Endeavour Magazine March 2020

MARCH 2020

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PENTA HOTELS Re-inventing The Hotel

TIGH-NAMARA House

By The Sea

PENTAGON FREIGHT Taking It Further

TAJ DUBAI

THE TAJ WELCOME

UK £4.95 CAN $7.95 USA $7.95 EUR €5.95 SA ZAR 69.00

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HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS Managing Editor Alice Instone-Brewer editor@littlegatepublishing.com Sales Manager Emlyn Freeman emlynfreeman@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher James Lapping james@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher Alex Hayes alexhayes@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher Dennis Morales dennismorales@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher David Kimberley david@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher Eve Wright eve@littlegatepublishing.com Editorial Researcher James Martin jamesmartin@littlegatepublishing.com Corporate Director Anthony Letchumaman anthonyl@littlegatepublishing.com Lead Designer Alina Sandu studio@littlegatepublishing.com CEO Stephen Warman stevewarman@littlegatepublishing.com For enquiries or subscriptions contact info@littlegatepublishing.com +44 1603 296 100 ENDEAVOUR MAGAZINE is published

by Littlegate Publishing LTD which is a Registered Company in the United Kingdom.

Company Registration: 07657236 VAT registration number: 116 776007 343 City Road Suite 10, Thorpe House London 79 Thorpe Road EC1 V1LR Norwich, NR1 1UA Littlegate Publishing Ltd does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Copyright © Littlegate Publishing Ltd 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE

I

s it time to book our summer vacations yet? Because we have spoken with a lot of hotels this month!

It is still stubbornly cold here in the UK, even as we step into March, and thoughts of a warm sun and foreign climes are increasingly appealing. That yearning wanderlust has not been helped at all by the many spectacular hotel brands and travel destinations we’ve had the pleasure to speak with for this issue – we’ve got some serious holiday envy.

One destination we’re eyeing up is Tigh-Na-Mara’s coastal getaway, tucked into the rich woodlands of Vancouver Island. This resort is perfect for a peaceful corporate event that wants to mix leisure, wellness and relaxation with meetings and team-building events.

Then, on the topic of business meeting leisure, there’s Penta Hotels – a lifestyle hotel brand that told us about the rise in ‘Bleisure’ travelers seeking an adventure and sense of something ‘extra’ within their business trips.

We discussed this change in customer priorities with Penta, as well as the brand’s fresh, experience-driven approach to hotel management and design.

On the topic of management and design, we were also able to speak with Taj Hotels. Whilst Penta Hotels seeks to make a hotel experience relaxed and chiccasual, Taj Hotels serves luxury and tradition. We spoke with the Indian company about its unrolling expansion in the Middle East, and were truly stunned by the beauty of some of the properties it operates.

From modern towers to literal palaces, Taj offers stays in breathtaking locations, with the service and attention to detail to match.

Last but definitely not least, we rounded off this dip into leisure by reconnecting with Nomad Tours, who had as many updates for us as ever! Nomad told us about similar changes in trends to those Penta Hotels has noticed, and gave us an insight into how this shift is affecting the face of camping and adventure holidaying.

Of course, it hasn’t all been a vacation: as always, we’ve touched in with some incredible companies from across the industrial sectors. However, even our Amazing World team are casting their eyes towards excitement as well, with the first of our new series on music festivals. This month, we’ve looked at Noisily Festival, a UK holistic, psychedelic music event that is raising the bar on green festival management.

Alice Instone-Brewer Endeavour Magazine | 3

CONTENTS

Pentagon Freight

Penta Hotels

FEATURES

15

Re-inventing The Hotel Penta Hotels

The Finishing Touch 101 SAM

25

The Taj Welcome Taj Dubai

Instant Gratification 107 CCL Products

House By The Sea 33 Tigh-Na-Mara

Digging Deeper 111 STEC

41

Taking It Further Pentagon Freight

117

47

Ever-Moving Nomad Africa Adventure Tours

Fuel Up 123 NP

55

Keeping Zimbabwe Connected Bitumen World

European Unity 131 Swisslion

65

Global Expertise Investors Trust

Salvation From Above 135 SANBS

71

Committing To Cleaner Energy Nalcor Energy

Their Culture, Their Taste 139 Royal Castle

77

The Power Is On Lake Turkana Wind Power

Digging For Ghana 145 Ghana Chamber of Mines

83

Driven By Integrity NH International

151

87

Keeping Energized National Energy

On Guard 155 Denel Aeronautics

93

Powering Papua New Guinea PNG Power

4 | Endeavour Magazine

Bridging The Gap Barbados Port Inc

On To The Next One Metro Copenhagen

Tigh Na Mara

ARTICLES

Business Headlines

6 Asia 7 Africa 8 Americas 10 Middle East 11 Europe

Up For Life!

12

Practice Makes Perfect

Amazing World

60 A Sea Full of Stars 98 Supernatural World 128 Noisily Festival

Investors Trust

Nalcor Energy Endeavour Magazine | 5

BUSINESS HEADLINES ASIA The coronavirus is improving China’s and Japan’s relationship At the time of writing, China’s coronavirus outbreak that has so far killed more than 2,700 people and infected over 80,000 – figures that continue to rise.

As the world has responded to this crisis, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang has expressed the country’s displeasure at the USA’s reaction, accusing it of “overreacting” and “spreading fear” by being the first to evacuate personnel from its consulate in Wuhan and imposing a travel ban on Chinese travelers.

However, in contrast, Geng has praised Japan’s response – a huge step towards improving the relationship between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido, declared a state of emergency on February 28th after the country had its ninth death from the virus.

Speaking at a press conference, Governor Naomichi Suzuki urged residents to stay inside their homes over the weekend. The governor said the number of infections is steadily increasing on the island, which now has the highest number of confirmed cases in Japan outside of the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

The declared state of emergency is set to last until March 19th.

Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum have also been charged with one count of illegal assembly in relation to the same protest.

Thousands of people turned out for the August march, ignoring the government ban.

Senior Superintendent Wong Tung-kwong said all three men would be called to the Eastern Magistrate Court on May 5th.

Apple’s first Indian store to open 2021 According to Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook, the company will open its first physical stores in India in 2021 and an online outlet later that year.

In 2018 India changed the laws that prevented foreign brands from opening singlebrand stores in the country. Apple therefore had to seek special approval from the Indian government to open a store without a local partner.

The announcement was made at the Pro-democracy Hong Kong company’s annual shareholders’ meeting. media tycoon arrested Investors at the meeting also voted on a One of Hong Kong’s most high-profile proposal that the firm should alter how it entrepreneurs, pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy responds when governments ask it to remove Lai, has been charged with illegal assembly and apps from its marketplace. intimidation.

Though the measure wasn’t approved, The illegal assembly charge relates to a it failed by a slimmer margin then similar banned anti-government march on 31 August, proposals in the past. which Mr Lai is accused of attending.

India is the second largest smartphone The newspaper that Mr Lai founded, Apple market in the world.

Daily, is frequently critical of Hong Kong and Apple sells its products through third-party Chinese leadership. stores in India at the moment. But its sales Two other pro-democracy figures, lag competitors Samsung and Huawei. With politicians Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum, demand for Apple products slowing in China, were also arrested. All arrests took place on the firm is hoping it can spur growth in other February 28th. developing markets like India.

6 | Endeavour Magazine

AFRICA Deposed Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir to face war crimes charges On February 24th, it was announced that Sudan’s former president Omar al-Bashir will be handed over to the International Criminal Court to face war crimes charges.

Bashir was forced out of Presidency in April 2019 after three decades of rule, following months of nationwide protests.

He now faces five counts of crimes against humanity and two counts of war crimes, all of which were allegedly committed during Sudan’s military campaign in Darfur between 2003 and 2008.

The ICC issued two arrest warrants for Bashir, first in March 2009 and then in July 2010. It now considers him to be “at large.”

Bashir was the first sitting president to be wanted by the ICC, and the first person to be charged by the ICC for the crime of genocide.

Ethiopia to free political prisoners On February 25th, the Ethiopian government announced that it would release dozens of highprofile political prisoners from jail, including opposition activists held over an alleged coup and other high-ranking government critics.

A spokesman for the attorney general’s office said investigations had been dropped against 63 individuals and they would be released from custody “for the national good”.

“The Ethiopian government hopes to widen the political and democratic space in the country with the freeing” of these individuals, said the spokesman, Zinabu Tunu.

Among those to be released are cadres of the National Movement of Amhara (NAMA), an ethno-nationalist opposition group blamed for attacks last year that the government described as a regional coup attempt.

Hundreds were arrested in the aftermath of the June violence in Ethiopia’s north that left five high-ranking officials dead and heaped pressure on a government struggling to cope with ethnic tensions.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was accused of using the violence as a pretext to jail critics. He has since been praised for loosening control in long-authoritarian Ethiopia, and was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

South Africa to expatriate its nationals from Wuhan South Africa’s president has ordered the repatriation of its citizens from the Chinese city of Wuhan.

“It is estimated that there are 199 South Africans citizens in Wuhan as per the latest consolidated list from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. At this stage, 132 of them have expressed the desire to be repatriated,’‘ Ramaphosa said in a statement.

The president said the government is in touch with their families and has made necessary travel arrangements.

“None of the affected individuals has been diagnosed with the virus nor have they exhibited any symptoms thereof. Upon arrival in South Africa, they will be placed in quarantine for 21 days as an additional precautionary measure.”

The coronavirus was confirmed in the Chinese city of Wuhan on January 7, 2020.

Cases have since been confirmed in several other Asian countries, Europe and the United States.

Almost all African governments have publicly put in place strict screening at points of entry, especially in airports. All African airlines have cancelled scheduled flights to China except for Ethiopian Airlines.

Endeavour Magazine | 7

AMERICAS Plans for first US ‘safe injection site’ derailed Plans to open the first safe drug injection site in the US have been cancelled after widespread opposition in Philadelphia.

The proposed centre, where people with addictions could receive medical help to inject drugs, was due to open next week.

However, Safehouse, the charity behind the proposed safe injection facility (SIF), withdrew the plan on February 27th.

A protest was planned in South Philadelphia and an online petition to stop the site from being built gathered over 5,800 signatures within 12 hours.

The outpouring of community anger prompted the charity to postpone the opening of the SIF days after winning a two-year court battle for the right to operate.

“We’re going to take a pause, even though we are legally entitled to open,” Ronda Goldfein, the charity’s vice president said. The group said it would seek to have “meaningful conversations” with the community before going forward.

Meanwhile, the US attorney for Pennsylvania’s Eastern District has said he will appeal against the ruling that cleared Safehouse to open the SIF.

are fighting a natural gas pipeline across their territory in northern British Columbia.

Those events have heightened tensions between the federal Liberal government and conservative premiers Jason Kenney and Scott Moe in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada’s oil and gas producing heartland.

Ex-Baltimore mayor handed three-year prison term Disgraced ex-Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has been jailed for three years for using revenue from fraudulent book sales to benefit her re-election bid.

Pugh apologised before her sentencing for the scheme, which saw hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks disguised as book sales.

She was also ordered to pay more than $1m in restitution.

Pugh, 69, resigned in May after FBI agents raided city hall and homes that she owned.

Pugh, a Democrat who was took office in 2016, pleaded guilty last November to conspiracy and tax evasion.

The crime centred on the mayor’s ‘Healthy Holly’ book series, which promotes healthy eating and exercise to primary-school aged children.

Prosecutors claimed that Pugh’s scheme Trudeau to meet provincial, territorial leaders began seven years ago, when she was a amid heightened tensions Maryland state senator, and that she was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will sit down assisted by two long-time aides. They are with provincial and territorial leaders on March awaiting sentencing after also pleading guilty 13 to discuss various issues that are causing to conspiracy and tax charges. tension within the country.

Officials say Pugh sold the books to corporate The first ministers’ meeting, to be held buyers who had an interest in “obtaining or in Ottawa, is to cover climate change, the maintaining a government contract”. economy, health care, infrastructure and Sales were made to local health providers equalization. and schools, but in some cases the books Announcement of the meeting comes as were never delivered and actually sold for a Trudeau is struggling to reconcile the competing second time. demands of environmental concerns, resource Profits from book sales were funnelled to development and Indigenous reconciliation. her mayoral campaign and also to buy a new It comes on the heels of Teck Resources’ house. decision to back out of a new oilsands project in Alberta, citing uncertainty over climate policy.

It also comes whilst protests continue to disrupt train service across the country in support of Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs who 8 | Endeavour Magazine

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MIDDLE EAST Turkey claims at least 33 soldiers killed in Syrian air attack According to the Turkish government, at least 33 Turkish soldiers were killed on February 27th after regime forces carries out an aerial attack in Syria’s Idlib province.

A further 35 soldiers were reportedly injured in the attack. These causalities have been evacuated to Turkish hospitals.

The Syrian government has not commented on the Turkish claim. The Russian Defense Ministry denied that its air force carried out strikes in the area of Idlib where the Turkish soldiers were located. Moscow said Turkish forces were “located near the areas where terrorist groups were situated” and then “came under fire from Syrian forces.”

Turkish soldiers are in the last rebel-held area of Syria as part of a 2018 de-escalation agreement between Ankara and Moscow.

The Syrian government, backed by Russia, has mounted an aggressive air campaign against rebels in Idlib in recent weeks.

The Turkish government is holding security meetings about how to respond to and retaliate against the alleged attacks.

country is under-reporting the figures of those affected.

The President warned that the virus could become “a weapon at the hands of our enemies” if allowed to affect the public view of the country.

Saudi officials order arrest of female rapper Iran faces worst coronavirus outbreak Asayel for ‘Mecca Girl’ music video in the Middle East Officials in Saudi Arabia have ordered the As of February 28th, Iran’s novel coronavirus arrest of a female rapper known as Asayel for death toll has climbed to 19, with 139 confirmed posting a music video “Mecca Girl” on YouTube. cases of the sickness.

Her crew also face arrest.

Despite the spread of the virus, President The music video shows Asayel, wearing a Hassan Rouhani has announced that no Iranian headscarf, rapping in a coffee shop about being cities will be quarantined. In part, the decision a woman from Mecca. It is not immediately was motived by a desire not to allow the virus clear what would have caused the order for her to damage the country’s economy. arrest.

Pilgrimages to the holy city of Qom also Prince Khalid bin Faisal issued the arrest continue, although many schools and public order, saying the video “offends the customs buildings have been closed, and hookahs have and traditions of the people of Mecca and been banned from cafes for the sake of hygene. contradicts the identity and traditions of its This comes whilst Iran is in the middle of a esteemed population.” state of economic crisis, exacerbated by US Asayel’s Youtube channel has been removed, sanctions on the country, including sanctions but the video has been posted by other users. that have drastically driven up the price of The call for Asayel’s arrest comes amid efforts medicine and medical equipment. by the oil kingdom to modernize its strict social Iran currently has the highest number of order and relax some of the many restrictions coronavirus cases in the Middle East, and it placed on women. This arrest order shows the is suspected by health authorities that the current limits of that progress.

10 | Endeavour Magazine

EUROPE Lithuania confirms first coronavirus case A woman with ‘mild symptoms’ became the first confirmed coronavirus case in Lithuania on February 28th, according to the country’s Ministry of Health.

The woman is currently in isolation in Republic Siauliai Hospital.Three family members of the patient are being closely monitored in hospital and have not experienced symptoms so far.

Other people who have been in contact with the infected patient are being identified and their health is being examined, the ministry said.

None of them have experienced symptoms.

“Despite the efforts made and the proactive preventive measures that we took among the first, we regret to declare that Lithuania did not avoid the coronavirus,” said Minister of Health Aurelijus Veryga.

“We were well aware that the threat existed, and we were actively getting ready for this scenario.”

UK prepared to walk away from trade talks in June The UK has warned the EU it will walk away from trade talks in June is progress has not been made, and at least a broad outline of a deal has been formed.

The government has published a 30-page document outlining its priorities for the talks.

These priorities included the statement that the UK “will not negotiate any arrangements in which the UK does not have control of its own laws and political life”.

The document also said that the UK’s aim is for a trading relationship with the EU similar to the ones the 27-nation bloc has with Canada, Japan and South Korea; that there will be no jurisdiction for EU law or the European Court of Justice in the UK, and that the UK will rely on World Trade Organization rules under an arrangement with the EU similar to Australia’s if progress on a comprehensive deal cannot be made.

If it walks away from the trade talks, the country that does not happen it will decide whether to switch focus to leaving on WTO terms at the end of December.

Swiss town faces 10-year evacuation over arms dump The Swiss village Mitholz may have to evacuate for over a decade while authorities clear a huge World War Two arms dump.

The defence ministry concluded last year that the cache posed an “unacceptable” risk to the nearby people of Mitholz.

Now, authorities say residents may have to leave while they clear the site.

“Depending on how the work develops, residents should expect the evacuation to last up to more than 10 years,” the ministry said.

Residents would have to approve the plan to leave the area. A public consultation is under way to see how best to proceed.

The depot partially exploded in 1947, killing nine people and destroying the nearby train station. More than 70 years later, about 3,500 tonnes of ammunition remain buried under rock at the site.

Any evacuation for the town’s residents would probably not begin until 2031. Assessors at the dump are due to publish a report on 17 April.

Endeavour Magazine | 11

UP FOR LIFE! PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

S

tarting on 1st June 2020 Simon Stephen will be riding his motorbike 5,307 miles across ten countries to raise money for Grassroots Suicide Prevention.

Read his story in the Endeavour Magazine February issue or online at bit.ly/3adKtVF

PROGRESS REPORT 28TH FEB 2020

“Since Endeavour magazine kindly published my ‘story’ in last month’s edition, I have been overwhelmed by the positive response it has received from friends and strangers alike. My story is not unique by any means, and I have been contacted by a number of people who have also suffered from the severe stresses of modern life. In all of these cases, organisations like Grassroots have played a vital role in helping people see that life is truly valuable, and that even when all seems lost, the strength to carry on can be found if you look in the right place.

And so, to the ride itself: well, as the weeks fly by, I become more and more excited and more and more nervous. The truth is, having started riding the bike almost daily to prepare, I have gradually realised the enormity of the challenge ahead. It takes time to build confidence, I accept that, but even though I am piling on the practice miles, the thought of riding 200-300 miles per day, every day, for 30 days in a row fills me with a mild panic!

The last month has been spent testing myself and the bike in as many ways as possible: slow manoeuvring, fast manoeuvring, wet roads, dry 12 | Endeavour Magazine

roads, dirt roads, motorways – you name it. I have tried my best to start simulating probable scenarios, even going so far as to ride with different clothing set-ups to see what feels comfortable and what feels safest.

It’s been fun, although for those of you who follow my Instagram page, you’ll know that a couple of weeks ago I had a near miss after hitting a large patch of gravel. Despite the bike’s best efforts, I managed to remain upright, but the experience shook me significantly and it took me a few days to regain some degree of confidence again. It made me understand that the line between safety and danger is incredibly fine, and whilst I can take every possible precaution in terms of equipment and bike maintenance, it will likely be something seemingly insignificant that provides the real risks. Obviously car drivers, maniacal van drivers, half-asleep truckers and the occasional roaming wildlife all add to the danger, but to some degree you can mitigate against those - it’s the little things like spilled oil, pot holes, tarmac slippage and gravel that concern me the most.

All that being said, to be in a position to have the time to practice this much is a huge privilege, not just in terms of having the time in out someone? the first place, but because to ride a motorbike The Stay Alive app is a free brings me a sense of freedom and calm that I self-help and educational have rarely had before. It is ‘soulful’ and puts resource, packed full of useful you in touch with the world around you in a information and tools to help way that driving a car simply does not. All the you and others stay safe from while, I also take courage and energy from suicide. knowing that all this practice brings me closer to the ride itself and closer to raising the money Staying Safe From Suicide that Grassroots and Stepsneeds to take when youdeserves. are feeling suicidal, or you are concerned about someone else Grassroots is an extraordinary organisation, not least because LifeBox they dedicate themselves A place to store photospeople like to the betterment oflife-affirming ordinary you and me – they help save lives, but more Crisis Support than that they toandsave lives and Quickteach access toothers UK national local crisis support gradually, one person at a time, they improve Safety the awareness of Plan mental health as a whole

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and ensure that when a person is suffering, even in silence, the people around them have the knowledge, tools and empathy to spot the problem and give them the support they need.

So please, get involved with Up For Life, get in touch with me, spread the word and most importantly, please do visit my Just Giving site and donate as much as you can.”

Our next update will be at the end of March, where we will tell you all about Simon’s Moroccan adventure during his ‘shakedown week’.

You can sponsor Simon by visiting: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/upforlife You can follow his journey on Instagram @up._for._life

A mini-safety plan that can be filled out by anyone thinking about suicide

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Endeavour Magazine | 13

14 | Endeavour Magazine

RE-INVENTING THE HOTEL Penta Hotels chevron-square-right www.pentahotels.com phone-square +49 69 256699 300

In a changing world, the smartest way to do business is to be always ready to go back to the drawing board and ask, ‘Does this still work’?

Whatever your product or industry, you cannot simply copy the decisions made by past businesses: you need to re-ask these questions yourself. Penta did just this, and what it has created is a hotel brand with a difference, better geared to the modern traveller, and without the elements in traditional hotels that it feels would slow it down.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

P

enta Hotels Worldwide GmbH (Penta) is a German company with a presence in both Europe and Asia. In total, 28 hotels across eight countries are in operation under the brand: Paris, Vienna, Prague, Moscow, China and Hong Kong, Belgium, the UK and, of course, Germany. We spoke with Heiko Rieder, Vice President of Venue Management and Reservation, to gain an insight into the energy and operation of the hotel: “Penta is a design led hotel brand in the upper midscale segment. The hallmark of our hotels is the Pentalounge - a combination of café, bar, lounge and reception that offers our arriving guests an immediate sense of a friendly gathering space.”

