, architects, subcontractors and factories are positively affected by energy savings of this sort,” Andrew Wex, Eurolux Brand Manager.

Valued Partners As well as sourcing products designed to meet the new energy needs of Southern Africa, Eurolux has put in place a logistics network that ensures those products are readily available. This is achieved with Eurolux’s own in-house couriers and the assistance of distribution companies such as Zultrans and MPS. These couriers have their own area within the dispatch section of each warehouse and are given a specific area of responsibility, whether geographic or client based, and this system seems to work remarkably well.

Specialising in imports and distribution, Eurolux depends on strong relationships with its business partners to get its products to the general public. With this in mind all distributors are given the chance to inspect the products at Eurolux’s unique lifestyle showrooms in Johannesburg and Cape Town. These showrooms have been designed to display the light fittings in their intended habitat - homes and retail environments.

In the interest of quality assurance, Eurolux works with companies that include major European manufacturers such as ELGO Leuchten and SG Armaturen and are always on the lookout for companies whose products could find a market in South Africa. As a rule they do not deal with factories or manufacturers unless they have visited their facilities and made sure they are not dealing with sweatshops or trading companies. Care is always taken to align the Eurolux brand with reputable manufacturers and once they have decided to work with someone, they stay loyal to them.

Eurolux products also carry the SABS stamp of approval, ensuring that all imports are in compliance with the necessary safety standards.

Building for the Future No pun intended, but the future is looking bright for Eurolux. The strategies that saw the company grow its business even throughout the recession look to continue bringing Eurolux success in the years to come.

While the global economy was taking a beating, Eurolux was able to thrive by expanding its product range and looking for business in new market sectors. Going forward, Eurolux is going to build on those achievements.

As well as meeting the rising demand for energy efficient lighting, the company has recently started expanding into the project lighting sector. Earlier this year it introduced a project lighting range that includes high bays, pendants and downlights for commercial, retail and manufacturing environments.

Eurolux has become a name synonymous with quality lighting.

“We are growing every day and are on the forefront of lighting technology and energy efficiency,” Andrew says, “The focus on green businesses and fuel economy is greater than ever and we are at the front of the wave. It is the best place to be.”

And there is no doubt that Eurolux will be there for a long time, lighting the way.

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The fastest overnight delivery service between Gauteng and KZN and Gauteng and Nelspruit Durban (Head Office) Johannesburg 69 Riverhorse Road 66 Malcolm Moodie Crescent Riverhorse Valley Durban Jet Park T:(031) 569 1669 T:(011) 397 8365/6/7 F:(031) 569 1695 F:(011) 397 8364 C:083 390 4772 C:083 457 9823 E:info@zultrans.co.za Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 55

Njoro Canning www.njorocanning.co.ke +254 512 211 737 Written by William Dodd

QUALITY IN A CAN

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 57

Njoro Canning

If there’s one thing Njoro Canning knows how to do, it’s how to provide quality tinned food. Working out of a factory that’s been providing tinned food since the 30s, and run by the Patel family since 1978, they’ve got plenty of experience at it.

“This is a family-run business run by Managing Director TK Patel,” explains Vipul Patel, the Managing Director’s son.

“The factory was founded by a Mr Featherstone in 1936, and then TK Patel bought this existing plant back in 1978 from a cooperative which was in receivership. At that time the factory was a cottage industry producing canned vegetables for the local market. My father bought it in 1978, and in 1981 we signed a joint venture agreement with the French company, Saupiquet, to produce canned French beans for them as toll manufacturers.”

From then the company Hortiquip Ltd, a subsidiary of NCF was created in 1982 to supply French beans to Njoro Canning’s factory through contracted farmers. By 1990 a new agreement was signed with another French company, Bonduelle, after they purchased the “Jockey Club” brand from Saupiquet. In 1992 the company expanded its range again with a new concentration plant to provide juices and concentrates to the Kenyan market. By 2001 the company was investing in expanding their plant to produce frozen potato chips and other frozen vegetables, bring their new brand Golden Valley to the Kenyan market.