We weren’t surprised that Heiko was quick to mention this element of Penta– it was the first thing we noticed about the chain too.

Looking at images of the Pentalounge, you’d think you were in a modern, industrial-chic restaurant-bar. Brick walls, leather sofas mixed with comfy, mis-matched ones, wooden crates, chrome piping, bookshelves, large overhead lamps and bare bulbs providing low lighting, a deep grey palette; this could be any go-to spot for a night out in any city. Instead, it is the hub of a Penta’s customer interaction, where you Endeavour Magazine | 15

PENTA HOTELS

can check in at the bar whilst grabbing a drink and eyeing up dinner.

The design of Penta’s Pentalounges couldn’t be more on trend, mastering the mix of industrial and cozy, with pool tables and pinball machines thrown into the mix. This room alone makes us want to book a stay with Penta, and, if you think this is where the vibe stops, you’d be mistaken. Even some bedrooms in Pentahotels come with table football or pinball machines, and each one carries the same aesthetic as is introduced downstairs.

Whilst there is a brand tone that runs throughout, the design of each Pentalounge changes from location to location, making sure it’s as in style in Russia as it is in Hong Kong.

For example, the Pentalounge in Pentahotel Shanghai is brightly lit and its colour palette uses golds instead of greys, and in Birmingham UK, the bar has a definite British pub flavour mixed in, with a traditional pool table in brown wood and green felt, warm fireplaces and tartan cushions on wing-backed leather chesterfield

Heiko Rieder, Vice President of Revenue Management and Reservation 16 | Endeavour Magazine

armchairs.

However, throughout every location, the industrial-chic vibe ultimately rules supreme.

The food in the Pentalounge is exactly what you might hope for if you walked into a restaurant-bar with this sort of look: described as ‘No fuss, just fuel’ by the hotel’s website, we’re talking artisanal burgers and fries, we’re talking pizza, we’re talking nachos, we’re talking steak – and, of course, we’re talking pints and cocktails. Even better, the prices are no different to any high-quality casual dining restaurant.

Creating the Penta experience wasn’t done in a void – it was done with on-hand market research, aiming to provide the elements and experiences that guests actually want whilst doing away with any traditional hotel elements that are included out of habit but are, in fact, not actually desired. Heiko explained: “In hotels, oftentimes you find several amenities or services which have no value to the guest and are hardly ever used. The minibar or the extensive food menu are classic examples.

When we started out it was important to us to neglect these elements and instead concentrate on items that are really important to our guests and do them properly.”

“In the early days we also tested out some really crazy things and learned our lessons from it. I remember very well the feedback we received when we from one day to the next took off all hot items from the breakfast buffet. Our guests reacted really upset and from that day we knew that breakfast is extremely important to them and decided to not just put the warm dishes back but also added several other items you would normally expect in luxury hotels such as salmon or sparkling wine.”

Paying this level of attention to guest feedback is the perfect way to create an experience that people will love and return to.

The number of times a stay in a hotel has had frustrating or even alienating moments is, when you think about how personal and customerfacing a service it’s providing, crazy. In contrast, Penta’s willingness to listen to its guests paid off: “The breakfast is one of the most highly commented services since over ten years now.”

RE-INVENTING THE HOTEL

Another way that Penta has gone back to the drawing board to maximise customer enjoyment is through its shake-up of how a hotel’s back-of-house operates: “We have created a central service office at our headquarters in Frankfurt from where most administrative responsibilities are handled.” This service office is located in Frankfurt, Germany, where the company is headquartered. “This is a core element of our brand concept. When we convert buildings to fit our hotel’s’ needs, we reduce back of house space as much as we can to convert it to public space.”

Heiko has been with Penta Hotels for 13 years. When he first joined the company, it did not yet have any hotels, but during his first three years with them, the first 13 were opened. “I was initially hired as Manager to create and deploy a centralised concept for both Reservations and Revenue Management which was, at that time fairly experimental (normally, Revenue Management and Reservations are part of the back of house operation located in the hotel.)”

Freeing the individual hotels up from hosting this and several other centralized elements allows them to put their teams’ time and resources into other areas: “This way, the hotel teams can fully concentrate on the creation of a unique experience for our guest.”

With every new generation comes new trends that bleed outwards. With GenZ, Heiko identified this change as being geared towards ‘Bleisure’. “GenZ decision-making process for travel is impacted by more than value for money. Today, travellers look more closely at the values of a brand and the experience they expect when choosing a hotel. ‘Bleisure’ describes the desire for younger generation business travellers to add a leisure component to their business trip.” This shift can probably be credited, at least in part, to the impact of social media, whether this means social media influencers looking for that aesthetic, entertainment factor on their business trips in order to generate more content, or whether it is those consuming such content and

Endeavour Magazine | 17

PENTA HOTELS seeing the lifestyles of others via Instagram therefore seeking out a similar standard for themselves. Mingling the professional with the social and fun is certainly an element gaining emphasis now that posting attractive and fun social content is a part of how one promotes themselves in a professional capacity.

This shift has included an increase in weekday stays being extended to the weekend, as well as the need for day use rooms. It has also seen an increased demand for points of entertainment within the hotel, such as its pool and pinball machines, and initiatives such as ‘Penta o’clock’, where Happy Hour on Thursdays is accompanied by an entertainer in a dog costume, if that’s your idea of fun.

Personalised walking tours of the local area can also be arranged through the hotel, with which aims to encourage its guests to really get the most out of their stay by getting to know and fully explore the local area.

Another element that holds higher value with recent generations than it has with their

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predecessors is CSR. Younger travellers want to know that they are supporting an ethical company with morals in line with their own.

Heiko told us that CSR has always been of great importance to Penta, but especially in recent years, it is responding to its clientele by increasing and communicating this focus.

Current initiatives include the ‘Souper heroes’ scheme, where every soup sold at the hotel results in another bowl of soup donated to a local person in need through local charities in the communities of each hotel. The company is also involved with beach and park cleaning projects, stocks completely green bathroom amenities from Zenology, and have various green systems that guests are compensated for opting-in on, such as a soon-to-launch compensation for opting out of receiving housekeeping services.

Penta Hotels was a pioneer when it came to the ‘lifestyle hotel’ concept, in the first wave of companies to think up and trial this sort of approach. It’s hard to say who the very first was,

RE-INVENTING THE HOTEL as a zeitgeist is bound to create parallel thinking, but, like with any good idea, it’s catching on.

The upper-mid lifestyle segment has increased greatly in the last 5-6 years, in reaction to these shifts in customer priority. “All of these new trends provide lots of opportunities for innovative and creative hotels to differentiate themselves,” Heiko enthused.

Although it means Penta’s competition is increasing, so is the market, and Heiko isn’t concerned about other companies coming for Penta’s brand: “The hardware nowadays can easily be copied, but the culture of a company is unique. At Penta, we are believers in the fact that every brand can only be as strong as its culture. This starts at the way we source talent, train and develop them and make them proud to be part of our journey.”

Penta’s approach to its staff, like its approach to running a hotel, differs from tradition in a number of ways. Where these differences occur, the style of management is, again like

the hotel itself, more akin to a casual dining restaurant-bar. For example, staff are multitalented, able to operate the reception as well as serve food and mix cocktails. The company is able to make this change because of its centralising of its administration to, largely, one hub. This also means that each hotel needs 50% fewer members of staff than a traditional hotel of the same size without jeopardising a great guest experience.

It has been found by many companies that their younger generations of employees are looking for job satisfaction in new ways; even at lower-level jobs, Millennials and GenZ want to feel as though they are making a notable difference within the company. Heiko and Penta are aware of this shift, and Penta makes a point to offer opportunities and support to all of its staff: “Today’s workforce aims for values other than just decent compensation. We invest into development and training schemes, and also ensure all teams are constantly informed about

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our brands initiatives and events. We invest in collaboration and the feeling of being part of something bigger.”

This approach has paid off: “There are many examples of team members who started in line positions and made a career at Penta.

Our central reservations department has a reputation of a talent factory because it attracted talents who grew in key positions. I love to see my guys develop from within our organisation.”

As well as making sure its team members feel noticed and involved, Penta takes extra care to cater to its guests. “We want our guests to feel at ease when staying with us. We believe our guests value our professional but yet authentic approach towards them and the high level of quality and choice we can offer.” This sense of choice is particularly true for ‘PentaFriend’ - members of an initiative that the company launched in October 2019. PentaFriends receive a number of benefits, including free early

check-in, late check-out, discounts, and even a complimentary dessert with their stay. They also have the ability to share their preferences with the hotel so Penta can customise their stay to their liking.

As a way to enable this extra level of feedback and choice for PentaFriends and other guests alike, Penta is looking towards greater digitisation of its operations. This will also make guest experience smoother. For example, elements as simple as self-check-in will mean that guests can relax in the Pentalounge whilst they check-in via an app and wait to be shown to their room, rather than needing to stand at a reception desk, instantly making their arrival more leisurely and comfortable.

This move will happen with the support of Penta’s digital partners. Behind the scenes, it already relies on a smoothly digitised system, much of which it credits to IDeaS. IDeaS is a SAS company and the world’s leading provider of revenue management software and services.

Penta’o’Clock! Penta staff let the dogs out at happy hour

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RE-INVENTING THE HOTEL

PENTA HOTELS

With over 30 years of expertise, IDeaS delivers revenue science to more than 13,000 clients in 129 countries. Combining industry knowledge with innovative, data-analytics technology, IDeaS creates sophisticated yet simple ways to empower revenue leaders with precise, automated decisions they can trust. As the company says, “Results delivered; revenue transformed.”

“IDeaS has been part of our journey from the beginning,” Heiko told us. “Thanks to IDeaS’ deeply integrated technology we are able to predict our performance and incorporate it into our pricing strategy most efficiently by pushing updated rooms rates and bedroom inventory out to all distribution channels up to five times in 24 hours.” This kind of digital efficiency allows Penta to run its administration from Frankfurt smoothly, removing issues such as misinterpretation and allowing the company to take care of its administration and logistics without fuss. Having this taken care of allows

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the company to focus on doing what it does best: taking care of its guests.

As the company tells visitors to its website; “It is our mission to make you feel comfortable, cosy and welcome. So, enjoy and feel at home in our laid-back lounge, relax in our stylish rooms and be a part of the friendly Penta vibe.” That vibe is distinct to the brand, and whilst Penta is now not the only chain to take this approach, it was one of the first, and it does so with a passion and dedication to its guests that is supported by game-changing behind-the-scenes alterations to the usual hotel format. By eliminating the unnecessary and instead focusing on delivering the great experience, Penta fully embraces its spirit of a truly unparalleled hotel brand.

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THE TAJ WELCOME Taj Dubai chevron-square-right www.tajhotels.com phone-square +91 22 6601 1825

When an opulent Indian hotel brand meets the high standards of Dubai, you know you’re in for something special. Taj Hotels, known for its Indian palaces and international excellence, is expanding its footprint through the Middle East. We spoke with Ranjit Phillipose, Taj Hotel’s Area Director in the region, to learn more.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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urrently, Ranjit Phillipose is not only responsible for the operations of the striking Taj Dubai, but he is also overseeing Taj Hotels’ planned rapid expansion across the Middle East. With 27 years of experience with the company and front-line involvement with these expansion plans, Ranjit was able to give us first-hand insight into Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) as a company, and what to expect from it in the coming years.

Having operated as a reputed hotel brand in India for 117 years, the well-known company has now spread to a wide international success, with properties not only in India, but in Sri Lanka, USA, England, Zambia, South Africa, Maldives, Bhutan, Andaman Islands and Dubai, UAE. When it comes to Dubai, however, competition is high and success is no guarantee – not even for a company with this much experience. When Ranjit stepped into his role at Taj Dubai, he found that he had every other major hotel brand close by: “Now, one of the biggest challenges in the market has been that there is a lot more supply than demand,” he explained, “So how do you differentiate yourself from the other brands? ” To make its place in this market, Taj had to come in strong, and this was a challenge that Ranjit embraced: Endeavour Magazine | 25

TAJ DUBAI

“One of the things that makes us stand out is our philosophy of ‘Tajness’. Tajness is something you should be able to feel with your eyes closed.

It’s all about the service that we bring; our engagement with our guests.” Ranjit explained that it is these high levels of customer service, as well as an attentive, personal customisation of guest experiences, that Taj Dubai prides itself on. It is a brand standard throughout the company, and it is one that has placed Taj Dubai in good stead despite a saturated market: “Over the past three years, we’ve been able to eat into the market share of our competition.

When we started out in 2015, we were ranked 5/6. Last year we closed the year at 1/6.”

Dubai is well known for its luxurious real estate and hotels, so a high level of competition was to be expected, however given that the city is such a vibrant hub in the Middle East, we were surprised to hear that supply was now higher than demand. We asked Ranjit whether this was caused by an actual drop in demand,

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or whether it was simply that companies’ eagerness to move into the city had gone too far: “Reports are showing that there’s a degrowth of about 15%. There has been this slowdown because of various factors. Instability in the Middle East and aggressive marketing by countries like Saudi Arabia to grow their own economy has affected travel into Dubai. Now with the coronavirus, the industry has again taken a hit.” However, being a well-known entity in many countries, Taj Dubai has clientele coming from other countries so the hit is not too serious: Australia, Europe, the UK, South America and of course India are all large sources of guests for the hotel.

2020 is also shaping up to be a positive year for Dubai’s tourism industry; Expo 2020 Dubai is set to transform the city from October 2020 to April 2021, drawing people to Dubai from all across the globe. The event will be huge, with countries designing and investing in whole pavilions in which to display, demonstrate and show off their major industries and areas of development. The Dubai Tourism Department expects the event to raise Dubai’s footfall from 20 to 25 million, and Taj Dubai plans to see a slice of that action. Rather than simply leaving the catchment of this business to chance, the company and the hotel actually have gears in motion to corner it.

“One of the biggest things that works in our favour is that, at the Expo, the India stand is going to be one of the biggest. The Indian government is investing a lot of money into creating that stand, and The Tata Group, our parent company, is going to have a major part of it.” The Indian government itself is working to promote this stand and the businesses involved, and Taj’s link to this means that its hotels will be promoted to those working on the stand itself, as well as visiting the Expo. The company is even in discussions over doing the Indian Pavilion’s catering.

Looking beyond the Expo, Taj plans to expand its Middle Eastern presence. Last year, it opened its second property in Dubai - Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers – and by Q4, 2020, they are looking to open a third property, this one a beach resort on the famous Palm Jumeirah. If

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you haven’t seen the striking construction that is The Palm, look it up – there are few things quite like it in the world. “The Palm is where all the big brands are, so our presence there is absolutely critical.”

However, the company’s focus on the Middle East does not stop at Dubai. Other potential areas of expansion include Oman and Abu Dhabi, and excitingly, there are already solid plans in place to operate a location in Mecca. “It’s an exciting place to be in. It’s the holiest place in the Islamic world, and I think a great way to come into this region.” The Mecca property should be in operation by 2023. Like with most of Taj’s hotels, the company will manage and operate the property, but not own it; however, they are already working closely with its developers to make sure it is finished to the brand’s standard and ready to do justice to Taj’s vision for its Mecca presence.

The aesthetic design for Taj Mecca will, no doubt, be as striking as Taj’s other hotels. Taj

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Dubai, for example, is a truly beautiful mix of Indian and Arabic styles: “When I walked into this building for the first time, I immediately got that sense that there is a great vibe to this hotel. One of the reasons I got that sense was that it has a beautiful blend of Indian and Arabic design, but it isn’t ‘flashy’ – it’s luxuriously appointed. The furnishings, the fittings, the artefacts – we’ve got a great mix from India and across the world. The hotel isn’t overbearingly Indian, but it has subtle touches that capitalize on Indian heritage.” In the food and beverage offerings, Taj Dubai also features the brand’s iconic Bombay Brasserie – a wellregarded restaurant with only three locations in the world: London Kensington, Cape Town, and now Dubai. These restaurants celebrate everything culinary that India has to offer, blending Goan, Bengali, Gujarati, Mughal and Portuguese dishes and flavours.

If you want to see how far Taj Hotels can push tastefully breathtaking design, one need

THE TAJ WELCOME

only look at another property that Ranjit has managed – Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, India. The palace, which was built in 1894, is the former palace of the Nizam of Hyderabad.

However, it had been lying unused for 60 years before Taj undertook a ten-year restoration project to convert it into a hotel. By accepting his first General Manager position at this hotel, Ranjit was in a rare and privileged position of being able to influence how the hotel would be designed and run. For example, he was able to design the ‘music philosophy’ – what sort of ambient music would play across the hotel.

He also discovered the broken remnants of carriages, and after going through the archives to research their original designs, his team had one reconstructed using these parts, to give guests a spectacular feel of a bygone era when they arrive via the hotel’s magnificent entranceway by a horse-drawn carriage and are greeted by a scattering of rose petals. “That was a fantastic experience because I was interacting

directly with royalty who were directly involved in the restoration. All those things we put into place, even today after ten years, are still being followed.”

Ranjit has had a varied career that has taken him to many of Taj’s most prestigious hotels, often to oversee the opening of a new property before moving on to the next challenge a few years later, leaving a wellestablished hotel behind him. “I joined Taj as a youngster back in India 27 years ago. I left college in April ‘93, and in May ‘93 I joined Taj. I’m very fortunate: I’ve been to some beautiful cities and locations, and each experience has been outstanding.” After working his way up the ranks in India and England, Ranjit was sent to various new locations for the company to help in establishing their brand and presence.

These locations included Mauritius, USA (New York, San Francisco and Boston) and India once more, at Taj Falaknuma Palace. After this Ranjit managed several other properties for

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TAJ DUBAI

Taj Hotels, including Taj Exotica Maldives, Taj Exotica Goa, and now Taj Dubai.

Moving from place to place like this might be challenging for some people, but Ranjit thrives on it, embracing the opportunity to travel and take on new challenges. He explained that he grew up on the move with his father in the air force, so he is accustomed to moving location every two or three years. In fact, he prefers it. “The biggest thing I like when you move countries is that you need to adapt. You must assimilate into the culture; you meet new people – and I think my strength is in people.

One General Manager early into my career said, ‘Surround yourself with people better than you are. That has helped me in my journey. It challenges you, and that is what’s very exciting for me.’”

People are of high importance to Ranjit, and this emphasis is shared by the company at large. Most, if not all, companies claim this, but Taj proves successful at supporting and

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retaining its employees. At Taj Dubai, there are almost 400 employees, and many them of them have been with the company for over five years. Additionally, the company is achieving in terms of lower turnover rates: the average annual turnover of staff in the Middle Eastern hospitality industry is 37%, but Taj Dubai is at 24%. “Especially in markets like London, Dubai, New York, you don’t expect people to stay on for so long,” Ranjit pointed out to us. “So, I feel that’s a sign that we’re doing something right.”

So, how is Taj Hotels seeking to support, retain and get the most out of its staff? One way in which it differentiates itself is the ‘Taj Welcome’ - a unique experience on any employee’s first day of work. “All of our associates who are joining us walk in through the front door of the hotel on their first day. They arrive in the lobby and experience the entire ritual we conduct for our guests. For example, at check in, all our guests are greeted with a little prayer and a garland of beads, so our associates also go

THE TAJ WELCOME

through that. Then they dine in our restaurants, so they feel like a guest. That ‘wow’ moment on their faces is the moment we want to translate for our guests: if they’ve experienced that, then they’re ready to deliver it.”

This initiative enables members of staff to deliver the very best experience to guests, and also helps them to feel involved and valued within the brand, as well as offering them a unique insight into why the brand’s standards matter and what these achieve. Another system the company uses to maintain morale is called ‘V Connect’: rather than taking a survey once a year to check on its staff’s wellbeing, the company seeks feedback every day by presenting each employee with a random question when they clock in. For example, they may be asked how they are feeling, or their opinion on the employee restaurant. This daily survey allows the hotel and the company to have an up-to-date, accurate view of how staff feel, so issues can be resolved as soon as

they occur, and any seasonal problems can be identified and resolved.

On top of these initiatives, Taj also provides more traditional and extremely important support such as developmental training, scholarships, health checks and comprehensive medical insurance. All of this allows its team to feel listened to, welcomed, valued, provided for, and like they have a future within the company.

As Ranjit told us, “Excellence is a journey, and you are constantly on that journey. The only thing you can do is get better and better.” Taj repeatedly hits the mark of excellence, and yet its work is not done, continuing to expand and improve with every year. This is how a brand stays on top, and as it grows in the Middle East, we have no doubt that it will continue to distinguish itself from the crowd through its attention to detail, care for its guests and, just as importantly, care for its staff.

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HOUSE BY THE SEA Tigh-Na-Mara chevron-square-right tigh-na-mara.com phone-square +1 800 663 7373

Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre is a sprawling 22acre property that began its journey as a simple, single tent. That tent exploded outwards; this journey began in 1946, and what has developed from it is one of Vancouver Island’s premier all-season destinations.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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ucked away within a fir forest and overlooking the ocean, Tigh-Na-Mara aptly gets its name from the Gaelic for “house by the sea”. The entire experience of the resort is built around an integration with nature, showing off the beauty of British Columbia to its guests. Its 192 handcrafted log guest rooms and rustic cottages are scattered throughout the trees, encouraging guests to stroll through the trees; stroll far enough, and in just a few minutes, you can follow the woods all the way to the ocean to the east, or to the resort’s acclaimed Grotto Spa to the west.

The resort is available for family holidays, weddings, romantic getaways – anything that takes its guests’ fancy. In the words of Paul Drummond, Tigh-Na-Mara’s General Manager: “Our tranquil forest and oceanfront destination resort and spa offers our guests a variety of opportunities to relax and reconnect with nature and themselves.” One of the main functions it was created for was to host business events. The amount of accommodation and the private, peaceful yet activity-filled location makes it ideal for booking up for a work retreat, and in order to support that, the resort has a series of conference rooms. 12 different meeting rooms offer 10,000 square feet of Endeavour Magazine | 33

TIGH-NA-MARA

conference space, including both indoor and outdoor spaces, and make the most of natural light in both to keep meetings feeling airy and engaging.

As for the rest of the property, Tigh-NaMara has two restaurants: Treetop Tapas & Grill (connected to the Grotto Spa) and Cedars Restaurant & Lounge (connected to the main resort building). These restaurants are seasonally supplied by locally grown crops, locally gathered fish and locally created cheeses, all in an effort to both operate in a greener manner and to bring the menu alive with fresh British Columbian flavours.

The resort also boasts many facilities to keep guests busy and entertained, including an indoor pool, fitness facilities and sports courts. If all of that isn’t enough, then there’s the naturally provided activities of exploring the surrounding woods and seaside. Located in Parksville, arguably one of the most attractive areas on Vancouver Island, the resort enjoys

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over 20 km of crisp, pale sandy beaches with clean, vivid blue waters and luscious Douglas fir, cedar and arbutus trees all around. Not only is the immediate area beautiful, but it is a stone’s throw from a huge variety of ways to pass the time. For example, thanks to the mild climate, the numerous golf courses in the area are open nearly every day of the year. For lovers of the great outdoors, one can explore areas such as Cathedral Grove, Little Qualicum Falls and many other areas of natural beauty on land, or they can paddle past the stunning mountain views across the Strait of Georgia when they try their hand at sea kayaking. If that’s a little too athletic, there are also many boats ready to take visitors out fishing, whalespotting or looking for the area’s harbour seals and sea lions.

For skiers and snow lovers, Mount Washington is only an hour’s drive from the resort, or if you’d rather explore down than up, Horne Lake Caves are only 45 minutes away. There are even many areas of interest for the academically minded, from the Deep Bay Marine Field Station to museums such as the Parksville Museum (the history of early settlers) and Qualicum Beach Museum (a highly regarded palaeontology collection). The list goes on, including wildlife recovery centres, craft farms, and even a decorative garden Milner Gardens & Woodland – established by British aristocrat Veronica Milner, who was related to both Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales. The point is, there’s plenty to discover, and all at an easy distance from TighNa-Mara.

The resort has received a number of awards throughout the years. Most recently, its famous Grotto Spa was voted the #1 Spa in Canada by Spas of America for the second year in a row.

Offering 10,000 square feet of spa bliss plus a 2500 square foot mineral pool to dip in, fireside refreshments, speciality teas and a range of spa treatments, the Grotto is relaxing to even think about. It features 21 treatment rooms and a private group lounge, which enable the Grotto Spa to offer treatments to individuals, pairs or groups. The use of the Spa is, amazingly, and it is recommended to book treatments in

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advance to enhance your experience and stay.

“I’m very proud of our team at the Grotto Spa for their dedication, pride and commitment to our guests,” said Paul Drummond, in response to the Grotto’s recognition for the second year in a row. “We sincerely appreciate our longstanding partnership with Spas of America and this esteemed recognition from their viewers.”

After using the spa, you can even enjoy 16 courses of Endless Tapas in the aforementioned attached restaurant, access to which is reserved purely for robed guests, leaving you full and sated as well as calm and pampered.

The restaurant overlooks the surrounding woodland, providing incredible views that leave you feeling above your troubles and on top of the world.

Many of the Grotto Spa’s treatments use products from the Hungarian company Eminence Organic Skin Care - the spa’s exclusive skincare line since 2006. Founded in 1958, the company has always prided itself in its

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use of sustainable farming and green practices to create natural, organic products, including its new line of Mangosteen products that the Grotto will introduce to its guests this spring.

Tigh-Na-Mara currently employs around 300 members of staff, making it the largest hospitality employer in the region. Hiring and retaining a team of these numbers has been challenging at times, due to the fact that the area itself is largely a retirement community, with only 1/3 of its population of 26,000 still in employment. This small pool means there is competition between Tigh-Na-Mara and other companies seeking the right staff, but the resort has found success through quality training and treatment. Through the right training, it can bring the very best out of its staff and create the team it needs out of the employees it has, and through the correct treatment of this team, it has achieved strong retainment rates.

As well as being conscious of how it takes care of its staff, as the steward of 22 acres of

HOUSE BY THE SEA

stunning woodland and coastland, Tigh-NaMara is aware of its responsibility to conduct its business in a green and sustainable manner.

Tigh-Na-Mara understands the importance of their footprint and is striving to coexist with its environment as much as it invites its guests to integrate with it. When it comes to its buildings, it aims to achieve both goals at once by creating accommodation that are as green as they are rustic: the guestroom ’ decks are made from an eco-friendly composite of recycled wood and plastic; metal roofs allow water to run off clean, preventing anything harmful entering the ocean; for insulation, the resort has used soy-based spray foam; for interiors, recycled logs. Keycard-activated LED lighting, water-based paints, low-flow plumbing – the attention to detail is everywhere. The resort has even invested in electric car charge stations to encourage and support cleaner driving.

Always striving to offer guests the very best experience it can, the resort made these

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green changes as part of a multi-million-dollar renovation that it has been carrying out for the past few years. The Ballenas Oceanview building was completely redone in 2016, the Gabriola Oceanview building in 2017, and the Cedars Restaurant kitchen underwent a $1.5 million renovation in 2018. Now, in 2020, work is beginning on the Texada oceanfront 53-unit building, and BBQ stations are also being added throughout the resort to add another social outdoor element to people’s stay. Improvement isn’t just happening through building work, however: for example, the resort has devised many green initiatives that impact the way both its staff and guests makes choices. There are a series of ‘green incentives’ that guests can opt for, such as declining the day’s housekeeping service. The incentive to pick this green choice is $10 of resort credit per day that it’s selected.

These sorts of incentives are fantastic for the planet, and they’re also just good business: after all, without the local area being protected,

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Tigh-Na-Mara loses its fantastic location and a key draw to the relaxing hideaway. Additionally, in order to truly enjoy the views around them, guests will be far happier and more at ease knowing that they are making minimum impact on their surroundings, and instead contributing to a resort that is conscientious about safeguarding the land around them. All in all, the resort’s conduct is as appealing as the location itself; if you ever find yourself heading to Vancouver Island, be sure to check out this woodland escape. We know we will.

HOUSE BY THE SEA

TAKING IT FURTHER Pentagon Freight Services chevron-square-right www.pentagonfreight.com phone-square +971 4 8814690

Pentagon Freight Services is a complete logistics provider for the oil and gas and energy sector. The global company has 68 offices in over 30 countries, and through their placement, it has been careful to ensure itself a presence in all the key regions for the industry. This strategy can be seen in the locations it has chosen for its main operational hubs: Scotland, the USA (Texas), Canada, Norway, Singapore, Dubai and Australia.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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e spoke with Gordon Shand, the Regional Director for Pentagon Middle East. It goes without saying that this region is particularly significant for the oil and gas segment, so we were keen to hear about Pentagon’s Dubai location, which is based in the port town of Jebel Ali, in the Jebel Ali Free Zone: “Our core business in our Jebel Ali facility is OCTG storage and distribution where we handle over 30,000 tonnes of pipe. As well as handling multi modal shipments, our key strengths lie in Project and Charter shipments, where we have handled many movements for several key customers. Notable achievements include more than 50 land rig movements in the last 10 years.”

It is the company’s goal to, unsurprisingly, become known as the “best-in-class freight forwarding and logistics service provider to the energy & resource industries.” In a region where oil and gas still play a heavy role in the economy, the industries that support this enterprise are set to flourish, but that means that competition is high. The company aims to set itself apart through its wide offering of services, as well as its wide-reaching presence in every region of note for the industry (a reach that the company

PENTAGON FREIGHT SERVICES

is still growing). However, within the Middle East itself, it also aims to compete with, as the company describes it, “a depth of capability that takes our work beyond the conventional: encompassing training, guidance, consultancy services and complementary support for extra added value.”

So, what services does the company offer?

The company identifies its core areas of expertise as global forwarding, project logistics, material management, consultancy services and technology, the latter referring to its global IT system that allows for easy communication between its hubs and the clear, accurate management of logistics that is essential in any shipping company. Between these services, Pentagon describes itself as the “full package”.

As Gordon told us, “Pentagon is the largest privately-owned freight forwarder for the oil and gas industry. We consistently try to set ourselves apart from our competitors, and in our efforts to do so, we continuously work on improving our services and raising our standards.”

Despite the competition, though, Gordon and Pentagon are confident about the future.

“Each industry has its own challenges, but despite the current headwinds and associated risks there are also huge opportunities. The world’s dependence on oil and gas is increasing as global economies and infrastructure continue to rely heavily on petroleum-based products, so industry forecasts do predict a positive longer-term outlook for the sector.

Regionally, billion dollars of projects are planned across the Middle East. The UAE recently made significant discoveries of gas in Dubai and Sharjah. The natural gas discoveries itself will stimulate various projects; this sector will see a huge investment drive over the coming years.”

Gordon speaks about these opportunities with passion. The company’s intended growth within the sector is his responsibility to oversee and bring to pass, but his optimism is strong. In

part, that is his faith in the continuing strength of the industry, but it is also a reflection of his faith in Pentagon. He has been the company’s Regional Director for the Middle East since April 2017. He has been with the company since 2000, having joined in the same year as the birth of his first child. “That year was a defining year for me, from a personal and professional perspective.” Originally based in Aberdeen, in 2004, Gordon was given the opportunity to move to Dubai: “That was the start of an incredible journey for me and my family. I was promoted to the position of General Manager in 2010, and in 2017 our founder in Dubai, Paul Hayward, retired, and I was given the chance to carry on his legacy and the responsibility of ensuring continued growth for Pentagon in the region.”

“I am now in my 20th year with Pentagon and still have the same passion and drive I had on that first day back in October 2000.”

Loving your job is a key ingredient for success, and it is a passion that the company seeks to inspire in all its workforce, which currently totals over 1000 members of staff globally.

“Investing in talent is vital to sustainable business growth, as well as building a healthy and happy workplace. We pride ourselves on our strong supportive family atmosphere in our workplace culture.”

As a logistics company, Pentagon make sure to have a close relationship with its customers and to listen closely to their needs, responding to them to make sure it always offers the very best service it can. “Our customers are our main partners; they influence every aspect of our business and are the foundation of our organisation’s success.” However, it tries to be just as respectful of and to pay just as much attention to its employees. Internal training programmes and promotion opportunities are geared towards elevating staff, to reach the best of their potential and to reward their work ethic with progression within the

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Contact Us: dubai@pentagonfreight.com or Tel: +971 4 8814690

PENTAGON FREIGHT SERVICES

company. Like any wise company, it knows to offer these opportunities so that talent within its team is nurtured, utilised and, importantly, kept, rather than losing good team members to pastures new: “Regarding succession plans, we prioritise internal mobility to build talent and increase retention, as we want people to come to our company and build their careers within the organisation. We have a lot of leaders, including myself, that started in junior positions and scaled up through the ranks, and this can be inspirational for other employees to develop their skills and map out their own career.”

Of course, the company does bring in external personnel when it is needed, and this can be beneficial too by shaking up the current perspective, but it doesn’t rely on this for fresh ideas. Instead, it attempts to foster the passion and drive in its teams needed to keep fresh ideas coming. As Gordon put it, “I envision a

vibrant future for what tomorrow should look like for the team and the organisation and enlist the vision of my staff to shape the dream together.” This opportunity to feel involved, and to have one’s ideas truly listened to, inspires staff to think creatively and give 100% - they care because they know their bosses care about them. “I empower my staff and trust their decision making to work towards our vision, making sure to equip them with the right tools, technology, trainings and coaching to allow them to succeed. I also continue to work on developing the leader within me as I believe my staff can grow as much as I can.”

Gordon’s attitude is energising just to hear about, and his drive is certainly taking the company places: Pentagon has recently made a large investment in its Dubai branch has recently made a large investment through which it aims to bring more business to the region: based within the current Jebel Ali

TAKING IT FURTHER

facility, it has opened an entirely new entity called Pentagon Oilfield Services. Pentagon aims to bring more business to the area through this entity by using it to act as a trading partner on behalf of companies that don’t have a legal entity in the UAE, thus allowing them to stock and distribute oilfield equipment in the region without the vast upfront expense and legal complications of setting up a presence there themselves. Pentagon Oilfield Services will also offer a range of value-added services for the oil and gas industry, including receiving, rack in/ rack out handling, storage, inspection, coating and distribution of OCTG. Whilst this new investment gets itself moving, the rest of Pentagon isn’t standing still. On the contrary, it is pushing to expand – an expansion that was entrusted to Gordon on Pentagon Dubai founder Paul Hayward’s retirement. He is taking the continuation of this legacy seriously, with plans in motion to

open a Pentagon presence in Saudi Arabia by the end of 2020, as well as plans to expand the company’s existing services in areas like Oman.

Between these expansions, the new company, and the UAE’s recent gas discoveries, the future looks fruitful for Pentagon, and the team has the energy and attitude needed to honour – and perhaps exceed – its patrimony.

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EVER-MOVING Nomad Africa Adventure Tours chevron-square-right nomadtours.co.za phone-square +27 21 845 7400

Every time we speak with Nomad Tours, the landscape around them seems to have changed, and like true nomads, they travel with it. It hasn’t even been a year since we last spoke with Alex Rutherford, Nomad Tours founder, and yet there have been such shifts in trends that it seemed like a catch-up after many had passed. We followed up on how all of the changes Nomad shared with us last time have been received, and heard about the unexpected shift that’s occurred in the company’s direction as, like always, it takes care to listen to the current wants of its customer base.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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s you will know if you have been reading our magazine for a while, Nomad Tours is a cross-borders tour company that takes holiday makers on breathtaking tours in 11 African countries, in total. These tours can be tailored to fit client wants, and there is a wide selection of tours to become a part of, meaning that even repeat customers would have many trips ahead of them because they’d been everywhere the company covers.

Originally, Alex founded Nomad Tours in order to provide camping tours around the African bush that correctly managed the balance between authenticity and safety; holidayers could camp under the stars, see African wildlife walk right past their camp, and could get truly in touch with Africa in a way that Alex passionately wanted to share with the world. These tours already existed, but at the time that Alex devised Nomad, many of the existing tours were disorganized and outright dangerous. From this starting point, Nomad developed, combining camping tours with stops in accommodation in order to open it up wider, allowing those of any age and preference to experience Africa their way. However, that outdoorsy, hands-on approach was Alex’s original inspiration, and so, the strong recent Endeavour Magazine | 47

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shift in what travelers are looking for from their experiences was a surprise to him: “An interesting development since we last spoke is a move from camping to accommodation, which has shifted massively.

Our camping products are shrinking very quickly: even the younger people are not wanting to camp. It’s the biggest change I’ve seen in a single year in all the years since we started. I’ve never seen anything change that fast.”

Alex shared that the move is a sad one for him, in some ways, as that under-the-stars approach to exploring Africa is what inspired him to create Nomad Tours in the first place.

However, like any savvy business owner, he’s listening to the clients: the entire way Nomad is run and the way its tours are arranged aims to include as wide a range of travelers as possible, and the company prides itself on providing its customers with what they want, so, as this new trend has quickly made itself apparent, Nomad

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has listened and responded. Camping tours, which were originally 100% of the packages that Nomad offered, but have rested at 6070% for the majority of the company’s life, are now down to representing only around 40% of the company’s tours. In the coming years, Alex predicts that figure will become 10%.

“We’ll keep the camping product on some of our routes, but it’s definitely not the heart of the operation any more. The company has to evolve, and that’s the evolution.”

Alex began the company after a nearly year-long trip across Africa in 1997, and as you can imagine, much has changed since then, partly thanks to social media and the pace of life it sets. As well as moving away from camping, there has also been a shift towards holiday makers looking for faster-paced, busier itineraries, rather than the slower approach to basking in the surroundings that Alex and his team used to take. “They want to cram more in, and they also want it to be quicker. That’s why we’re doing shorter tours.”

As a part of its response to this change, Nomad Tours is upping the frequency of its group coach tours, and has just commissioned six new coaches to enable this. “We will also be expanding our small group vehicle tours, because that’s going very well and it’s growing.”

In fact, this side of business – which has long been a strong suit for Nomad – is growing to the point of official expansion. “From next year, we are starting up a whole East African division.

We already run in East Africa, but these are new tours in Kenya and Tanzania. They will be short tours: one will be Kenyan highlights and one will be Tanzania highlights, and both of them will have an add-on beach excursion, to either the Kenyan coast or Tanzania it’s Zanzibar.

What’s nice is that all of these products can interchange – you can do any combination of the tour stops, which actually creates quite a lot of different tours.” These tours will be land cruiser based, keeping the vehicles small, and in fact, there will be the possibility to opt for smaller and more intimate group sizes than Nomad has previously offered:

EVER-MOVING

NOMAD AFRICA ADVENTURE TOURS

“I did a 60-day tour of East Africa last October, and during that time I did over 200 site inspections. The conclusion I reached was that our best area to work on would be our couples or small family tours, which I saw thousands of in East Africa. There are plenty of East African group tours, but what I saw physically was 95% intimate groups: two people, or even a single person on their own. We don’t do that, currently.” The last time we spoke with Nomad, the company had begun to provide self-drive tours: Alex did not want to push too far in this direction, as this package is, in his words, “overtraded”, and as he explained to us last time, doesn’t offer the guarantees that Nomad like to provide. As every competitor and travel agent offer such tours, and as Alex dislikes the lack of quality control possible in them, the decision was made not to focus energy into developing this area too far. Instead, these resources have been focused towards supporting guided tours for couples, single travelers and small groups.

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This allows people to have the same privacy as they seek in a self-drive tour, but Nomad can provide much more to their experience.

“Our East African tours will be scheduled to run on fixed dates, but those dates can be booked by one couple or family. It does cost more, and East Africa is very expensive, but it is what people are looking for; they’re prepared to pay more to go as a couple or a couple with their family, rather than join a group tour.

That is what those people want, so we will provide it.”

This shift hasn’t just been noticed by Nomad Tours – it is something that is occurring throughout the travel and hospitality sector, with even business travelers looking for more leisure and luxury from their stays. It seems that people want to have as rich and involved an experience as possible; again, potentially because of the rise in social media use, people are more aware than ever of the glamorous and adventurous life they could be living, and

EVER-MOVING

don’t want their time and money to go towards something that falls short of that mark.

Alex feels that another thing people expect now more than ever is transparency.

By running its new East African tours to set dates and schedules, the company is able to provide an instant quote if asked, which allows smaller groups to book up a tour date without confusion. To a similar end, the last time we spoke with Nomad Tours, the company had undergone a lengthy process to work with travel agencies, its suppliers and go-to locations to attempt a change in the very culture of African travel. More specifically, in the culture when it comes to payments: Pricing for tours such as Nomad’s has long operated in a curious way within the region: when this type of travel began some 30 years ago, it was difficult to send money abroad, and so payment for tour packages would break down into two halves: one half would be paid to the travel agent in a holiday maker’s

own country, and the other would be paid in Africa. This ‘local payment’ would not always happen in one go, however: more often, it would actually be made in multiple payments, to the guides, venues and caterers themselves whilst travelling. This is not an optimum way to travel when on an organised tour, where one might expect everything to be paid for and taken care of already. The situation could lead to confusion for customers, and could cause stressful situations as they saw their funds depleting.

As technology has advanced, the difficulty in sending money abroad has been resolved, and yet the system that evolved 30 years ago has remained. To combat this, Nomad decided to offer an all-inclusive tour, where clients truly could pay for everything upfront, with no hidden or surprise costs. However, the change also meant that the initial cost looks higher than the company’s competitors, at a glance, because all of it is declared upfront. We asked

Awake to the birdcalls of the Kalahari and prepare yourself for a day in the bushveld.

(267) 721 207 91 / 75121955 ghanzitrailblazers@gmail.com www.ghanzitrailblazers.co.bw Endeavour Magazine | 51

NOMAD AFRICA ADVENTURE TOURS

Alex whether this had had an impact: “I do think we’ve lost some sales, but we still feel that the loss is going to be worth it in the long run.

People want transparency and they want to understand what they’re involved in, so we’ve pushed through.”

Another push the company made the last time we spoke, again in the name of better practice, was the installation of water purifiers in its coaches. This time, the better practice is in the name of the environment, in an attempt to reduce the amount of water bottle waste that holiday makers were creating. This investment has, happily, seen positive results – especially from younger travelers.

Even with so many changes in its present and recent past, Nomad isn’t sitting still: its near-future is set for significant change, too.

Namely, as well as its expansion to its East African tours, the company is also planning to begin running tours in Rwanda – a change it hopes to bring in by late 2021-22. “It’s an

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incredibly well-run country: it’s beautiful, it’s got good roads, good infrastructure, well-behaved police, easy borders – it’s very, very advanced.”