“Over the years we’ve expanded the plant and diversified,” Patel explains. “We now produce dehydrated and frozen vegetables, spices and other canned products for the East African Market. We’ve worked with all the major supermarkets in France and Belgium with canned French beans.”

But the company’s reach goes further than that. They have provided spices to big name companies such as Unilever and Nestlé, with their dehydrated vegetables going to companies in the USA and Europe.

“Primarily we sell a lot of products within East Africa,” says Patel. “As well as supplying canned and frozen vegetables we’re also strong in the catering division (food service) and supply all government agencies such as police forces, the army, Kenya Wildlife Services.”

A Family Business The fact that Njoro Canning is a family run business naturally has a huge impact on the way the company works.

Patel tells us, “Basically, it’s a succession thing. The company is handed down and as you grow up you get trained in the business. The younger generation can come in and have a stepping stone and grow with the company. Being a family business also means we have better control over day to day operations, which is useful when a hands-on approach is necessary.”

The family orientated nature of the business finds its way into the company’s manner of dealing with human resources issues as well.

“We have staff who have worked with us for over twenty years,” says Patel. “They work well with us. Our company has proven very good at retaining its people because they like being part of that partnership. Our people feel they really gain something from being with us.”

Indeed, the Patel believes passionately in investing in its staff even at the ground floor levels of the business.

“We encourage employees to work their way up the hierarchy of the company,” says Patel. “We like to employ a lot of young graduates coming in from the local university.

Particularly we’re always interested in food technologists, human resource management staff and people who can add to our marketing team. Once they’re on board we train them up and let them work their way through the system.

There are opportunities for everyone within the company.

Patel explains, “apart from the graduates, we also get people with no qualifications, but who are still able to progress due to their drive. If they can demonstrate good supervision skills they can even make it to manager level.”

The company’s family values and strong staff are two of the company’s big advantages, but it doesn’t stop there.

“We’re very strong as manufacturers. We have the ability to source materials and produce products based on our customers’ specifications. We also make sure the plant is operative and certified, and thus give our customer the confidence in us,” Patel says.

And it’s good that the company has such a strong showing, because recently not everything has run smoothly.

“The biggest challenge we’ve faced has been that we rely a lot on weather conditions,” Patel tells us. “We’ve faced some weather problems because all our crops are grown in natural conditions. On top of that we’ve faced rising costs of production in Kenya which means sometimes we risk losing our competitive edge due to costs of transport electricity, fuel and so on. That’s affected us a lot, especially since we’re competing against companies such as those in China which have much lower costs.”

But Njoro Canning isn’t taking this lying down.

“We’ve been working to control our expenses and bring down costs of production,” says Patel. “On the other hand we’ve also seen that Chinese prices have been going up, so we think our position is going to improve.” In order to secure our raw material supplies, we now have contracts with a number of farmers with irrigation facilities and this way we are able to process virtually all year round.

Expanding Horizons Njoro Canning isn’t happy just to stay ahead of the competition however, the company is always looking for new ways to grow.

“We are looking at expanding into more of the African market. There are always new markets opening up. Africans are changing their eating habits so we’re developing new products for them,” says Patel. “In the middle classes we’re seeing a lot of people are trying different things. They’ve Manufacturers of all types of packaging such as: Manufacturers of all types of packaging such as:Processed Food Cans, Dry Powder cans, General line seen or tried different food in restaurants or on TV, so we Manufacturers ofDry allofBalm types oftins, packaging such as:Food Cans, Powder cans, General linesuch cans,as:Shoe see they’re exploring new foods aside from traditional Manufacturers all types of packaging cans,Processed Shoe polish tins, Drums, Brilliantine Manufacturers of all typescan of packaging such as:polish tins, Balm tins, Drums, Brilliantine tins, Crowns & African food.