Continuing with his original aim to share Africa with visitors and to show the continent’s true face, Alex is keen to increase tourism to this part of the region.

As always, there is plenty in the works at Nomad. Whilst the shift from slowerpaced camping tours to faster paced, shorter accommodation tours seems to follow the trends being noticed throughout the travel industry, the speed at which the change has occurred is surprising. Yet, once again, Nomad is showing itself able to listen and adapt, proving that the company is here to stay and ready to show the coming generations the beauty of the African bush. After all, no matter what may change in the way the company from year to year, its passion for Africa never does.

EVER-MOVING

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KEEPING ZIMBABWE CONNECTED Bitumen World chevron-square-right www.bitumenworld.net phone-square +263 (29) 2475 510-1

Bitumen World is a civil engineering firm that specialises in the construction and rehabilitation of essential Zimbabwean infrastructure, and like the country, it has growth in its sights. We spoke with Duncan Smith, Contracts Director, to learn more.

Written by Amy Buxton

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ncorporated in July 2012 and open for business just two months later, Bitumen World (“BW”) was first initiated as a surfacing company, but the potential for diversification became clear very quickly.

Today, BW is a recognised civil engineering firm that specialises in infrastructure development, road and concrete works, water and sewer reticulation and, of course, surfacing.

What is most impressive about BW is the rate at which it has expended, in every sense.

As Duncan explained; “From hiring surfacing equipment to the Department of Roads and undertaking many smaller type projects as a subcontractor Bitumen World is now a large, well established prime contractor within the Zimbabwean construction industry.” Having initially started with only ten employees, the company now hires 80 salaries members of staff, and has a full workforce of over 500.

Likewise, the plant base has grown from seven to over 200 between 2012-2018.

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the team’s mind. Though at present, Zimbabwe is the only sphere that BW operates in, it is looking at Mozambique and Zambia with interest. The only stumbling block could be a stilted and overly competitive industry, as Duncan disclosed: “The current state of the industry is very depressed, although the start of the rehabilitation of the Harare to Beitbridge road is a positive sign and could provide work for several contractors, for two to three years.

There is a lot of competition in that there are many construction companies, most of them very small, who tender on any available work.

Ultimately though, there are probably not more than five serious competitors.”

So, what makes BW stand out in a crowded market? Duncan has no doubt that it is the construction excellence that the team injects into each and every project. From a quality end result to finishing on time and within budget, Duncan reveals that BW always strives to

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accomplish more than the client expects, with over-delivering being an everyday bonus. He also revealed that the company has invested in state-of-the-art equipment to allow inhouse laboratory testing, surveying and design modelling capabilities, all of which provide a better result for clients, at no extra cost. In a bid to further elevate itself, the company has also launched a bid to secure various ISO certifications. Two have been successful and a third is currently in progress.

Having recently won a contract to rehabilitate and upgrade a generous stretch of the Harare to Beitbridge road, BW will need a strong and united workforce, but that won’t be a problem.

With 80 permanent staff and around 500 contract employees, BW is well equipped to deal with a project of such magnitude and workers put in the time. Knowing that BW always tries to promote from within and never looks to advertise externally for technical, senior, financial or administrative staff,

KEEPING ZIMBABWE CONNECTED

anybody looking for a career with potential is keen to become part of the BW family and all adhere to the ethos of always doing more than is expected.

Despite being a large project and having only started in late 2019, the 20km of Harare to Beitbridge road improvements should be completed by the end of June 2020, with a view to an extra 20km being awarded, if the results are satisfactory. Two other sizeable tenders are in the process of being submitted as well, but Duncan can’t disclose any details, as both are in the early stages. Should they be awarded to BW, 2020 and beyond looks set to be busy, despite a flagging overall sector and increased competition, but how does the company continue to consistently grow when others flail?

Perhaps the secret to BW’s consistent growth is, as Duncan points out, the culture at the heart of the organisation: “Effective leadership and success are about the culture

International Coatings Company is one of the most comprehensive coatings suppliers in Zimbabwe and has been supplying the local market since 2012. ICC is the culmination of ideas of two people who are passionate about paint. The Directors, Darren Muirhead and Evan Stewart both have extensive backgrounds in the industry and the quality of their various projects speaks for itself.

ICC carries a large inventory of quality brands including road marking solutions, a wide range of flooring products, wood finish coatings, industrial coatings, specialised protective coatings, DIY and construction waterproofing products, and industrial concrete admixtures.

ICC is more than capable of taking care of any technical requirements, be it new construction, refurbishing of an existing asset or specialized coatings for manufactured goods or high tech protective tank linings etc.

The ICC Team prides itself on its Customer Care and will be there every step of the way from paint specification and colour guidance, to surface preparation and application advice. With technical assistance at the specification stage, ICC is able to offer guarantees on the various products backed by the manufacturer although certain terms and conditions would apply. This is true confidence in the high quality of the products sold by ICC. ICC’s Paint Warehouse located in Pomona Industrial Park is a painting/waterproofing contractors dream with a comprehensive selection of coatings and application equipment and accessories and technical expertise to back it all up.

Address: Pomona Industrial Park Plot 531 Pomona Industrial Park, Cnr Harare Drive And Alps Road Tel: +263 (0242) 487270, 480735/6, 485539 Email: info@intercoat.co.zw Website: www.intercoat.co.zw

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BITUMEN WORLD

you instil in the organisation”. Starting a company from scratch enabled us to promote the culture we wanted for the company and to ensure buy-in from those we employed. Our culture promotes respect for all, irrespective of job title or who you are. This has enabled us to grow almost exponentially over the last 7 years.”

A healthy dose of transparency, integrity and accountability doesn’t hurt either, all of which BW prides itself on, which can be seen in action, on the company’s website. Employing an unusual technique, BW has listed all current projects and included percentages to show how much of the work has been completed.

This allows clients to simply click a mouse button and find out if their schedule is still on track, therefore eliminating the need for lengthy interactions that could slow progress down. It is elegant in its simplicity and gives a clear insight into why so many people trust BW with high-value projects – because they don’t seek to complicate matters. They build,

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rehabilitate and improve, but never convolute or make communication harder than it needs to be. How refreshing in today’s business world.

With a fleet of specialist vehicles, a team of dedicated workers and a clear vision of where the company is heading, BW is on the road to unsurpassed success. Knowing that Zimbabwe is only the beginning means that exciting developments are definitely going to come to fruition in coming months and always in line with the company strategy that Duncan revealed: “Do more than asked for and do it better than everyone else as well.” If that’s not a recipe for commercial success, we don’t know what is.

AMAZING WORLD

A SEA FULL OF STARS

by Eve Wright Of all nature’s phenomena, few sights fantastical. The real cause of these mystical continue to inspire as much wonder as a night lights, however, is far from pleasant. Recent sky studded with silver. Indeed, there has studies by scientists and marine biologists been something transcendent in the act of found that the glow is emitted by a species of stargazing since the very beginnings of life on phytoplankton called lingulodinium polyedrum Earth. Undoubtedly, many if not all humans when they undergo extreme stress, similar to have pictured themselves careening amongst certain types of fireflies. In this case, the violent the galaxies at some point. Imagine, then, if we ebbing and crashing of the waves as they could bring those galaxies much closer. Imagine break upon the shores of Vaadhoo agitates the if we could bring the cosmos to our very feet. plankton until they give off the bioluminescent Imagine if we could bathe in it. distress signal.

Lapping on the shores of a tiny island in the While the sight may appear entrancing to Maldives called Vaadhoo is what the locals the eye, it is actually indicative of toxins that refer to as the Sea of Stars. During the warmer are harmful to humans and animals alike. months of the year, in certain bays and coves, Alongside this, the bioluminescence is a defence entire stretches of coastline are aglow with mechanism against predators. The shimmering hundreds of neon blue orbs of light. Like a fallen lights draw the creatures towards the plankton constellation, the sight is truly magical to behold in order to confuse and disorientate them. for those fortunate enough to find themselves Furthermore, even once eaten a plankton will in the right place at the right time. The eddying continue to emit light from inside the consumer motions of the waves laced with light give the - meaning it, in turn, becomes a target for other mesmerising effect of a shimmering ocean of predators. stars that twinkle and glisten in the night.

Interestingly, where other animals might As if lifted straight from the pages of a need food in order to produce bioluminescence, fairy-tale, the Sea of Stars is nothing short of these tiny organisms can generate light all 60 | Endeavour Magazine

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by themselves. Electrical impulses within the plankton generated by the movement of the water activate a chemical called luciferin which, when mixed with oxygen, creates the blue glow. This is labelled ‘cold light’, because less than 20% of it generates any heat.

Once an unspoiled idyll of about 500 people, Vaadhoo is now unsurprisingly a magnet for hosts of tourists every year. The island is etched onto the bucket lists of hopefuls from all over the world who flock to its shores in search of this wondrous sight. However, although Vaadhoo is renowned for its Sea of Stars, it is by no means the only place in the world where bioluminescent waters can be observed. While lingulodinium polyedrum are endemic to this Maldivian island alone, they are not the only creatures who can produce this bioluminescence. Other sea-creatures, such as anglerfish, squid and krill, can emit the same light under various circumstances. Thus, bioluminescent displays have been recorded at a plethora of exotic locations, such as Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Bali, and the Lakshadweep Islands in India.

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Unfortunately, there are never any guarantees of exactly when or where the display will appear. Such blooms of plankton are notoriously challenging to predict, yet there are certain indicators one can pay attention to.

Most reports claim that the warmer months between April to November yield the best sightings, and certain bays and lagoons are known for bioluminescence. Historically, the effect is most common in warm-water bays and lagoons. Red algae are often another indicator that plankton are present, and it is also important to remember that bioluminescence only occurs when the plankton are under distress; thus, tranquil waters are unlikely to yield the desired spectacle.

One of nature’s rarest and most bewitching events, the glowing plankton are an entrancing sight to behold. Although the chances of spotting these minuscule creatures may be slim, this only serves to emphasise the elusive and otherworldly nature of the phenomenon. After all, if swimming in a sea full of stars were easily available to all, it would lose its magic.

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GLOBAL EXPERTISE Investors Trust chevron-square-right www.investors-trust.com

Established in 2002 as an international insurance group, Investors Trust has increased both its services and its global reach, with clients using their products to invest in over 100 markets around the world. Always an international entity, the company still has multiple offices that cover a number of countries, so that its widespread client base has offices in a range of time zones to reach out to.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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fter beginning life in insurance, Investors Trust went on to become a leader in the industry by focusing on, in its words, “flexible solutions, enhanced opportunities, advanced technologies and a world-class customer support.” One of the advantages to its many global offices is that they allow the company to have a more handson, culturally aware involvement with the markets and business practices in a number of continents and cultures. This allows the company’s international clients to work with people best equipped to help them navigate the world of investing.

‘Investors Trust’ is a global brand, behind which is the ITA Group of companies. Through this group, Investors Trust achieves its broad global footprint via a combination of companies and subsidiaries. The parent company, ITA International Holdings, is rated A by AM Best.

Alongside this operate ITA Asia Limited, a Labuan-licensed company based in Malaysia, and ITA International Insurer, a Puerto Rico based and licensed company. Complimenting these, Investors Trust also has service points or corporate support locations in Dubai, the USA, Hong Kong and Uruguay.

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INVESTORS TRUST

Starting with the smaller operations, ITA’s U.S.A. location is a corporate support office, created to help the group with administrative needs. The office is situated in Miami, known as the “Wall Street of the South” and a financial capital for Latin Americans, with more than 3,000 domestic and international financial companies in Miami-Dade County. This office was founded at the same time as Investors Trust itself, in 2002. Its other (relatively speaking) smaller-scale operations were established much later, all in the form of service points from which to create a corporate presence for ITA in these countries and cultures. In 2008, it opened a service point in Hong Kong and another in Uruguay, and in 2014, added to these with one in Dubai.

Hong Kong was chosen because it is the financial capital in Asia Pacific, making it an ideal location in which to establish oneself and from which to develop business within the region. It is also regarded as one of the

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areas with the greatest financial freedom in the world and ranks highly in terms of global banking operations (11th). However, it was its gateway into Asia that had the greatest appeal.

Uruguay stood out to Investors Trust because it has one of the highest literacy rates in Latin America, and benefits from protection under the Free Zone Act, which makes it extremely attractive in terms of international business.

ITA’s Uruguay office is in Montevideo, which has a strong location in terms of accessibility within the region.

Established six years later, when international attitudes and unrest had settled regarding the region, ITA finally got its foot in the door of the Middle East with its Dubai location, which is situated within the Dubai International Finance Centre. This finance centre is one of the faster growing in the world, within a vibrant and profitable part of the Middle East.

Even more advantageous, Dubai is not only a way to access the Middle East, but is also a

GLOBAL EXPERTISE

location from which to reach Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

Each of these service points open up a world of possibility both for ITA and for those investing through them. However, it is its three main locations where most of the action happens, in the Cayman Islands, Malaysia and Puerto Rico.

The Cayman Islands is an attractive location to investors: an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, the islands’ government has issued a series of laws that make it a highly profitable location for foreign and offshore operations, including exemption from taxation in the Cayman Islands other than stamp duty and import duties. On top of this, the country itself is stable to work in: it is peaceful, has a steady government, reliable infrastructure and, unsurprisingly, a strong economy. It has a thriving tourism industry and is also the world’s sixth largest international banking centre, and one of the top ten international financial

centres in the world. Over 40 of the world’s top 50 banks hold a license within the country, and the total banks in the area represent over 45 countries.

This appeal for investors and businesses made it a logical place for Investors Trust to base its head office, both for its own sake and to work with the many potential clients looking to the area.

In Labuan, Malaysia, ITA runs one of its two major insurance companies, ITA Asia Limited.

The company is situated within the Labuan International Business Financial Centre, which is well positioned as a hub for companies within the Southeast Asia region as a whole.

Similar to the Cayman Islands or the financial centre in Uruguay, this development has laws in place that make it appealing to work within, following English Common Law and a simple tax structure. It was established in 1990 with an aim to draw in more financial business from abroad. In 2012, ITA also set up an office

Central Park Towers is delighted to welcome Investors Trust (Middle East Headquarters).

Their employees and guests will enjoy world-class office space with spectacular views of the Dubai skyline.

We look forward to supporting their continued success in the future.

Be a part of our growing business community by taking advantage of highly competitive leasing terms with contemporary office environments by contacting us on Centralparktowers.ae, 800 CPARK (800 27275).

centralparktowers.ae /centralparkdifc

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INVESTORS TRUST in Kuala Lumpur, to establish a presence on Malaysia’s other island and better unify their operations there.

Lastly, ITA has its insurance company in Puerto Rico, the Latin American US territory that has many appealing factors for investors and businesses, even though it has suffered as a country since it was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. However, conducting business in US dollars, having a well-regulated free market and unrestrictive laws regarding the use of funds abroad, it is a highly beneficial place to do business. It also offers many tax incentives to international insurers and holding companies.

ITA’s base of operations is broad, and the services it offers are just as varied, despite the company’s expert area of focus. ITA specializes in mediumto long-term unit-linked investment products, but within this category, it offers a wide range of options, all of which are able to be tailored to suit their clients’ needs.

As the company says itself, “Investors Trust offers a variety of lump-sum products tailored

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to meet all risk profiles. Ranging from capital protected fixed income portfolios to alternative investments, you will find an Investors Trust product that fits your needs.”

“We understand that each investor is different. Whether you want to prepare for your retirement, ensure your children’s future, or save for their education, Investors Trust offers a wide range of investment products with a tax effective structure that can be personalized to meet your financial goals.”

This flexibility with its clients and its wide reach across the globe makes Investors Trust an excellent business to turn to for investment advice, support and products. Its firm financial standing, its insight into many essential markets around the world and its ability to work closely with every customer makes it a reliable choice to turn to, and when it comes to the gamble of investments and insurance, reliability is exactly the thing to seek.

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COMMITTING TO CLEANER ENERGY Nalcor Energy chevron-square-right nalcorenergy.com phone-square + 709 737 1440

Committed to providing all customers with a safe and dependable electricity supply, Canadian energy firm Nalcor isn’t shy about investigating and implementing environmentally responsible initiatives for a greener and more reliable future.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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alcor, an energy firm with a difference, works closely with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure compliance with a long-term energy plan that will see the Canadian province embrace far more eco-friendly operating processes. While there will be no disruption to the thousands of industrial, residential, retail and even utility consumers it already serves, behind the scenes, Nalcor is keen to transition to far more sustainable methodologies that will have a positive impact on the future.

Energy companies need to keep moving and evolving. As consumers become more aware of the impact of the utilities that they depend on, there is a growing pressure to start moving away from traditional forms of energy generation and towards environmentally sound practices. Nalcor knows this and is already making excellent inroads, but always within a framework of values that have guided the company since its inception: “We are committed to developing and managing Newfoundland and Labrador’s energy resources safely and responsibly. Our vision is to develop and manage our energy resources safely and responsibly for the maximum benefit of the people of the province.

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NALCOR ENERGY

Our values shape how we do business every day. We use them to make decisions and interact with our stakeholders. We recognise it is not only what we achieve, but how we achieve it, that truly makes us proud of our accomplishments.”

Founded on pillars of open communication, accountability, safety, honesty, teamwork and dignity, Nalcor is an energy company that finds revitalisation every day, from its team of expert staff that all buy into these shared values. The thing that really brings everyone together, however, is a commitment to developing the hydropower subsidiary of the company.

Oil and gas platforms are still to be found offshore, with expansion plans in place due to the promise heralded by new discoveries. With world-class infrastructure already built and operational, thanks to Bull Arm Fabrication, unlocking the potential of the region is a top priority, but don’t let this fool you into thinking that there are no changes afoot:

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“Hydro is a Crown corporation and a subsidiary of Nalcor Energy. Committed to operational excellence, Hydro is dedicated to delivering safe, reliable, least-cost power to industrial, utility and over 38,000 direct customers in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

Our power generating assets consist of nine hydroelectric plants, one oil-fired plant, five gas turbines, 25 diesel plants, and thousands of kilometres of transmission and distribution lines. We recognise that a dependable source of electricity is an essential part of daily life. We’ve provided safe and reliable electricity for over 50 years to customers across the province and we will continue to do so for future generations.”

Everything Nalcor entertains is part of a longterm plan and commitment, but at no point is service disruption an acceptable consequence of new initiatives. Everything boils down to reliable supply for Nalcor, which is why technology and infrastructure upgrades are gradually and continuously introduced. At the root of everything is one ambition – “…to search for the best way to provide power that is safe, cost-efficient, sustainable and environmentally sound.”

The best example of Nalcor’s cleaner energy aspirations in practice is the Churchill Falls project. Boasting 11 turbines, the generating station is the second largest underground hydroelectric plant in North America and high on the list for the entire world as well. Annually, this incredible installation generates more than 34 terawatt hours of electricity, which translates to 1% of yearly global hydroelectric power. It takes a highly trained and dedicated team to manage the facility and, in a bid to attract the best, provisions had to be made: “Churchill Falls is a community for the men and women who operate the station, as well as their families. Located approximately 240 kilometres east of Labrador City, Churchill Falls has a population of about 650 people with the expected amenities of any thriving small town. It also includes a school, grocery store, theatre, library and recreational facilities. At Churchill Falls, our focus is to deliver highquality, reliable power to customers and to ensure future generations benefit from this

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NALCOR ENERGY

world-class provincial resource through longterm asset management.”

The site is accomplishing incredible things, with all EMS targets being met year-on-year and allowing access to reliable power at a reduced cost for both consumer and the environment.

The juxtaposition of operating a large power generation site, in order to tread more lightly on the earth is not lost on Nalcor, which is why at Churchill Falls site rehabilitation has become a cornerstone of the company’s work. This sense of stewardship cannot have gone unnoticed, as a new site, in Lower Churchill, has been granted permission to begin as well: “Nalcor is currently developing the Muskrat Falls Project, which includes construction of an 824 MW hydroelectric generating facility, over 1,600 km of transmission lines across the province, and the Maritime Link between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. The project is an essential component of Nalcor’s commitment to sustainability and climate

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change management. Once in service, power from Muskrat Falls will help meet the province’s long-term energy needs by providing clean, renewable energy for future generations.”

So could this mean the end of oil and gas?

Not just yet. There are still generous reserves to be tapped into in the region and it would be churlish to disregard them, but by offsetting the environmental impact with more progressive technologies, Nalcor is creating a balancing act.

The scales will eventually tip, with hydroelectric power becoming the main, if not only focus for this sustainability-driven company, but until then, customers can rest easy that however their power is being generated, it WILL be reliable.

With wind projects and further hydro developments all on the cards for Nalcor, it surely can’t be long before fuel-fired generation is a distant memory for those in Newfoundland and Labrador.

COMMITTING TO CLEANER ENERGY

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THE POWER IS ON Lake Turkana Wind Power chevron-square-right ltwp.co.ke phone-square +254 20 221 3493

In case you haven’t heard of it yet, the Lake Turkana Wind Power project was an innovative undertaking – the single largest private sector investment in the country’s history. The aim: to create Africa’s largest wind farm. Finally, after years in development, this innovative investment is up and running, and already making a difference in people’s lives.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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ocated in the Loiyangalani District, Marsabit County, the Lake Turkana Wind Power project stands at 365 wind turbines, spread across a vast 40,000 acres.

Each turbine has a capacity of 850kW – that’s over 300,000kW in total, or in other words, 17% of Kenya’s total capacity. The Wind Farm currently supplies up to 17% of daytime and up to 30% of night-time demand.

This development has been years in the making, from initial concept through to construction. Is it worth it? Absolutely. To have this high a portion of Kenya’s power supply from a clean source is a fantastic step in the direction of sustainability, and on top of that, also comes at a low cost. All of these benefits will, and are being, felt by the Kenyan people, as well as the country’s economy and, of course, the environment.

We have talked about this exciting project before, but even more excitingly, Lake Turkana is now complete and the turbines are spinning! The farm began generation power in September 2018, and on July 19th 2019, HE Uhuru Kenyatta presided over its official inauguration. The inauguration was a proud day for Kenya; the event was attended by national and county government leaders, key members Endeavour Magazine | 77

LAKE TURKANA WIND POWER

of the Diplomatic Corps, investors, lenders, project contractors, and staff from both LTWP and KETRACO. During the inauguration, the president also commissioned the Loiyangalani to Suswa transmission line – a 435km power line that connects the farm to the national grid. The farm is some way from the nearest city, selected because of its strong and consistent wind streams. In fact, this spot is one of the windiest places in the world! The wind blows for six months of the year from the northwest (the Kaskazi) and for six months from the southwest (the Kusi), as well as a low-level Turkana jet stream which blows steadily all year round in the low elevation region of the Turkana-Marsabit Corridor. This constant stream is aided by the presence of Mount Kulal to the North and Mount Nyiro to the South, which act to produce a venturi effect.

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Of course, whilst this wind farm benefits many Kenyans, it is well known that the region where the wind farm is located is also home to many nomadic groups, and the construction of a wind farm over this much land may have raised concerns on the impact of the Wind Farm on this land. However, much of the 40,000 acres on which the Wind Farm sits is open, and has been left purposefully open for nomadic peoples to use. Only 0.2% of the site is occupied by physical structures.

LTWP’s permanent structures include 365 wind turbines, a substation and employee quarters (only the employee quarters and the substation are fenced – for safety purposes).

The remaining land, representing 99.8% of t the project site, is left open to the public and continues to be used by the local nomadic population for settlement, grazing of livestock, and access to water points.

The farm was co-developed by KP&P Africa B.V and Aldwych International, who first partnered up on the project in 2006 following lengthy discussions the previous year. It has also received additional investment and support from the Investment Fund for Developing Countries, Vestas Eastern Africa Limited, Finnish Fund for Industrial Cooperation Ltd, KLP Norfund Investments AS and Sandpiper.

As well as being a boon to the country because of its sustainable, reliable and affordable energy, the Lake Turkana Wind Power project from inception been clear and steadfast on its resolve to improve the lives of the communities in and around the Project site. Through its corporate social responsibility arm, the Winds of Change (WoC) Foundation, Lake Turkana Wind Power (LTWP) undertakes community development projects around three thematic areas: access to and improved quality of education and vocational training; access to and improved quality of water and sanitation facilities; and access to and improved quality of health services. It is expected that, over the twenty-year projected life of the project, WoC will contribute around €10 million to the area.

THE POWER IS ON

Some of the contributions of the Foundation to improved access to education in the constituency include: construction of science laboratories at Nyiro Girls Secondary School and Korole Boys Secondary School, two classrooms at the new Loiyangalani Youth Polytechnic, an extension to the facilities of Sarima Primary School, and a dormitory at Nyiro Boys Secondary School. It has also installed a solar system at Mt. Kulal Girls Secondary School, provided desks, books and pens to 25 primary schools in Laisamis Constituency; and arranged educational school trips to the wind farm.

The access to healthcare in the Constituency was born from the realization that existing medical centres were few, spaced out and did not have adequate facilities to meet the health needs of the communities. Projects around health construction of dispensaries where none existed, provision of solar electricity to

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existing health facilities, facilitation of capacity building activities to improve skill sets of health practitioners and construction of sanitation facilities to improve quality of services provided In June, the Foundation handed over to the County Government of Marsabit a dispensary constructed in Sarima.

Due to the arid nature of the Project area, WoC has established water points in Arge, Laga el Fereji, Gatab, Ntil, Lonjorin, Larachi, Sarima, Illaut and Olturot which have helped bring water to closer to settlements of thousands.

The company has also built water troughs to help provide water for livestock which are highly valued among the nomadic communities around the Wind Farm. Innovatively, WoC has installed a reverse osmosis system in Sarima Village – a village that houses 1500 people on the wind farm – which has improved the quality of life of the community.

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LTWP is a gamechanger in renewable energy production in the country, an example of successful planning and execution of public-private partnerships and a responsible neighbour and investor, improving the economic, social and in some cases political outlook of a once marginalized area.

THE POWER IS ON

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DRIVEN BY INTEGRITY NH International chevron-square-right nh.tt phone-square +1 (868) 622 7402

Delivering turnkey solutions to the Caribbean, NH International has become the region’s most trusted design and construction partner, with a reputation for bringing tangible potential to life.

Written by Amy Buxton

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he foundations of NH International (“NH”) were laid back in 1992, when Emile Elias & Co joined forces with Norwest Holst International, to enjoy a larger share of the Caribbean marketplace. Reaching into the construction sectors of 12 countries, spanning from the Bahamas, all the way down to Guyana, success was fast coming and led to a shake-up in 1995.

NH was formed in the structural re-jig, as a result of a buyout of the Caribbean interests of Norwest Holst International. Since 1995, the same structure has been in place, with NH being a flagship company of the Emile Elias Group and a significant contributor to the group recently enjoying its 50th anniversary.

Why is it such a key player? Because NH works to a set of firm beliefs: “The building blocks for providing fully integrated construction expertise throughout the Caribbean are visionary leadership, hard work and an unshakeable reputation. We encourage innovation to achieve our goals, making sure our staff has the skills, information and the latest technology required to meet client specifications. We see ourselves as nation builders and we will continue to be governed by transparency, accountability and Endeavour Magazine | 83

NH INTERNATIONAL

fair practice. We take pride in consistently exceeding our clients’ expectations.”

NH is by no means the first company to build an empire on the philosophy of teamwork and expertise, but it has also taken ownership of the notion of stewardship and utilising resources to the fullest. With this in mind, there is an element of community sustainability naturally built into every project the team takes on, which is still a rare approach within the construction world.

Rarefied or not, NH’s take on turnkey solutions is clearly working. With a portfolio that includes over $1 billion of construction services completed for both private developers and Caribbean governments, its reputation speaks for itself, but so too do the numerous awards that the company has collected over the years.

It has proudly won the coveted Trinidad and Tobago Contractors Association “Contractor of the Year Award” seven times alone.

Taking a look at the management and director team behind NH helps to clarify exactly why NH has enjoyed a level of relatively overwhelming success. Each individual, from Chairman Emile Elias himself through to administration department heads all bring with them a lifetime of relevant experience and a shared vision of what NH should and could be.

What’s more, everybody is proud to be a part of the same team, as Emile Elias noted, “The people who work here have a sense of pride when they say they work for NH because we have built that name together.”

More than simple hyperbole, this statement reaches into the hearts and minds of every staff member, not least because there is community built into every facet of what NH does. Projects cover a vast array of sectors, including housing, education, hospitals and commercial, to name a few, but aside from completing necessary infrastructure developments, outreach is an enormously important aspect of NH’s daily operations: “NH Chairman Emile Elias has been the architect of the company’s community service. It is an integral part of our vision and commitment to national development. NH’s parent company, Emile Elias and Company, had 84 | Endeavour Magazine

an active giving policy even during start-up in the 1960s. Our efforts at nation building extend beyond the bricks and mortar employed in building schools and hospitals. This giving started with planning, strategy, leadership, team building and advocacy: first to the Family Planning movement in the 1960’s and then to many other national and regional NGOs.” Today, Emile still considers community outreach to be of the utmost importance, which is why scholarships, grants and mentorship programmes continue to be offered, alongside charitable support. It also leaves little doubt as to why individuals are so proud to be a part of NH. A visionary leader really can make all the difference and while staff happiness is one indicator of a company’s success, completed projects speak far louder than anything else.

Looking at the NH portfolio,what immediately stands out is the vast variety of building styles and sizes. No two creations are the same, demonstrating an avoidance of formulaic construction solutions. Experimenting with colour, materials and a surprisingly diverse range of aesthetic styles, NH has managed to become the go-to contractor of choice for literally any brief. Which is exactly why is has become the Caribbean’s most trusted industry leader.

Looking ahead to what is on the horizon, it’s hard to predict the future of NH. Already enjoying the kind of reputation that most companies aspire to and having demonstrated no fear in terms of experimenting with design, the only guaranteed future plans are those that benefit countries on a national level: “Every project needs to be viewed as an opportunity for national development, whether it is a hotel resort providing jobs and contributing to economic development, a school as a place to educate the young minds or a hospital providing health care. Quality and timely completion are thus the driving force of NH, as we deliver projects that transform businesses, shift landscapes and build nations.”

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to be surprised by this inherent connection to local communities. In a world where construction

DRIVEN BY INTEGRITY

is often viewed as an impersonal and purely functional sector, delving deeper and enjoying the positive future connotations of completed projects is what helps to set NH apart from competitors. Yes, the company works to tight schedules and deadlines and of course, the highest standards are always adhered to, but injecting personal commitment and taking pride in the way that future generations will benefit from buildings designed and built by the team? That’s a whole other level of community spirit that has led to commercial profitability and a natural compliance with integrity and combined, those are the strongest business foundations of all.

Pouchet’s resources and decades of knowledge and experience allows for design, supply, and installation of commercial, industrial and institutional Architectural Openings and Washroom Systems throughout the Caribbean.

Utilizing our partnerships with industry experts and our highly trained staff, we support and comply with international code requirements for Life Safety, Security, Accessibility and Washroom Innovation.

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KEEPING ENERGIZED National Energy chevron-square-right nationalenergy.tt phone-square 1 868 636 8471

For over 40 years, National Energy has committed itself to supporting the twin islands’ infrastructure, to developing of the nation’s gas-based energy industry and to monetising the country’s extensive natural gas resources. Last year was its 40th anniversary, and in 2020, the company has begun its fifth decade on a strong foot.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

A

s we all know, Trinidad & Tobago comprise an oil and gas reliant industrial hub with key ports in LNG shipping. As such, the management of the islands’ energy is a demanding task, as is the management and utilisation of its hydrocarbon resources. Since we last spoke with National Energy (then the National Energy Corporation or NEC), the company has been engaging in all enterprises within the hydrocarbon-based and energy-intensive industries, with a view to further promoting, developing and facilitating downstream energy-based industries and businesses on the islands.

A a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago, National Energy was incorporated in 1979 to continue the work first started by the Coordinating Task Force in monetising the country’s natural gas resources, as well as developing and managing industrial and marine infrastructure. National Energy was also involved in the construction and operation of the early petrochemical plants and the port and marine infrastructure which service all plants at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate.

Today, National Energy is well positioned as the force that will drive the expansion of the Endeavour Magazine | 87

NATIONAL ENERGY

energy sector into the future. The company is taking a proactive approach to promoting Trinidad and Tobago’s energy brand regionally and internationally, including the company’s recent re-naming and re-branding, as well as continuing to execute the development of energy projects and infrastructure under the guidance of the Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs.

In its primary role as overseer to the nation’s gas-based industrial infrastructure, National Energy is responsible for the development and identification of new industrial estates, as well as the deep-water ports that service them, with such projects providing a crucial contribution to the national economy through the creation of strategic national assets in the marine, energy and infrastructure sectors. This covers work in procurement, design, project implementation and supervision of publicly funded projects, and involves working closely with and going between the government, local

and international investors, consultants and contractors.

On top of this, the NEC is also responsible for the maintenance and management of Trinidad and Tobago’s two existing industrial estates and port facilities, which are essential in servicing the nation’s energy and industrial sectors and overseeing the import and export requirements of petrochemical and metal plants.

Although NEC continues to focus on the above areas, its current mandate also includes identifying and developing new industrial estates and deep-water ports, as well as the development and management of the existing La Brea and Union Industrial Estates. However, whilst the company is most focused on inregion projects, it is also turning its eye overseas, investigating ways to ship its knowledge and expertise to the energy sectors in Guyana and Suriname.

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KEEPING ENERGIZED

NATIONAL ENERGY

Similar to this overseas outreach, NEC also hosts supplier forums that seek to promote and introduce suppliers from the oil and gas industries, and well as raising awareness about its internal processes. At these forums, suppliers are able to network and meet each other, as well as forming stronger bonds with NEC’s staff themselves. This somewhat unique approach is NEC’s preferred way of building relationships with existing and potential suppliers. Even after these summits, communication and direct interaction between itself and its suppliers is key to NEC; it believes in keeping lines of communication open at all times, allowing inhouse staff and supplier companies to interact easily as one team. Similarly, this focus on bonds means NEC prefer forming long-term relationships over flitting between loyalties to chase the lowest price; instead, its approach builds trust between steady relationships, allowing for credit on larger purchases and more secure business for both parties. That

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said, it dissuades nepotism by reminding its suppliers to stay competitive!

When asked what exciting developments it had on the horizon, NEC was keen to mention its integrated melamine/formaldehyde cluster project at Union Industrial Estate. This project aims to utilise locally produced melamine and methanol to create higher-value products, such as OSB (oriented strand board) and veneer. A first for Trinidad and Tobago, the project also seeks to bridge the gap between the energy and manufacturing sectors of the economy.

NEC currently employ around 130 people, not including its many highly skilled subcontractors. The development of its employees is a serious matter to the company, with Personal Development Plans developed for every individual on the NEC payroll. Great attention is paid not only to staff’s training, but its ongoing competency and ever-improving abilities. Within this, there is also a strong focus on career development and promotion from

KEEPING ENERGIZED

within. As NEC see it, in an industry that is always evolving and growing, the development of each employee is crucial for standards to remain high and employees’ training to stay relevant. In doing so, it keeps ensuring that Trinidad and Tobago are not only benefiting from high standards themselves, but can continue its trend-setting global rise.

SURINAME DRYDOCK AND SHIPBUILDING COMPANY S.A. Saramaccastraat 33-35 • P.O. Box 1846 • Paramaribo, Suriname • South America Email: drydock@sr.net • Phone: (597) 475100 – 425757 – 424252 • Fax: (597) 420750 • Website: www.surinamedrydock.com

Facilities One floating drydock of 50.00 x 22.00 x 1.60 meters with breadth of 18.00 meters between the wing walls and a lifting capacity of 1100 tons One floating drydock of 30.00 x 13.40 x 1.22 meters with breadth of 10.05 meters between the wing walls and a lifting capacity of 150 tons

One slipway with a capacity of 100 tons and one for new buildings and repairs of vessels up to 600 tons with a length of 70.00 meters One machine shop for repairing and machining of shafts, bearings and parts

Representative of: Damen Shipyards Gorinchem

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POWERING PAPUA NEW GUINEA PNG Power chevron-square-right www.pngpower.com.pg

Charged with the task of providing reliable and affordable electricity to the people of Papua New Guinea, PNG Power has created a fully integrated business model that seeks to consistently improve its own service, while also acting as a regulator for external contractors.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

P

NG Power Ltd (“PPL”) is a state-owned operation with the government appointing a sole shareholder company and an overseeing board. This board submits financial and operational reports annually, as well as updated five-year business plans to the shareholder, maintaining proper conduct and transparent ownership.

State-owned enterprises often face extra scrutiny, to ensure fair trading practices and PPL is no exception. Established as part of the 2000 Electricity Commission (Privatisation) Act, PPL is also governed in full by the Electricity (Amendment) Act, which seeks to regulate the entire sector. The result of these stringent administrative frameworks is a utilities provider that has retained a clear focus on the two things that matter most – power and people: “PNG Power Ltd (PPL) is a fully integrated power authority responsible for generation, transmission, distribution and retailing of electricity throughout Papua New Guinea and servicing individual electricity consumers.

PPL services customers in almost all urban centres throughout the country encompassing industrial, commercial, government and domestic sectors. Where possible, the services Endeavour Magazine | 93

PNG POWER

extend to rural communities adjacent to these urban centres.”

Acting on behalf of the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission, PPL has also adopted a broader regulatory role, thanks to the expertise of the senior management team in place. This entails granting licences for electrical contractors, certifying electrical equipment and appliances and carrying out safety checks for large-scale projects. Remember that this is all in addition to the day-to-day provision of electricity to an entire nation and the enormity of the task at hand comes into clearer view.

Utility companies carry large burdens, especially electricity providers. Keeping a country powered is no small feat and problems, if they arise, can quickly transform into widespread crises. The secret to preventing such issues is to have straightforward objectives and to always be evolving policies and practices, something that PPL has remained on top of: “Our main objectives are to provide sufficient capacity for power generation at the least cost and to avoid capacity shortfalls; to only commit to new generation, transmission and distribution projects that meet PNG Power’s energy needs as well to commit to those strategic and economic opportunities that add value to PNG Power; to continually reduce the

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cost of generation and delivery of electricity to PNG Power customers and to maximise the use of domestic energy sources, with an immediate move away from diesel and fuel oil towards gas and, ultimately, to 100% renewables by 2050.”

These operational aims, though not a comprehensive list, demonstrate where PPL’s focus is. Reliability, affordability and sustainability. Three areas that require constant assessment and a vigilant approach, with each impacting on the other. Naturally, there could be improved technology available to guarantee better power generation, but if it increases the cost to the end user, is it a balance worth tipping?

And what of the environmental impact of said technology? Nothing is a simple or immediate decision and with a plan being developed that will hopefully safeguard the interests of the people of Papua New Guinea, board decisions need to be as informed as possible.

In addition to the main objectives already listed, PPL has made a commitment to remaining transparent, free from political influence, attuned to stakeholder interests and safeguarding the environment. These elements will prove vital to the implementation of the Least Cost Power Development Plan that has been set in motion, in response to a serious issue within the country.

Utilities are a cost that almost every citizen in the world has to bear and they are not always easy to meet. Papua New Guinea has encountered an uptake in illegal water and electricity connections, with people in all areas of the country being found guilty of electricity misuse. Whether electricity is being stolen from bill-paying customers or meters are being tampered with, it is a serious offence and PPL has been attempting to eradicate it by encouraging whistleblowing: “Illegal connection is a serious issue with electricity and water supply in Papua New Guinea. PNG Power has lost millions of kina through illegal connection to electricity by residents in all centres of the country. It is the responsibility now of every citizen of this country to be honest and look after the properties of the company and take ownership of it.”

POWERING PAPUA NEW GUINEA

PNG POWER A hotline has been set up to allow for the easy reporting of illegal activity, but PPL recognises that the best way to eradicate the issue is to keep striving for cheaper electricity and to instigate payment systems that prevent debt, which is why Easipay has been initiated.

A simple pre-paid meter system, Easipay should allow customers to take control of their finances and use only the electricity that they have paid for. It’s an uncomplicated scheme designed with customer benefit in mind and it seems to be having a positive impact.

Always looking for new ways to improve its operations, PPL appears to be heading into the future with an optimistic approach.

New connections in increasingly rural regions are a top priority, as is open communication with both customers and stakeholders, hence regular press releases prior to planned power outages and in the aftermath of any unexpected ones too.

Proud to be innovating and always looking for the right way to connect more homes,

PPL is “powering Papua New Guinea into the future”, with businesses benefitting as well. In December 2019, the first rooftop solar power project was initiated, demonstrating a stark shift in policy and a dedication to that allimportant 2050 renewable energy target, as CEO Douglas Mageo confirmed: “Solar PV systems have the potential to reduce the cost of power supply in Papua New Guinea and reduce carbon emissions through less reliance on diesel. With Papua New Guinea aiming to transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050, this pilot scheme in Port Moresby will serve as a test run, so we can carefully manage the technical and commercial impacts on PNG Power’s systems.”

The future looks set to be energised and environmentally responsible in Papua New Guinea and it’s all thanks to PPL’s willingness to evolve.

POWER POWER TO TO THE THE PEOPLE PEOPLE

PNG Forest Products operates the oldest and newest Hydro Power Stations in Papua New Guinea, with three in operation and a fourth under development. PNGFP is also the only IPP to supply Hydro Power to PNG Power.

P: +675 478 8100 | E: hydro@pngfp.com | www.pngfp.com

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POWERING PAPUA NEW GUINEA

AMAZING WORLD

SUPERNATURAL WORLD

by David Kimberley volution can be mind-blowing! The way quickly and beating a hasty retreat on foot or, species on Earth have evolved over the if needed, gliding close to the ground. During millennia is a constant wonder to behold bushfires, firefighters have often documented and, if you actually take the time to stop and finding lyrebirds hiding out in old mine look at the traits exhibited by the animals shafts, showing that they know just where to around us, it can be a humbling experience. take shelter.

The lyrebird is an Australian ground-dweller From mimicking sound to mimicking death: who is notoriously shy. Recognised by the male’s there are many animals who have evolved to 28-inch long tail feathers, which are used as deal with very specific predatory attacks or part of their courtship dance, these birds have unusual, possibly dangerous diets, and one a trait that is unique to their species. Not only such animal is the Opossum. More commonly do they mimic the calls of 20 other bird species, known as a possum, this marsupial is endemic they can also replicate man-made sounds to the Americas and, due to its taste for snake such as car alarms, chainsaws, crying babies, meat, they have developed a resistance to engines and many more. Some have even been the venom of rattlesnakes and vipers thanks known to replicate the human voice. No other to a peptide that neutralizes the poison. One animal on this planet can copy these sounds as of the better-known traits of this creature is perfectly as the lyrebird and it is quite fantastic their ability to play dead, however even this when you realise that the males do so largely to is misunderstood. When under threat, this attract mates. Females are usually silent during response is involuntary and has been likened courtship, but instead use their song during to fainting. In this state, the Opossum’s lips are foraging and nest defence. lyrebirds have fast drawn back and teeth are bared, plus the eyes reactions to danger, identifying the threat close or half-close. They also excrete a foul-

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smelling fluid that is meant to replicate the scent of a dead animal. They stiffen and curl up, during which time there is no reaction to being prodded or moved. It can be a few minutes or up to four hours before the animal ‘wakes up’ properly.