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See us for all your packaging requirements. www.nampak.com Processed Food Cans, Website: Dry Powder General line cans, Shoe Factory/Industrial Road, P cans,LIMITED NAMPAK KENYA NAMPAK KENYA LIMITED polish tins, Balm tins, Tel: Drums, Brilliantine tins, Crowns &NAMPAK KENYA LIMITED Wireless +P254 (020) 2365101/2, Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 59 Factory/Industrial Road, Factory/Industrial Road, P bags, Self opening paper Factory/Industrial Road, P Fax: +254 (020) 2365103 Wireless Tel: + 254 (020) 2365101/2,

Total Wind www.totalwind.com +45 9660 1900 Written by Martin White

BLOWING THE COMPETITION AWAY

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 61

Total Wind

Wind power is the world’s fastest growing source of renewable energy. In the EU, new legislation has set an aggressive target for 20% of all energy to be provided from renewable sources by 2020 and with this in mind one must consider the rate at which wind turbines must be installed in order for this target to be reached.

As of 2010 there were more than 70,000 wind turbines in operation throughout the EU with an installed capacity of 19.5MW per 1000km of land area with one of the highest densities being in Denmark, which as a nation has been at the forefront of the industry since the beginning. Endeavour Magazine looks at the rapid rise of the Danish wind energy installation and project management company Total Wind and the philosophy that has allowed the company to become a leading global player in the field.

A Complete Solution Total Wind is a business that has demonstrated phenomenal growth. Since the company was founded by Jens Nygaard Laursen in 2003 alongside a small group of experienced Danish engineers working in the wind energy industry it has grown to employ over 400 people working in many of the key growing wind energy markets across the world. The company owes this growth to being one of the first companies to develop a comprehensive solution for turbine manufacturers and utilities by providing complete turnkey project management from transport and installation through to service of turbines as Jens explains: “We were one of the first complete solution providers for the sector meaning we have been able to change the industry alongside our colleagues. We have worked to develop our strength in skills and focus our resources on key growth markets in Europe and South America allowing us to adapt and work locally. We have achieved this by only using our own engineers and retaining complete control and responsibility for every installation. The most important objective for us is to work closely with our customers wherever the market may be to ensure that we do things properly.”

The Total Wind method is to work closely with its clients focusing carefully on all aspects of the installation and logistics requirements in order to optimise cost efficiency.

This is achieved through effective use of the company’s own highly skilled and experienced workforce. Clients are supported with in house project managers with a team of

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The residents increase their productivity. And the camp strengthens social cohesion. Site Facility Camp solutions is a full service packaged. Our clients only have to move in, feel at home and enjoy. www.sitefacility.com

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 63

Total Wind

skilled engineers and technicians responsible for installation, mechanical and electrical engineering work for any wind turbine type.

Employees are seen as the most important asset to the company and skills development has been instrumental in supporting the company’s growth as Jens explains: “In the beginning the company employed more than 80% Danish engineers but now they account for less than 10% of our workforce as we have become a multinational group. It is most important for us to understand each of our markets and employ only the best local engineers. We invest heavily in training and co-operate closely with manufacturers and utilities to help our engineers develop skills and gain the best possible understanding of new and existing technologies.”

No Compromise Working at height, in hazardous conditions and difficult environments with heavy equipment presents significant potential dangers for staff working on site and Total Wind takes this fact very seriously. The company is highly committed to the safety and protection of its staff and has worked to develop a comprehensive health and safety policy which not only meets but exceeds most local and national standards: “Our most important asset is our staff and our priority is to ensure that they return home safely from every project.

We developed our health and safety policy through our experience gained working in the UK market and continued to work in compliance with British health and safety requirements in addition to the regulations of our other markets. We believe the British standards to be the most comprehensive and applied this approach throughout our business and its subsidiaries.”

The company also applies this same uncompromising approach in ensuring that its personnel are always fully equipped through meticulous planning and co-ordination.

Transportation of each turbine is managed straight from the manufacturer through to the installation through its specialist logistics partners. Hjortdal Special Transportation is one of the most experienced logistics service providers to

the wind industry in the world with over 25 years’ experience in transportation of wind turbines using its own highly equipped fleet of custom built low loaders and transport equipment. Total Wind itself operates its own in house cranes and equipment for installation of turbines up to 140 meters in height with its own operators and technicians equipped with the best available protective equipment and tools.

Total Wind also recognises the importance of providing a safe and comfortable working environment for staff on the ground. Working with partner Site Facility, the company sets up a fully equipped camp with accommodation and office facilities for all staff working at the installation site.

The Mobile Living Camp and Mobile Office Camp facilities provided by Site Facility allow workers to remain on site throughout the project in a comfortable environment with high quality accommodation, canteen and living quarters along with fully equipped office facilities. The innovative modular solution provided by Site Facility is completely mobile and can be set up at any installation site to minimise time lost through travel and maximizing productivity – minimizing total installation cost for the customer – whilst also providing the best possible facilities for staff on site.

The Future According to the European Wind Energy association the wind sector is set for continued growth especially in Europe.

The wind industry in the EU has demonstrated an average annual growth of over 15% over the past 17 years and this trend is set to continue on the back of 9,616 MW installed during 2011 worth over 12 billion Euros. Despite challenges facing the European economic environment these figures demonstrate the level of investor confidence that remains in the wind industry. Total Wind is well positioned to take advantage of this future growth but must continue to focus on quality of service and cost efficiency as Jens explains: “Europe will continue to be a key market for us as I believe it will demonstrate sustained growth over the coming years, whilst the financial crisis will undoubtedly affect growth we still continue to see strong investment in wind power. The challenges remain in the rate of change within the industry

and cost pressure. Whilst the market is highly competitive we will continue to work closely with the leading players in the sector to help us keep up with the rate of change and maintain cost effectiveness.”

Total Wind, alongside its installation and project management operations also continues to develop its wind turbine service solutions offering for wind turbine manufacturers and world leading utilities scale operators including scheduled maintenance, fault diagnosis, ad hoc repairs and component replacement both on and offshore.

These services further support its clients in ensuring minimal disruption to wind farm operations and long term cost saving through regular technical maintenance.

Total Wind has developed a complete service provision which covers the entire life cycle of a wind farm from the point a turbine leaves the factory to successful operation of turbines many years into the future. This is achieved through effective investment in skills and working closely and proactively with clients on site to ensure optimum cost efficiency and minimal reduction, but most importantly to ensure that all tasks are carried out correctly first time. The Total Wind philosophy demonstrates a strong client-led approach and unparalleled attention to detail across the spectrum of the company’s activities. This approach correlates directly to the needs of the industry in protecting the client’s bottom line through focus on quality and efficiency therefore playing its part in safeguarding the investment potential and profitability in wind energy as a whole and supporting a clean energy future for all.

With more than 25 years experience in transportation of wind turbines, we believe that we have the necessary experience, expertise, and not least the right equipment to supply any wind park - without regard to physical location, country or type of wind.

Fabriksvej 8 DK-9690 Fjerritslev tel: +45 98 21 73 76 web: www.fnor.dk

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 65

The Wrigley Company www.wrigley.com +254 20 395 2000

by Don Campbell

CHEW ON THIS

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 67

The Wrigley Company

Wrigleys may be headquartered in the States but for the people of Kenya it’s their local factory where they get their gum.

William Wrigley Jr. was born in Philadelphia in 1862, at the height of the Civil War. His father, William, Sr., was a soap manufacturer, and as a little boy, young William carried a basket through the streets of Philadelphia, selling Wrigley’s Scouring Soap.

When he became a teenager, William took a full-time job as a soap salesman for his father. He had a talent for salesmanship, and he drove a horse and wagon from town to town, trying to convince stores to stock Wrigley’s soap.

William Wrigley Jr. struck out on his own in the spring of 1891 when he was 29 years old. He left Philadelphia for Chicago with just $32 in his pocket and a dream of running his own business. He also had boundless energy and a gift for seeing things from his customers’ point of view.

At the start of his new business in Chicago, William sold his father’s Scouring Soap. As an extra incentive to merchants to stock the soap on their shelves, he offered “premiums” - free gifts, such as cans of baking powder.

Trouble was, baking powder turned out to be more popular than soap!

Rather than give up, William switched to the baking powder business.