If you thought this ‘resurrection’ was impressive, though, you haven’t seen anything yet. One of the most unusual mammals in our world is also one of the smallest. Hailing from Africa, the Spiny Mouse is so called because of the stiff guard hairs in their coats that are similar to the spines of a hedgehog.

However, more impressively, this creature has the ability to discard its own skin in order to escape from predators, which they are then capable of re-growing. This includes cartilage, fur and even sweat glands. Scientists studying this little marvel believe that all mammals have the same genes that allow regeneration in reptiles but that these genes are unusually active only in the Spiny Mouse. If all of that was not impressive enough, they are much more resistant to disease and parasites such as fleas,

although strangely do contract diabetes much easier than many other mammals.

Species living below the surface of the oceans boast some of the most impressive evolution traits and the Immortal Jellyfish is possibly one of the most amazing. Are there any other creatures in the world that can restart their own life cycle? When injured, this jellyfish returns to the ocean floor and turns itself back into a polyp, which is the juvenile form of this species. After a couple of months growing back into a fully restored adult, the jellyfish returns to its daily activity amongst the waves. One such creature was studied by scientists who witnessed its resurrection 12 times. As with the Spiny Mouse, these scientists have realised that the key to human healing and reduced scarring may well lie within the cells of the Immortal Jellyfish. The latter certainly epitomises the phrase ‘going backwards to go forward’.

Scientists have been studying these strange traits within animals for years in order to try to understand how the regeneration or healing takes place, and to see if it can be replicated in human medicine. Research is now more intense than it has ever been and some headway has been made. An article published in 2017 from the University of Kentucky described the role of macrophages (white blood cells within the immune system) in epimorphic regeneration, stating that the subtype found in the African Spiny Mouse actually produces a different immune response that the one in humans that causes scarring. Meanwhile, studying the cell structure of the Immortal Jellyfish pushed scientists into new areas of stem cell research, with the continued aim to regrow damaged or dead tissue in humans.

Considering how evolution has changed these species over time, it does make one wonder just how different all species left on the planet will be in another million years, including the human race – if we even leave it to evolution. Whether it excites you or concerns you, science is always ready to learn from nature, and between these and many other incredible species (some of which we’ve covered in past Amazing Worlds), the key to healing and longer life could be out there.

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THE FINISHING TOUCH SAM chevron-square-right www.samonline.co.uk phone-square +44 28 9442 8288

As the UK transitions away from the EU, the countries’ people are growing aware of the need to support local businesses more than ever before, and family-owned businesses such as SAM, as a collective, are going to become an essential backbone for the country.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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AM is a premier UK supplier of MDF mouldings used to help to finish a construction project to the highest standards possible, adding detail and that final touch to leave both interiors and exteriors looking carefully made. Founded in 1990 in Northern Ireland, SAM has remained a family operation since it opened and has stayed true to its original niche market throughout.

It’s a clear case of ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’, and having identified a significant gap in the market for beautiful MDF mouldings that could be used both internally and externally, it’s been a fast-track to success for Sam and Julienne McCrea and their team.

When it comes to the SAM team, there is a tangible sense of togetherness and authenticity that drives the company’s success, from within: “We have strong core values of teamwork, integrity, respect and loyalty – ethics that apply throughout the business,” the company states. “Our commitment to our people is reflected in the fact that in 2004 we were the first manufacturing company in the world to achieve Investors in People Champion status.”

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back for more? It’s no secret that if you treat your staffing body well, offer opportunities to progress and always respect their expert opinion that they will give that little bit extra, but that can’t be enough to tempt clients.

If you think that there isn’t much scope for variation in terms of mouldings, think again.

SAM has welcomed countless repeat customers into the fold, thanks to its incredible range of not only moulding styles and applications, but also finishes. From skirting and architrave to door frames, window components, stair accessories, fascias, soffits, cladding, kitchen mouldings and picture frame accessories, SAM designs, manufactures and supplies it all. This allows customers to enjoy incredible quality, reliability of supply and a cohesive finished look to their homes. What’s more, each product is competitively priced, thanks to the genius decision to make every internal product from MDF: “MDF is a cost-effective alternative to traditional wood products with the added benefits of no knots, twists or warping. It is an engineered wood product manufactured by grinding softwood chips into fibres, bound together with synthetic resin and wax and pressed into flat panels under high heat and pressure.”

Far from being a budget product, MDF offers perfection where clients want it the most; in their homes, while being exceptionally good value for money. This leaves plenty of scope for fabulous finishes to be applied and in a bid to impress further, SAM has embraced environmentally-friendly MDF production methods as well: “We are careful to source our raw materials ethically. With our FSC® Certification, you can be sure that we are working to preserve the world’s forests.”

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the client themselves. Even more impressive is the fact that totally custom creations are possible, if none of the core products will work, and all that’s needed is a phone call. A customer’s needs are never too much trouble and this attitude has been prevalent from the very beginning of the company.

SAM is founded on two guiding principles; quality and production: “At SAM, we impress our customers with quality. The quality of our products, the quality of our service, the quality of our working environment, the quality of our people. To us, it all matters and as a result we put a lot of effort into everything we do.”

By imbuing every facet of a company with quality, customers need never wonder if they have made the right choice and in the case of SAM, clients are consistently delighted with customised finishes and products that are so much more than merely fit for purpose.

When it comes to making the finest MDF mouldings available today, Sam and Julienne acknowledge that you can’t possibly hope to produce industry-leading products on sub-par equipment, which is why they have invested in the best machinery that money can buy and continue to stay at the cutting edge of production facilities.

“Our 10-acre, purpose-built facility in Antrim, and our recently acquired 5-acre site in Donington, allow us to create exceptional quality products, made to the highest specification.”

These specialist facilities don’t come at the detriment of the environment, however, as SAM is a company that remains cognisant of the importance of environmental stewardship.

While this will be a deciding factor for a minority of potential clients, it is simply an everyday concern that has been built into the fabric of the company, due to the production methods being used and the material being produced.

With the tailored production facilities enjoying state of the art technology in every department, it wasn’t a stretch to invest in

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SAM

waste recycling capabilities; an endeavour that has paid off significantly, to the tune of 40% of all electricity being produced by recycled waste products, in addition to heat and paint drying power. There’s even solar power in place as well: “We have installed a 50Kw Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system onto the roof of our offices and a 250Kw system on our factory roof. All energy generated is used within the factory, except during periods of no production. Any excess energy is exported onto the grid.”

SAM is always seeking out new opportunities for growth, and to that end, last summer, it announced an exciting new distribution agreement with Universal Wood Products Ltd. Discussing the partnership, SAM’s sales director noted that: “We are very excited by this distribution relationship with Universal Wood Products. The SAM veneer wrap product range is experiencing substantial growth in demand across the UK marketplace and we see potential for major development

in the London and south east sectors. UWP’s excellent reputation for customer service and their ability to offer this SAM range within 24 hour-availability will be a key driver to ensuring success in this venture.”

Offering affordable ways to finish off homes to a high standard, SAM’s slogan of “Giving you the edge” is fitting. By never compromising on quality or its investment in people, SAM is the toast of the Northern Ireland business world and fast gaining global recognition as a premier manufacturer of high-class mouldings and associated products. It’s a niche market, but one that SAM has cornered, and with family values underpinning the team, the future of the company looks set to be positive, whatever the future holds for the UK as a whole.

www.sherwin-williams.com

Paints, Stains, Colors & Supplies

Protective & Marine Coatings

Product Finishes

Automotive & Transportation Finishes

Aerospace Finishes

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INSTANT GRATIFICATION CCL Products chevron-square-right www.cclproducts.com phone-square +91 40 23732455

When thinking about India and hot drinks, one’s mind might go instantly to tea.

However, one mustn’t forget about its coffee industry, as the Hyderabadbased CCL Products reminds us. The company focuses on producing instant coffee products that don’t compromise on flavour: we took a closer look at how it is succeeding.

Written by Amy Buxton

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offee is more than just a plant that produces a beverage: it has become a passion, a ritual and a lifestyle for countless people around the world, which means that there is an enormous market for high quality coffee that can satisfy even the most discerning of palates and that’s where Indian company CCL Products (CCL) comes in.

Started in 1994, CCL had a vision of creating and distributing the best instant product in the world. The foresight of the company allowed it to become a household name, before so many lesser competitors jumped on the bandwagon, and it has remained committed to the standards and integrity that it was founded upon, “At CCL Products, we have taught ourselves to do business with integrity, commitment and an unwavering effort to maintain the highest quality standards in the industry. Our strong infrastructural backbone and a global client repertoire in over 90 countries have led us to evolve into the largest instant coffee exporter in private labelling, in the world.”

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CCL PRODUCTS

and satisfy customers in equal measure. From freeze-dried granules to powder, decaffeinated, flavoured and even pre-creamed and sugared, there’s a coffee product for everybody in the CCL portfolio and they’ve all been produced alongside the same set of stringent standards, “Upholding the reputation for being one of the most trusted brands in the industry, CCL Products is committed to delivering its promise of manufacturing unparalleled quality products.

Roasted, blended and processed to the precise requirements of our clients, the Arabica and Robusta green coffee is handpicked from different parts of the world. Our coffee is manufactured at -60 degree Celsius to retain the original flavour and aroma. We are among the only companies in the world to produce all four types of pure soluble coffee from a single location; we deliver only the finest.”

CCL enjoys a large worldwide customer base and that’s only ever going to grow, thanks to the increase in coffee interest, and to be able to cater to everybody, the company has been careful to invest in suitable premises, equipment and processes. With this in mind, a state-of-the-art soluble coffee plant was set up in 2005, alongside the first freeze-dried plant, supported by the best technology that money can buy, “CCL Products has adapted Swiss and Brazilian technology, purchased from worldrenowned pioneers in turnkey instant/soluble coffee technology at its plant. This adaptation of technology has enabled CCL Products to

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produce international quality soluble coffee, which is currently being exported to more than 80 countries across the globe.”

The investments have paid off and then some, given that CCL has been certified to produce a number of carefully vetted and specialist products and is now able to produce organic, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade coffee in a variety of different incarnations.

This is something of an honour and one that is only bestowed onto companies that can clearly demonstrate compliance to stringent rules and quality standards. In a similar vein, kosher and halal certifications are also in place, demonstrating that diversity isn’t limited to the style of coffee on offer from CCL, but is contingent on pleasing as many customers as possible, addressing their needs or wants: “At CCL Products, we are devoted to achieving the highest standards of quality. As part of this process, we at CCL Products carefully choose the coffee beans, with utmost care, to meet the requirements of the customer, for manufacture of the final product. Further, a comprehensive control system has been put in place, alongside sampling and tasting procedures, in consonance with the best industry standards, in order to ensure the best quality of the final product.”

It’s not just products that are given the high-quality treatment, however, as CCL has long been dedicated to upholding levels of Corporate Social Responsibility far above those that are expected.

Keen to operate as a Fairtrade outfit, as well as an environmentally responsible one, CCL consistently seeks out opportunities to contribute to the local communities that it operates within, “The Company, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, undertook many projects like promotion of education in rural areas, infrastructure and sanitation development, welfare of children and facilitating pure drinking water to the identified rural areas in and around the factory at Duggirala.

The Company also contributed towards improvement of health and sanitation to set

INSTANT GRATIFICATION

up green toilets at several places throughout the Guntur District and constructed houses for Hudhud cyclone victims.”

By being willing to combine a thirst for commercial success with ethical underpinnings, CCL is proving that the two can go hand-inhand. Moreover, employment opportunities and community growth can be guaranteed as well, which ties into the business objective of respecting surrounding societies, the environment and all stakeholders.

If just one word could be used to describe CCL, it would have to be ‘diverse’. From the sheer volume of different products on offer through to the various packaging options and even the ways in which each blend is produced and for whom, CCL is no one-trick pony. What it is, is a global giant that shows no sign of slowing down or becoming diluted. If anything, it’s set to remain just as strong and eye-opening as the products that have made it such a commercial force to be reckoned with.

Flavourtech is a world leader in the design and manufacture of thin-film, spinning cone technologies for the production of premium aroma, extracts and concentrates.

Their expertise covers turn-key solutions for the production of high-quality Instant and Ready To Drink Tea and Coffee.

Flavourtech is proud to be working with CCL Products to produce premium, fullflavoured instant coffee utilising unique processing technologies. www.flavourtech.com

flavourteCh partnering with

CC l to create

high quality

i n sta nt Co f f e e integrated extraCtion system Premium Coffee Naturally

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DIGGING DEEPER STEC chevron-square-right www.stecs.com.sg phone-square (021) 58301000

Singapore’s city-state island is a booming metropolis, heaving with industrial development as far as you can see. Of course, whatever goes up must come down, and no vibrant, jam-packed urban landscape can exist without its underground counterpart. A labyrinth of basements, pipe-works and tunnels snakes under Singapore, making any underground works highly challenging to carry out: that’s where experts like STEC come in.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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stablished in 1996, Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co (Singapore) Pte Ltd (“STEC”) is a leading civil engineering and construction firm in Singapore. In particular, they focus on underground works, constructing train stations and their connecting tunnels, as well as working on sewage, underground demolition and other careful, subterranean contracts. We revisited STEC Managing Director Khor Eng Leong to catch up on their current projects.

“STEC started off a subcontractor in one of the Land Transport Authority (“LTA”) NorthEast Line projects and has never looked back since,” Khor reminded us. “Over the years, we have been trusted by our clients to construct many of the major civil projects in Singapore.”

“Today, we have successfully undertaken and completed projects for LTA, Public Utilities Board (“PUB”) and Marina Bay Sands (“MBS”).

Our involvement in all the major LTA Mass Rapid Transit (“MRT”) lines, from North-East Line to the current Thomson-East Coast Line, is a testament of our client’s confidence in our technical capabilities and competencies in handling and delivering large infrastructure projects.”

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The company has had great success working in the utilities and infrastructure sectors; their current slate involves work for the Public Utilities Board and a whole range of contracts for the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Their contract with the Public Utilities Board involves the design and construction of a tunnel network for a deep tunnel sewerage system, including a 6km South Main Sewerage Tunnel, a 5.5km South Linkway Sewerage Tunnel and fifteen working shafts, as well as two 3.0m diameter slurry TBMs and three 3.3m diameter slurry TBMs. This huge undertaking represents a contract value of S$472.17 million, and is yet another opportunity for STEC to put their expert knowledge of Singapore’s underground challenges to the test.

Most of their current work, however, is with Singapore Land Transport Authority, in particular, the Thomson-East Coast Line. The company currently has four major contracts with the LTA, including one that carries particular

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complications. Rising to these complications, the project has allowed STEC to showcase some of its latest in technological innovations.

In total, these four contracts represent a value of S$1.379 billion (over US$1billion).

The first, worth S$421.58 million, is to design and build 6.15km of bored tunnels extending from Woodlands Station towards Woodlands South Station, and between Woodlands South Station to Sembawang Airbase. Another, worth S$293.45 million, is to construct Katong Park Station and twin bored tunnels to connect between the adjacent Tanjong Rhu Station and Amber Station, as well as two cross passages. Meanwhile, in collaboration with another prominent civil contractor, they have also been appointed to construct the future Bayshore Station, including an additional 1.7km of connecting tunnels. This contract not only includes the stations’ five entrances and their connecting tunnels, but also requires the construction of an escape shaft, near to Bedok South Avenue 1. Overall, this contract represents S$295.86 million.

However, it is another contract – contract T225, for the Shenton Way Station - that is truly pushing the company to show what it can do.

Shenton Way Station will be built at a depth of 42m, with two adjacent stacked bored tunnels totalling 2.26km built to connect Maxwell Station to Marina Bay Station. Also included in the same agreement is the demolition of the iconic Golden Bridge currently standing at Shenton Way. The build will take place on reclaimed land, originally the Telok Ayer Basin in the 1950s, meaning extensive ground improvement works have been required to ensure that the build will be safe, as well as bored piling work. As Khor explained, “The greatest challenge was the high-risk mining works that under-crossed the ‘live’ East-West Line Tunnels, which sit a mere 3.5m above the T225 tunnel. In addition, we also tunnelled beneath a series of historic pre-war houses located within URA conservation district.” Even the demolition of the Golden Bridge itself was a huge health and safety undertaking; the feet took a year and a half to plan, and took place

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STEC

during the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays in 2015.

Due to these safety concerns and structural obstacles, the S$368.16 million contract has called a range of safety innovations into play: “T225 supports and fully endorses the National Workplace Safety and Health Campaign’s ‘Vision Zero’ movement, with the message ‘Prevent all injuries. Go home safe and healthy’, as well as LTA’s ‘Zero Accident Movement’.” One of the most innovative solutions that have been applied to the projects has been the use of virtual reality (“VR”). As Khor explained, “Virtual reality has added a new dimension to workplace safety training. This technology created simulations of high risk and common accident-prone activities in a 3D interactive environment, instilling the workers with the dangers of failing to adhere to good safe practice.” As well as using VR to really drive the message home, STEC also trained and prepared

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their staff with animations and safety videos at the T225 training centre.

Meanwhile, when it comes to the work itself, T225 has applied the use of drones to mitigate the risk of accidents and injuries by allowing views of the worksite not possible for personnel to navigate and access. Oscilloscope sensors were also installed at the tunnel boring machine cutter head, which STEC used to detect metal obstructions that may have otherwise caused any unplanned downtime while they were under-crossing 23 fragile premises. Photo beam sensors were introduced to provide real-time monitoring and alarms as the Station diaphragm walls were only one meter away from the glass façade of the adjacent development to prevent machinery straying beyond the work boundaries. Finally, in-cabin camera systems monitor the activity of excavators and gantry cranes to encourage safe behaviour through promoting accountability.

DIGGING DEEPER

This range of features shows that safety lies in two areas: technical accuracy, and human effort. Through training staff, raising their awareness and monitoring their work, STEC has produced staff that are both equipped and motivated to operate to the highest safety standards. This is essential to STEC, who, given the highly skilled and dangerous nature of their work, place a strong importance on promoting safety at work: “Other than our successful track records, we are a company with a strong Workplace Safety, Health & Environment (WSHE) culture. Our many WSHE initiatives and continual improvements form the cornerstone of this culture and a foundation of WSHE success.”

For the company, the purpose of their safety standards is not to receive praise, but to protect its employees and the projects of its clients.

Achieving this goal is the greatest reward the company can receive, and the greatest claim

for it to take pride in; through the efforts of its safety culture, both the organisation itself and its subcontractors have successfully maintained a rate of zero major WSHE statistics, as well as 5.8 million accident-free worker hours.

When dealing with work as full of risk and complication as underground construction, the ability to make this claim makes STEC a highly attractive company to work with. Continuing to place their emphasis here will continue to not only safeguard their staff and the projects they are undertaking, but it will also safeguard their reputation and continue to promote them as one of the leading contractors in their region – a testament to the importance of working responsibly and well, no matter the cost.

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BRIDGING THE GAP Barbados Port Inc chevron-square-right www.barbadosport.com phone-square (246) 434 6100

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

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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

The Deep Water Harbour was opened in May 1961, in a ceremony conducted by contemporary West Indies Prime Minister Sir Grantley Adams. The construction project was the fruit of combined efforts between Barbados and the UK, with British technical experts and consultants working alongside the Barbadian workforce, and much of the funds for the project coming from London or the British government. The result was an uncannily smooth operation, with construction Endeavour Magazine | 117

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

True to its name, Bridgetown Port is often just that – a connector. Many of the holidaymakers treading the port’s boards are in the area purely as a means from A to B. For example, many European travellers fly to Barbados in order to take a cruise, rather than to experience the island itself. Barbados Port Inc. hope that by encouraging some of these holiday-makers to slow down and enjoy their time in the port, potentially arranging to stay there before

BRIDGING THE GAP

BARBADOS PORT INC

or after their cruise as an extension to their holiday, Barbados can attract some extra cash flow into the economy.

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

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

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

Efforts to modernise have also included updated computer systems such as KleinPort, the company’s latest Port Management Information System, created by Saab Technologies. The software allows the port to streamline their operations electronically, removing miscommunication between

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departments and assisting in the smooth delivery of cargo processing such as managing cargo manifestos, dangerous goods handling, errors and omission processing and commodity code mapping, as well as allowing customers to track their cargo shipments from their own offices. The system also allows the smooth processing of other port logistics such as vessel scheduling, berth planning, conflict resolution, waypoint and route management, the allocation of staff or ships such as the assigning of pilots and tugs, and even processes such as billing.

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

They are also digging and building to expand their capacity yet further, to accommodate bigger cargo vessels alongside their impressive cruise capabilities. Lastly, the port has made

BRIDGING THE GAP

the decision to remove tariffs on exports, to encourage greater trade out of the country – a move that will benefit Barbados as a whole, and in doing so, the port.