One day in 1892, William got the idea of offering two free packages of chewing gum with each can of baking powder. The offer was a big success. Once again the premium - chewing gum - seemed to be more popular than the product it was designed to promote.

A year later, in 1893, William Wrigley Jr. introduced a new gum he called Juicy Fruit. And so began the world’s most popular and successful chewing gum business!

The company currently sells its products in more than 180 countries and maintains 14 factories in various countries, including the United States, Mexico, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Spain, New Zealand, the Philippines, France, Taiwan, China, India, Poland, Russia and Kenya.

Kenya is where we’re focussing on with Wrigley’s East Africa and they have a motto “Create simple pleasures to brighten everyone’s day” and as they form part of the Mars Corporation they have the strength and the focus to achieve this with spectacular results. Kenya manufacture Wrigley’s gum exclusively for the majority of Africa. There is a Wrigley’s SA but they do not have a production facility, while in Kenya they have been making gum for 30 years. The plant was commissioned and constructed by the Mars Corporation for this fundamental purpose and they report to the Middle East within the Mars Group.

Employee training As part of the Mars Corporation, they leverage a lot of their training strategies and employee development plans from them. There is a mandate that all employees in the company are given the best opportunities for training, career development and personal growth.

This focus, instead of being filtered through the staff

Constantia Flexibles Big enough to dare, small enough to care.

Our Packaging is not the only bond we form. It’s our Customer Relationships that seal that bond.

Constantia have been working with Wrigley producing Flexible packaging for over 20 years and are honoured to support Wrigley in Africa with counterband and foil packaging for their gum products.

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Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 69

The Wrigley Company

to the clients is instead enhanced and, in every way, this is responsible for establishing the quality of all the Wrigley products.

Sourcing their pool of employees from local areas and training them up in house is important to boost the Kenyan economy and to increase the pool of trained, skilled labour available for other industries based in East Africa.

Quality The product offering of Wrigley’s is famous and irrevocably linked to a certain taste and texture which we have all come to expect. In turn, the taste and textile of the chewing gum rely entirely on the quality of the raw materials sourced. To keep this at the highest possible standard Wrigley’s EA are guided by and committed to the Mars way of production in terms of sourcing. Suppliers need the best credentials and have to be quality accredited to reach the standards set by Mars.

“In June 1974, a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio installed the first bar code scanning equipment. The first product to be scanned using a UPC bar code was a 10 pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum. This pack of gum is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.”

In some countries, xylitol is used to sweeten gum, instead of aspartame. By avoiding sugar, the chance of tooth decay is lowered, since the sugar otherwise used may turn into acid after chewing the gum. A further health benefit is that in chewing gum it may help to remove food residues. Xylitol based products are allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make the medical claim that they do not promote dental cavities.

Endeavour Magazine • July 2012 • 70

Primarily exporters, Wrigley’s EA is dependent on the economy just the same as any other manufacturer and exporter. With exporters though, when one country’s economy slumps, another one’s ramps up, and through diversification and industry awareness they are able to play the numbers sufficiently. Currently, the global recession, which was causing Europe and Britain grief two years ago, has finally found its way through to Africa, but by concentrating on the day-to-day push of the business they’re sure to rise out at the top.

Relationship building In building relationships it is doubly important not to let people down at the last moment, and management of the expectations of clients, suppliers and service providers - all of which run on deadlines - needs to be diligently looked after.

When a deadline is set it must be met or else this can have a knock-on effect that can damage reputations. Wrigley’s manages this with a remarkable conviction understanding that in any business time is certainly money.

While people go to the store for milk and bread they don’t necessarily go to the store to pick up chewing gum.

Chewing gum is a fun product and it is promoted by being an impulse purchase at the end of the shopping trip. Wrigley’s spend millions on ensuring that the product, from placement, marketing and packaging is as powerful and undeniable as possible.

In conclusion, Wrigley’s is the world’s most popular and successful chewing gum business for good reason. They are moving through the decades getting stronger and stronger and with their stratergies for continual grow I see no reason that this will ever change.