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

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FUEL UP NP chevron-square-right www.np.co.tt phone-square (868) 625 1364

Located in a hub for the industry within its region, and indeed globally, the Trinidad and Tobago National Petroleum Marketing Company has had a strong hold within the market since the 1970s. Whilst the world is moving forwards and the company is moving with it, its well-established foundations mean this movement can afford to be gradual, maintaining the core of its status quo in an industry that, in a fastchanging world, remains a determined constant.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

I

ncorporated back in 1972, the Trinidad and Tobago National Petroleum Marketing Company (NP) was formed by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, which is also the sole owner, back when the face of heavy industries was very different. Created using assets bought from what was then BP Caribbean Ltd, the incorporation was the beginning of a programme of serious investment and development, and after buying 50% of the inland assets of ESSO and enveloping them in 1973, growth really started to happen.

“In 1976, NP became the sole distributor of petroleum fuels in T&T, having acquired the marketing assets of Trinidad and Tobago Oil Company (formerly Shell Trinidad Ltd) and the following year the local marketing assets of Texaco Trinidad Ltd,” the company states.

Can anyone say monopoly? If this was simply a commercial operation seeking to swallow up all the interests in the Caribbean, you’d be forgiven for calling out uncompetitive practices, but knowing that the Government owns NP means something else altogether. Having a directive to always do more for the consumers, NP cites that “by land, sea and air, our passion is to get better every day in every way.” NP was and is snapping up as many assets as possible, Endeavour Magazine | 123

NP

but in a display of respect for the brands being incorporated, blanket marketing hasn’t been adopted. Instead, under licence, NP continued to produce a range of lubricants after acquiring Shell Trinidad Ltd, right up to the point where the National Petroleum Brand of lubricants was launched in 1981.

The question is, how have all of these asset acquisitions impacted on the range of products available to consumers? “NP continues to improve its product rating, keeping abreast of every significant technological advancement in the lubricants industry. Today, thanks to our rigorous pursuit of quality standards such as the service classification of American Petroleum Institute (API), the Trinidad and Tobago and Caribbean markets are among the most advanced regions of the world.”

So, monopoly of the market was never the driving force; it was a case of learning, improving and being able to diversify, safe in the knowledge that no standards were being

negated in the pursuit of commercial success.

This leads us neatly onto exactly what NP offers consumers on a day-to-day basis. Before we look at the array of products on offer from NP, we need to reiterate the fact that it is the most diversified petroleum company within the English-speaking Caribbean, as it is such a key USP. After all, any company with enough investment could look to sell petroleum fuels, but it takes a deeper level of industry expertise to expand into other arenas: “NP markets petroleum fuels, lubricating oils and greases, liquefied petroleum gas, compressed natural gas and automotive specialty products. NP possesses the largest service station network in Trinidad and Tobago.

From our blending plants come lubricating oils, greases, brake fluid and radiator coolants. We also deliver marine bunkering and aviation refueling at our facilities in both Trinidad and Tobago and in Dominica.”

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NP

NP really is a one-stop consumer satisfaction shop. Not only are the products developed and created to a staggering standard, there is also an extensive distribution network in place, ready to fulfil the needs of local people and businesses. This ties in beautifully with the company mission and vision statements: “Our mission is to provide a safe and reliable supply of quality petroleum products to customers in domestic and regional markets.

Our vision is to be the preferred petroleum marketing company, leading in customer service, innovation, efficiency and profitability; emerging from domestic leader to competitive regional player.”

Note the continual lack of global aspirations here. This is a local operation, run with the region, residents and quality in mind. Yes, if an opportunity to diversify into more international interests presented itself, NP would be ready and able to rise to the challenge, but there is no sense that the team is looking past the

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people that have made the company what it is today. It feels like a very natural and symbiotic arrangement; people need petroleum products, NP provides them, and everyone enjoys the relationship – but there’s more to NP than simple supply and demand.

Even the most simplistic of operations can identify what consumers want and need, but it takes a more innovative company to look for ways to meet commercial demand, whilst never compromising on the original core values. After all, trust, integrity and passion will never go out of style and can be the values that set companies apart, making the difference between a disappointment or a successful tender. Something else that certainly helps NP to stand out from competitors is the commitment to social responsibility: “Over the years, NP has had an on-going commitment to the development of the people and culture of this country. However, among the many endeavours in which the company has been involved, we are particularly proud of the NP Music Literacy Programme, the goal of which is to provide an avenue where the youth in the Port of Spain area could focus on music literacy and personal development. We have been able to achieve these goals through the introduction of Level 1 music exams and formal life skills training by an external facilitator for these students.”

With solid industry expertise and product understanding forming the foundation of the whole company, coupled with the extensive distribution channels in place, NP is certainly in an enviable position. Whatever your view on the industry, it seems unlikely that NP is going to veer from its core activities too far in the near future, given the leading position they have established for it.

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AMAZING WORLD

NOISILY FESTIVAL

by Alex Hayes place full of wonder and mystery, with an example in order to inspire our community eclectic vibes like no other - welcome to live consciously year-round. to Noisily Festival!

Wellness and Education: We are dedicated Noisily Festival, hosted at Coney Woods in to acting as a leading light in the UK’s festival Leicestershire, gathers once a year to make the wellness scene; an alternative learning centre forest come (even more) alive, dripping in colour rooted in holistic and spiritual practices. and surrounded by enchanting production.

Community: We are more than just 6,000 An array of performers, arts & crafts, wooden people in the woods for 4 days, we are a family. pyramids, hidden humble abodes and fire We will support and guide our community to a breathers grace the woodlands, creating an better future. adult wonderland that feels miles away from Creativity: Noisily is a platform for music, the everyday. arts, psychedelic culture and creativity. “ Founded by Lachie Gordon and Chris Noisily has also consolidated environmental Williams, who laid down the foundations of a conservational efforts into its ‘Looking After the magical creation, this festival flows through five Woods’ initiative, leading the way in making core pillars, which Noisily describes as: great leaps to becoming a carbon neutral “Inclusion: Diversity is inviting people to the festival. The ultimate goal is to send zero waste party; inclusion is getting them on the dance to landfill. A mandatory carbon levy is also floor. We want everyone to feel welcome at in place at the festival gate for the third year Noisily irrespective of gender, ethnicity and/or running for any cars arriving with two or fewer sexual preference. people. This levy is designed to encourage The Environment: Noisily commits to protect festival goers to take advantage of the Go Car and conserve the local environment, setting Share system - a chance for new friendships to

A

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blossom, as well as reducing carbon emissions and raising funds for the Stand for Trees Organisation in the process.

Other sustainability campaigns include the removal of single use plastics from site, re-using print material where possible and donating proceeds to Stand for Trees. Paraben and SLS free washing up liquids and shower gels are available at all washing points, as well as new and improved composting toilets, which use zero water and chemicals along the way.

Further bins and recycling points have also been installed across the site amongst many other great sustainability initiatives - initiatives that all festivals should take note of.

Noisily is a holistic environment that feeds the mind, body and soul: it is a celebration of psychedelic art and culture in a society that is increasingly looking within for happiness and fulfilment in the non-material sense.

Its arenas create a sense of intimacy through their boutique design and bijou feels, where artists, bands and DJs from all walks of life bring their unique styles to the dance floor.

This festival seeks to provide a welcome escape from the world, where you can find yourself surrounded by like-minded souls and immerse yourself in 360 degrees of positive energy, frequency and vibrations.

A festival that “celebrates the individual, cultivates understanding in the collective and explores what it means to be human in today’s world”, Noisily festival is a unique experience, and one you don’t want to miss! Given its extra efforts to be green, this is a particularly worthwhile event to support: Noisily Festival, we take our hats off to you!

noisilyfestival.com

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EUROPEAN UNITY Swisslion chevron-square-right www.swisslion-takovo.com phone-square +381 11 20 69 300

Made by companies with decades of experience, Swisslion-Takovo’s products are tastier and more popular than ever. The Serbian company produce delicious foods and snacks for children and adults, from luxurious chocolate treats to healthy drinks. We took a closer look at this scrummy company to see how they’ve been putting a smile on South-East Europe’s faces since they opened, almost a dozen factories ago.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

I

n the valleys of Trebinje, Bosnia, golden light seems to flow slowly over the slopes, like a light treacle or a fine dusting of sugar over a sleepy-looking town. Rolling hills of green, dotted with picturesque, toy-town trees and buildings, make the area look destined for a biscuit tin picture. The white stone and warm terracotta-coloured rooftops of the town are bright, warm and welcoming in the sunlight; this calm, quiet city is one of the many idyllic homes of Swisslion-Takovo’s chocolate and confectionary factories. Founded in 1997, the company has gradually expanded their product range, branching out from biscuits to include sweets, ice cream and even baby foods. Starting out in Serbia, the company now also has facilities in Macedonia, Croatia and, of course, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their single factory has become eleven, with ten built in Serbia and one in Macedonia, and their personnel now total the thousands.

Swisslion-Takovo’s Trebinje factory, whilst an industrial facility by nature, mimics the colours of the town with its white walls and warm reds.

The structure, which cost the company over €20 million, has an appearance that evokes the excitable, childish joys stirred by what’s inside: chocolate, biscuits, even ice cream. It is Endeavour Magazine | 131

SWISSLION a clean, welcoming factory fit for a whimsical industry. This look and feel is shared by all of the company’s locations.

The sheer number of locations explains not only the confectioner’s vast output, but also their broad range of products. Their two main factories are located in Vršac, North-Eastern Serbia, and Gornji Milanovac, Central Serbia.

The North-Eastern factory is dedicated to confectionary production, including biscuits, chocolate bars, wafers, sweets and Turkish Delight, whilst the central facility manufactures food products such as pasta, soups and fruit juices. Overall, the company’s best-known products are their Eurocrem (chocolate spread), Eurodessert (chocolates), Viljamovka (pear brandy) and even Juvitana (baby food).

Each factory is fully automated, producing the company’s beloved products on the most high-end and up-to-date machines.

The company describe themselves as “an empire in the field of quality and healthy food production”, claiming that “the application of

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modern technology and advanced knowledge, as well as continuous training processes, set high standards of business, living and working in Swisslion-Takovo.” Their fully automated line creates biscuits in a manner that will have the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory opening credits playing in your mind, or perhaps Edward Scissorhands’ cookie machine.

The facilities each house numerous machines, everyone as fun to watch in action as the rest.

White and red labels whizz past like ribbons on spools, vast sheets of biscuit squares run under pouring chocolate, and confectionaries of all kinds zoom around the room in various stages of their separate dances. It’s enough to make your mouth water for the goodies being produced, and your inner child to clap in excitement at the mechanical circus in motion.

Whilst production is automated by topend machines, personnel oversee the entire process. Dressed in sanitary white, they monitor, package and transport the treats, as well as making sure that quality standards never slip.

Don’t let the production line fool you – every product in these factories is made with love!

Of course, Swisslion don’t just produce confectionaries – they own many facilities, creating everything from healthy drinks to baby foods. Perhaps the most glee-inducing of these is their ice cream factory, added to their arsenal in 2011 and quickly becoming a major part of their operations. It’s hard to say, ‘ice cream factory’ without a swell of childish excitement, and this factory has plenty on the production slate to be excited about: promising “perfection of flavour, high quality and natural ingredients”, Swisslion claim that their ice cream will “delight you once more with its richness”, with high levels of cocoa butter in their chocolate flavourings and carefully selected natural fruits for many of their 54 flavours. Combining these natural ingredients with modern methods, the factory’s totally automated production line is able to produce 30 million litres of ice cream a year – try to imagine that without grinning!

Like any sizable and successful company, Swisslion-Takovo’s origin story isn’t simple.

The Swisslion Group traces its origins from the Takovo company, founded in 1962 in Gornji

EUROPEAN UNITY Milanovac, whilst Swisslion itself was founded in 1991. Takovo was state-owned during the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and was one of the country’s biggest industrial companies. Swisslion and Takovo merged in 2004 under name Swisslion-Takovo, following Swisslion’s acquisition of Takovo by public tender. Whilst Swisslion’s focus has always been on the sweet side of things, Takovo brought their savoury foods and healthy drinks into the mix. If this double threat wasn’t enough, the company also incorporated Juvitana, producers of children’s food, and Sisak, a Croatian biscuit factory involved in the production of the Euro Jaffa biscuit brand, secured in part to expand the company’s hold on their Croatian market.

As one unit with many parts, SwisslionTakovo was the brainchild of Rodoljub Drašković, whose clear vision and contagious energy fuelled the merger and inspired the resulting company with this message: “Business can be done here, done well, and new values can be created.” The mission included the desire

to become the most powerful player in SouthEast Europe’s food industry, as well as playing a significant role in Serbia’s overall economic development. As well as these lofty aims, they intend to price competitively, distribute promptly, and offer a wider and more mouthwatering assortment of treats to choose from.

Swisslion and Takovo’s now symbiotic relationship is perhaps best illustrated with their most iconic product: Eurocrem, the brand’s popular hazelnut and vanilla flavoured sweet milk chocolate spread. Half white, half brown, the two products are sold together in one tub as a yin-yang of flavours. Often marketed with the image of a slice of toast, half covered in one spread and half in the other, the product has carried the slogan: “We grow together”. It is a perfect metaphor for Swisslion-Takovo’s journey together: two elements, one sweet, one savoury, in a combination that is inarguably delicious.

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SALVATION FROM ABOVE SANBS chevron-square-right sanbscpd.co.za

The South African Blood Service (SANBS) is a world leader in its field. Using advanced technology and proactive, efficient systems, the organisation makes sure that the South African health service has all of the blood it needs to carry out treatments and save lives.

If its latest developments play out, SANBS has just elevated its service to another level; we caught up with the organisation to learn about the latest, high-flying addition to its technological arsenal.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

S

ince its formation in 2002, the South African National Blood Service has seen its operations grow substantially.

Originally formed in a merger between several separate blood transfusion services, SANBS is now renowned for the expertise of its medical professionals, its high-tech facilities and its stringent safety procedures, and has become one of the brightest examples of a blood service in the world. As a not-for-profit organisation that is free from shareholders and private sector involvement, SANBS is able to re-invest all of its profits back into the organisation, with the desire to improve service and safety being the only driver.

Plentiful blood reserves mean that seriously ill patients can undergo surgery, mothers-tobe can receive blood transfusions when going into labour, and accident victims, or the many victims of violent crime can get the emergency treatments that can and do save lives. Blood is the key resource needed for South Africa’s medical and emergency care system to operate effectively, and it is SANBS that acts as the bastion that protects its effective collection, screening and distribution.

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SANBS

population is spread across a large area, with many communities living in remote locations that are far from any major cities or towns.

The organisation now has 25 facilities, as well as multiple mobile blood units stationed within shopping centres, holiday resorts and secondary schools. However, whilst these are more than sufficient when it comes to blood collection, the delivery of blood to remote health facilities is a different issue and calls for a far faster, all-encompassing reach. SANBS has its fleet of vehicles, but in its latest expansion into new technology, it has begun trialling the application of another, faster form of vehicle.

Globally, drone technology is being applied to more and more industries. From military operations to essential industries such agriculture or construction, and even emergency services such as firefighting and the police, drones have proven themselves to be game changers in many an operation, thanks to their height, quick speeds, manoeuvrable

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size and the affordability of using them. Yet another area where they are being applied is the emergency health service, and within this field, SANBS has begun testing the efficiency of drones in a new application of their versatility and speed.

In the face of South Africa’s widespread, hard-to-reach population, drone technology is a potential life-saver. SANBS has developed the use of drones to both deliver blood and to collect blood samples in an emergency situation. The organisation’s two-fold strategy is the first in the world of its kind, using drones to transport emergency, universal ‘O negative’ blood to patients in need, and secondly, to transport a sample of the patients’ blood to a SANBS facility and return with the appropriate type.

Currently, drones would be able to carry up to four units of blood at a time, though future designs might be able to improve on this. In the current design, these drones can fly at a height of up to 100 metres, which allows it to travel as the crow flies over most terrain. SANBS has developed this plan in cooperation with Western Cape Blood Service (WCBS), as well as with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) to secure licensing and airspace.

SANBS is in a strong position compared to where it began, collecting six times the amount of blood it used to, despite bumps in the road along the way. However, supply can still be an issue, with only around 500,000 of South Africa’s 53 million inhabitants donating blood.

20% of these donors are secondary school students, which also means that supply levels drop over school holiday periods such as Easter and Christmas.

SANBS has invested in many mobile units with which to lead drives throughout the country, which are able to tackle this shortage.

However, there are further expenses and challenges in obtaining this essential resource.

For example, hepatitis and HIV are both prevalent in many areas of the country, and this must be screened for in every unit of blood donated to SANBS. This process takes place in SANBS’ state of the art laboratories and costs the organisation R500,000 a day.

SALVATION FROM ABOVE

This is a small price to pay for a safe and reliable blood supply, but it is one of the many areas in which SANBS can never relax its standards.

When it comes to a resource as precious and essential as donated blood, the organisation can never have an ‘off’ day – it must consistently meet every stringent standard, and it goes without saying that in such a health and safety conscious industry, the South Africa National Blood Service is highly regulated. All nurses and technicians employed by the organisation are continuously trained and registered with a statutory council who ensure that necessary high standards are maintained. Due to the risk of staff coming into contact with individuals infected with hepatitis B or HIV, employees are immunised for hepatitis B and only the highest quality protective equipment such as needles with protective sheaths and specialist medical gloves for example are permitted. Any concerns that a member of staff may have contracted HIV

from a donor will see them receive prophylactic treatment immediately.

In every way it can, SANBS is striving to be the best that it can be. If its latest development takes hold and drones are able to be utilized in this innovative way, then location should no longer have the definitive impact it currently has on whether or not a South African resident receives the full care that they need. Blood is yet another frontier on the road to greater economic freedom and equal opportunity in the wide-spread country – one that might not come immediately to mind, but one that, in an emergency, could be the decider between life and death.

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THEIR CULTURE, THEIR TASTE Royal Castle chevron-square-right www.royalcastlegy.com

Since 1968, Royal Castle Ltd has been tempting Trinidadian taste buds with its pioneering fast food chain. We spoke with Sandy Roopchand, Managing Director, to learn more about the brand’s history and what it is that keeps them thriving in a market of growing competition.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

T

rinidad and Tobago are bustling hubs of industry, but they are also booming with colour and good food. The beautiful Caribbean islands are home to music, flavours and festivals, combining celebrations and cultures from their broad mix of heritages, including African, Arabic, Indian, South American Jewish and European backgrounds.

Perhaps the most famous of these festivals is Carnival, brought over by French settlers and celebrated across the islands last month, but spirits are also high for Christmas, Eid, and a colourful slate of Indian celebrations including Diwali, Phagwah and Shivaratri. This global melting-pot has developed a reputation for inclusive culture, flavoursome food and a strong local pride: therefore, to thrive as a local restaurant chain, a company needs to represent all three.

Royal Castle Ltd (RCL) was founded in 1968, making it the first locally-owned fast food chain operating in Trinidad & Tobago.

Now there’s some local pride! The company’s family-friendly, quick-service restaurants offer a mouth-watering menu, focusing on delicious Trinidadian chicken but also celebrating fish and vegetarian options. We spoke with Sandy Roopchand, RCL’s Managing Director, and it Endeavour Magazine | 139

ROYAL CASTLE

soon made us hungry: “Our primary product is our succulent fried chicken and crinkle cut fries.

We offer other savory options such as rotisserie chicken, fried chicken breast sandwiches, fish fillet sandwiches, veggie burgers and fish fillet meals, along with an array of sides including potato salad, coleslaw, fresh green salad and corn nuggets. We also have our famous pepper sauce, along with other sauces such as barbeque sauce, honey mustard sauce and tartar sauce to complement our meals.”

Yum! Whilst other locally owned fast food chains have since come into being, RCL began life competing purely against large chains from overseas. In both contexts, it has thrived, now operating 42 restaurants in total. Of this figure, 32 restaurants are owned by the company itself, whilst the remaining ten are franchises, four within Trinidad & Tobago and the other six overseas in Guyana.

With business busy on the small islands, friendly competition is full on, but RCL were

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fortunate to get their foot in the door early and they seem to be here to stay. Sandy explained that the last ten years, in particular, have seen many rival chains rise up, but few have had the sticking power to survive the test of time.

So, what is the appeal of Royal Castle Ltd – beyond the tempting menu? Sandy told us: “Our aim has always been to provide products of impeccable taste and great quality at an affordable price while embodying a warm customer centric environment.”

For Sandy, the most pressing challenges are competition from overseas and a fluctuating economy. The chain has weathered both through its tight links to the islands, creating beneficial and essential relationships with local farmers and suppliers, therefore supporting Trinidad & Tobago’s economy as well as making themselves securely tethered in it. “We pride ourselves in being able to support our local economy by sourcing approximately 95% of our products locally. We have built relationships with numerous farmers, chicken producers and other local bodies for a supply of quality products for our operation.”

“All our suppliers have been key supporters of our success, as they understand our commitment towards quality products and ingredients for our customers.” As well as supporting local suppliers, especially in terms of farm produce, the brand also works closely with popular international sellers such as Nutrina, Fine Choice, Kiss, Cavendish and the ever-popular Coca-Cola. However, it is this local support that is so important, both for the quality of RCL’s food and their position as an important cog in Trinidad and Tobago’s economic machine.

As well as this fresh local produce, local representation and a genuine passion between themselves and their customers are key for RCL: “Our culture and our taste are represented in our brand. Our selection of quality ingredients, combined with our well-trained, multi-racial, cultured staff make our customers’ experience a unique, tasty and unforgettable one. There is an emotional connection between our brand, our products and overall customer experience which represents a true sense of our rich Trini

THEIR CULTURE, THEIR TASTE

culture.” RCL offer all of this with enthusiasm, and at an accessible price. “Our ability to live our value proposition has really been a resounding factor.”

RCL currently employ over 500 members of staff, and the company has invested heavily in their training and well-being, from floor workers to those in managerial positions.

“We continue to recognise and reward our employees – they are our greatest asset.”

The company also puts a heavy emphasis on internal promotion, recognising the potential of their employees and not putting a cap on how far their ambition and dedication can take them. “Without such an investment in our employees, we understand that we would not be able to uphold our value proposition, nor ensure that our customers receive a good service experience.”

For Sandy, responsibility for the success, quality and happiness of her employees lies with her. “I strongly believe that an organization’s

relationship with its staff must be mutually beneficial. I understand my responsibility in building and maintaining conditions that make service excellence possible and worthwhile.

Knowing that is a culture change, and one that will create long term success. I also hold myself accountable to my staff as I build trust, earning their respect whilst being authentic and aware of what’s happening at the various levels.”

Sandy Roopchand has been with the company for 13 years. In that time, she advanced from a managerial position in the finance department to Managing Director of the chain: “I have been privileged to lead such a dynamic business with supportive, diverse staff.” Over the years, she has seen Royal Castle’s market begin to shift, or more accurately, broaden: “Our mass market generally consists of customers aged 30 and older, due mainly to tradition. However, we have seen a steady growth of younger customers in the last five years.” In part, this could be due to the high

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ROYAL CASTLE

levels of customer service that Royal Castle pride themselves in providing. It could also be a bonus of their other focus: expansion.

Recently, RCL have conducted major renovation works on several of their outlets, in order to provide a more up-to-date, welcoming and on-brand appearance. They have also opened a number of new restaurants: “Our company is expanding rapidly as we continue to invest in opening new restaurants at various locations to make our products accessible to all. Our aim is to enhance and continue to give our customers greater access to our products by convenience of locations and an appealing ambiance. We also continue to review our product offerings and do our best to excite our customers with additional delicious product options.”

As well as increasing their reach and keeping their menus and atmosphere fresh, RCL are eyeing up greater changes. Firstly, they are increasing their appeal to young families

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by adding play parks to a selection of their restaurants, making Royal Castle a trip out instead of a ‘drop in’. They are also eyeing more international goals, hoping to grow their chain’s presence overseas, and even more ambitiously, to provide their iconic pepper sauce on the local and international wholesale market. The latter is no small feat, requiring RCL to invest in a new bottling plant to produce the product in enough quantity – and they’re expecting demand!

“Our Culture, Our Taste” – RCL’s slogan says it all. It is fitting that Trinidad and Tobago’s first locally owned and run fast food brand has remained so locally minded; even as they begin to scope out distant shores, the value of homesourced ingredients and a representative workforce has not been forgotten. As they expand, it seems that Sandy and the RCL team plan to remember what has always been important to this chain: offering the world a fast but authentic taste of Trinidad.

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DIGGING FOR GHANA Ghana Chamber of Mines chevron-square-right ghanachamberofmines.org phone-square +0302 760652

Founded on a desire to be unified voice for the mining industry, the Ghana Chamber of Mines has never been willing to shy away from education, open communication and community spirit. Endeavour Magazine took a closer look at how the chamber operates and the effect it is having on a tough marketplace.

Written by Amy Buxton

C

iting its underlying mission as being “to represent the mining industry in Ghana using the resources and capabilities of its members to deliver services that address members, government and community needs, in order to enhance development�, the Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM) has made incredible inroads into what could be seen as a competitive, not cooperative industry.

With an impressive legacy stretching all the way back to 1928 the GCM is a one-stop shop for the representation of collective interests of all reputable mineral exploration companies, in addition to those operations that produce and process mineral ores. Self-funded and entirely self-contained, the Chamber is supported by financial donations from members, making it the perfect model of an advisory body that works for, with and thanks to its members.

Having survived a number of administrative changes and structural developments, the Chamber, as it stands now, was converted into a Company Limited by Guarantee in 1964, with new offices being opened three short years later. Since then, the organisation has gone from strength to strength without ever negating the all-important focus on members: Endeavour Magazine | 145

GHANA CHAMBER OF MINES

“The Chamber has remained a voluntary private sector employers’ association representing companies and organisations engaged in the minerals and mining industry in Ghana. Programmes and activities of the chamber are funded entirely by its member companies, which are largely responsible for producing almost all of Ghana’s minerals.”

Naturally, there are strict covenants as to the way the chamber presents itself in the marketplace and as such, it operates in accordance with the values that are expected from all members. Honesty, transparency, good governance, good corporate citizenship, commitment and unity are the pillars which support the chamber at its very core and when we start to think about how necessary the GCM actually is, these values become all the more laudable.

The mining industry in Ghana makes up 5% of the country’s GDP and as such, requires thorough governance, protection and

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development. These are only possible through open and honest communication, the sharing of ideas and information and experienced representation, all of which are promoted and encouraged by the GCM. It’s also critical that workers’ rights are protected, as the need for reliable team members is only ever going to increase, though illegal miners invading the marketplace are continually threatening this.

Aligning with none of the core values of the chamber and giving little consideration to workers’ rights or the continued economic stability of Ghana as a whole, illegal mining operations are a scourge on the otherwise immaculate landscape of the minerals exploration industry and needs to be stamped out. The GCM has risen to the challenge of taking on illegal mining, especially in the wake of the shocking death of John Owusu, the former Public Relations Director of the Anglogold Ashanti mine.

Speaking about the influx of illegal activity, the Chamber commented that: “The country stands to lose heavily if the activities of the illegal miners are allowed to fester. There is a clear and present danger to our environment and to Ghana’s economy as illegal miners fight large-scale mining companies for concessions the latter have obtained legally. This in itself breeds a sense of insecurity and fear among investors, which will cause a slowdown in investment in the country’s minerals sectors.”

This in itself raises a very important question.

How can Ghana continue to sell itself as a promising prospect for foreign investment, therefore strengthening the wider economy, if security can’t be guaranteed, thanks to illegal mining and violent confrontations? With the country earning little to nothing off the back of illegal mining, it stands to reason that legal operations should be given more support than ever before, which is why the GCM has been conversing and working closely with the Government, to encourage change: “Honestly, the country earns next to nothing from the activities of these illegal miners. Only a few unscrupulous individuals benefit from it. It is no secret that the Government loses significant amounts of fiscal revenue every

DIGGING FOR GHANA

GHANA CHAMBER OF MINES

year as a result of such illegal mining activities.

Apart from projecting a bad image for the entire mining sector, the repercussions to the environment are ominous. If the activities of the illegal miners are not nipped in the bud it would undermine Ghana’s efforts at attracting and sustaining the much-needed investment into the mining industry.”

A two-pronged attack seems to be the order of the day, with the GCM protecting the rights of stand-up operations and supporting them wherever possible, with regular newsletters, conferences and educational content and the Government being called on to install military protection at legal mining sites. By working cooperatively, the unsavory element that has been steadily creeping into the Ghana mining industry can be effectively dealt with, without any of the specialist focus points being overlooked, such as health and safety.

Demonstrating a natural gift for protecting the rights of legal miners, as well as their

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wellbeing, issues pertinent to safe operation are highlighted through annual health and safety competitions, as well as strategic communications. This really does give a rounded impression of how hard every member of the GCM’s council needs to work and how accountable every member mining company needs to be.

It’s no secret that education leads to development, innovation and communication, but it’s still relatively rare to discover an association that is as intrinsically committed to these endeavours as the GCM is. By stamping out the illegal miners, lifting those that operate within the law and for the benefit of Ghana as a whole and seeking to invest into the local economy, the GCM is leading the charge in terms of industry support systems and maybe it’s time for others to dig a little deeper and find a similar amount of resolve and resilience.

Sulemanu Koney, CEO of the Chamber, is looking to the future and offers a fantastic

DIGGING FOR GHANA

final word in terms of what can reasonably be expected, in the coming years: “The Chamber’s presence on the internet is designed to harness the potential of information technology to disseminate information, facts and figures that will educate and correct the misinformation about the impacts of mining in Ghana. More importantly, it is envisaged that the website will become a useful tool to bridge the barriers of communication between our industry and the various publics.”

Working in partnership with international mining companies, PW Mining Working in partnership with international mining companies, PW Mining

We have completed mining projects in Ghana for AsankoGold, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, works successfully for Newmont in Ghana. Other contracts have been undertaken in Burkina Faso, Mali, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. Our expertise is geared to support large and small operations in the remotest and most testing conditions.

We have completed mining projects in Ghana for AsankoGold, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, works successfully for Newmont in Ghana. Other contracts have been undertaken in Burkina Faso, Mali, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. Our expertise is geared to support large and small operations in the remotest and most testing conditions.

Contact: Tony O’Neill PW Mining International Ltd., 10 Abidjan Avenue, East Legon, Accra, Ghana.

Tel: +233 302 518112 - 6 Fax: +233 302 518117

Email: pwg@pwmil.com

Contact: Tony O’Neill PW Mining International Ltd., 10 Abidjan Avenue, East Legon, Accra, Ghana.

Tel: +233 302 518112 - 6 Fax: +233 302 518117 Email: pwg@pwmil.com

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ON TO THE NEXT ONE Metro Copenhagen chevron-square-right intl.m.dk

Originally a Viking fishing village, Copenhagen has been through many evolutions in its lifetime.

Today, the Danish capital’s architecture and culture makes it a popular tourist destination, sun or snow.

Whatever the weather, this city is one best seen on foot, not by car – its old buildings and striking views demand it. So, it is essential that travel around the city is as fast and accessible for pedestrians as possible.

Enter Metroselskabet Metro Copenhagen.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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andering through Copenhagen is a cozy experience. Strolling down the cobbled streets, one can go shopping in the high streets or the small, independent shops, there are vibrant rooms and intricately made treasures waiting to be discovered in Rosenborg Castle, exotic plants to visit in the botanical greenhouse, and multiple formal parks and gardens to explore.

With all of this to see around the city and more, it’s essential that Copenhagen’s public transport remains efficient. To make sure this is the case, Metro Copenhagen never seems to rest: for the past five years, it has been developing a series of expansions that were set to be finished in 2020, and are now finally going live this month! Far from this being the end, they also have another slate of expansions that will open in 2024, and we have the feeling they’re going to carry on like this for the foreseeable future.

The extension opening at the end of this month is the M4 Nordhavn, heading from Orientkaj in Nordhavn and all the way to Copenhagen H. This extension has been built in the same way as the previous Cityringen extension. The M4 Nordhavn will then be extended to Ny Ellebjerg in 2024, and after this Endeavour Magazine | 151

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point, five new stations will be constructed in Sydhavn, in the southern part of Copenhagen.

These plans, which can’t even begin taking place until 2024, were approved back in 2015, as part of this vast, carefully coordinated project.

The Danish government shows an enviable level of organisation in having scheduled so many waves of development, and even more impressively, it is making sure that the city remains both functional and aesthetic as this work takes place. Usually a quintessentially European blend of modernity and biscuit-tinworthy historic whimsy, scaffolding and viewobscuring construction site hoardings are an unfortunate addition. Fortunately for tourists and locals alike, Cool Construction has made it a mission, in conjunction with Copenhagen Metro, to keep the city beautiful.

Launched in 2011, Cool Construction turn construction site hoardings into public art displays. They complete over 100 projects around inner Copenhagen every year, financed by advertising on certain sections of the hoardings, whilst they turn the rest into a visual celebration. Some of the sites pose challenges – for example, the 365 metres of wall at the Sønder Boulevard construction site can only be reached and worked on when traffic is halted.

The solution has become an annual spectator event; with artists applying for the privilege of getting involved every year, 30-40 selected artists have one weekend to turn their sections of the wall into a colourful art installation.

Thousands turn out over the course of the weekend to watch the artists in action.

As for the stations themselves, there is also a focus on making these pleasing to the eye, and positive environments to be in. Being safe, light, airy and well-organised spaces are fundamental qualities of the present Metro’s aesthetic, and designers are working to develop these further in the latest additions. The new stations will all have a unique feeling; the existing stations all share the same design, but their youngest

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siblings will explore new shapes, colours and materials to give each location its own look and feel. Additionally, where skylights need to be added to keep the Metro’s natural lighting present throughout, these constructions will also be incorporated stylistically into the cityscape above ground.

On top of this, the stations at Sydhavn will actually integrate art into their design – a first for the city’s metro. Five artists, selected by the Danish Arts Foundation, will work with Metro Copenhagen to achieve this, with the financial support from the Obel Family Foundation and Villum Foundation.

Subterranean construction is no simple beast.

Before any of this work could begin, including the levels of development only now coming to a close, geotechnical drilling was needed to test the safety parameters required, such as determining how much earth the network’s pressure tunnels, stations and shafts could withstand. Vulnerable existing structures also

ON TO THE NEXT ONE

needed to be measured to calculate whether the underground works would risk damage to them or to the structures supporting them.

To further avoid damage to the surrounding buildings, samples from the water-bearing layers in the subsoil were taken to identify where these layers lay and how deep into the subsoil the effects of surrounding construction could be traced. Once this was completed, the area’s stability was increased through filling subterranean pockets with a stable material.

Lastly, obligatory archeological excavations took place to ensure that no history was lost to the construction.

Once the soil had been studied and prepared, the next stage was to redirect utility lines. Cities are bustling entities, and what we see above ground literally does only scratch the surface.

As well as the Metro’s complex operations, infrastructure networks link every building to the essentials of electricity, gas, heating, water and telecommunications – all of which needed

to be re-routed. The work costed around DKK one billion.

It has been a long process in the making, but the fruits of the city’s labours are soon to be enjoyed, and should make a marked difference to locals and visitors alike. It is these sorts of investments and long-term projects that allow a city to stay ahead, and culture-filled Copenhagen has no plans to lose its reputation as a smooth-running European hub.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE COMPANIES IN THE BMS GROUP IS CENTRED ON TAKING CARE OF HEAVY LOADS AS A PREFERRED GLOBAL AND MAJOR PLAYER WITHIN CRANES, MAN LIFTS, AND TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS. We focus on a strong local presence when hiring out equipment of any size and to any assignment from our net of offices on four continents.

Industriholmen 71· DK-2650 Hvidovre · Denmark Phone: +45 4494 9048· bms.dk

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ON GUARD Denel Aeronautics chevron-square-right www.denel.co.za phone-square 27 12 671 2700

The defence industry is a vast business with significant global importance, but, as Denel SOC Ltd is determined to prove, that doesn’t have to mean that the personal touch goes out of the window.

Written by Alice Instone-Brewer

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enel SOC Ltd (Denel) lists itself as being “state-owned yet commercially-driven”, and the fruits of its labours are clear to see. Aside from a reputation for being one of the best defence operations out there, it offers South Africa significant peace of mind, not to mention economic stability and a plethora of employment opportunities; defence doesn’t have to be impersonal.

To sum up Denel is difficult, but the team has managed it by succinctly stating that the company is a “global supplier of world-class defence products and solutions, operating in defence, security, aerospace and related technology solutions.”

To an untrained eye, they could be talking about an SME, but once you start to delve a little deeper into Denel, it quickly becomes clear that this is a huge operation with more diverse interests and specialisms than you could ever reasonably expect. For example, vehicle systems, aeronautics, dynamics, OTR, land systems, Mechem and PMP are all separate arms of Denel, each one specialising in something totally unique and yet symbiotically connected to everything else. After all, what use are automatic weapons, if you have no ammunition? That’s where the land systems Endeavour Magazine | 155

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and PMP divisions work collaboratively, as a prime example.

So, what’s the reason for such a broad range of defence systems and strategies? Denel explained: “Denel provides turn-key solutions of defence equipment to its clients by designing, developing, integrating and supporting artillery, munitions, missiles, aerostructures, aircraft maintenance, unmanned aerial vehicle systems and optical payloads, based on highend technology. Our defence capabilities date back more than 70 years to when some of Denel’s first manufacturing plants were established.”

The desire to provide a one-stop security solution is key and directly led to not only the fluid matrix of divisions, but also a seriously enviable reputation within the competitive defence industry.We’ll come to the international dealings in a moment, but first, the domestic arm of Denel deserves some attention.

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Having been incorporated as a private company in the early 1990s, Denel benefits from having just one shareholder - the South African Government. With a Board of Directors in place to govern the management team, everything runs smoothly, for the benefit of the government and the region as a whole and that goes a long way towards understanding the domestic side of commercial operations.

Denel explained a little more, “Denel is an important defence contractor in its domestic market and a key supplier to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), both as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and for the overhaul, maintenance, repair, refurbishment and upgrade of equipment in the SANDF’s arsenal.”

As we’ve already mentioned, however, things don’t end at the South African border, as Denel has sought to extend its reach into the global defence arena, resulting in impressive growth and undeniable success,

ON GUARD

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APL has a worldwide reputation for outstanding service to the aviation industry, responding rapidly to customer requirements and supplying top quality products www.aplaero.com Endeavour Magazine | 157

DENEL AERONAUTICS

“Over the years Denel has built a reputation as a reliable supplier to its many international clients. It supplies systems and consumables to end users as well as sub-systems and components to its industrial client base. Denel also has a number of equity partnerships, joint ventures and cooperation agreements with renowned international players in the defence industry.�

While the defence industry might make some people a little uncomfortable, in terms of the products and solutions being supplied, it is essential. Those companies seeking to be major players for the right reasons, such as Denel, add a level of personal and corporate responsibility that really shakes up everything you think you know about commercial operations that manufacture weapons and ammunition, and design cyber security systems.

Embracing core values of performance, integrity, innovation, caring and accountability, Denel aims to put the human touch into

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everything it does, and brings a distinctly commonsense element to its physical representation, having split its separate divisions over a number of campuses. The reason for this is so that intrinsically linked divisions can be housed together, for the mutual benefit of each area of interest, without muddying the waters, but the most impressive campus has to be that of the Denel Technical Academy, Understanding that the future of the defence industry will be in the hands of those who are learning now, Denel has set about ensuring that the brightest and best will be maintaining it, with comprehensive training programmes.

Open to both private students and individuals sponsored by an employer, practical and theoretical training elements are given equal priority: “With more than 40 years of experience the Denel Technical Academy has a wellestablished track record in Apprentice Training.

The Academy is an aviation and engineering

ON GUARD

apprenticeship-training institute offering various technical trades. DTA is internationally recognised with a large footprint on the African continent. Courses are approved and accredited by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), the Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA) and the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Training Authority (merSETA) to offer training in accordance with the CompetencyBased Modular Training system.”

The end result is a qualified work force that is ready to keep the South African defence industry buoyant and the general population safe, not to mention a staffing body that perfectly represents the code of ethics that really underpins everything Denel does, “As a corporate entity, Denel draws the attention of many stakeholders, which makes it paramount that the conduct of all those that act on Denel’s behalf as Directors, officers, employees and suppliers to be beyond

reproach. Such conduct must be able to measure up to Denel’s values of performance, integrity, innovation, caring and accountability and be able to stand to scrutiny.

Denel recognises that it is responsible for instilling the culture of good ethics in its employees and has a role to play to inculcate such a culture in the environment in which it operates, but it depends on the commitment of all those that do business with it or have an interest in good corporate citizenship for this to succeed.”

With a company such as Denel looking after defence strategies and initiatives, South Africa is in safe hands and we look forward to revisiting this innovative operation in the future, to see how things have developed.

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REDEFINING PACKAGING FOR A CHANGING WORLD DS Smith is a global leading packaging company of customer-specific packaging with emphasis on state-of-the art packaging design and local close to customer facilities. With a product portfolio that includes transit packaging, consumer packaging, displays and promotional packaging, customised protective packaging and industrial packaging, DS Smith answers to each market requirement.

Every 7th packaging on the store shelf has been produced by DS Smith. The company employs 29 thousands people across the globe and selling its products across more than 100 countries. In Macedonia DS Smith has the plant in Skopje and employs around 125 people. Our company locally existing more than 72 years in the same industry as a market leader with the market share over 55%. In our portfolio of 250 customers are the biggest companies from FMCG and automotive industry. We have successful cooperation with Tikves winery more than 30 years delivering solutions and innovations as a support in their growth. On top of the local market DS Smith Macedonia serves successfully also customers in Kosovo and Albania” Our customers want broader reaching solutions to their packaging needs; innovation and processes that will help them reduce waste, cost and complexity from their supply chains. By using our expertise from design to production and supply to recycling, we can offer high quality, environmentally friendly, innovative solutions and great service that looks at the whole of our customers’ packaging needs, not just one part. We call this ‘Supply Cycle Thinking’. It is a unified approach to remove complexity from, and simplify, our customers’ supply chains.

DS Smith’s Packaging Strategists work in partnership with customers to deliver value through exceptional packaging performance at every stage of the supply cycle. Whatever your packaging needs, we will help you increase sales, lower costs and manage risks.

The company purpose stands for “Redefining packaging for a Changing World” supported by the following strategies: Being different as we see the opportunity for packaging to play a powerful role in a changing world. We help our customers respond to changing shopping habits with the sustainable packaging solutions that our society needs.

Putting sustainability at the heart. We can make, use, collect and recycle cardboard packaging within 14 days. We are ambitious in using innovation to tackle some of the world’s most complex sustainability challenges.

Thinking differently - we take a flexible approach to the solutions we create and operate where our customers need us. Our people thrive on finding innovative ways to help customers achieve more for less – sell more, reduce costs, manage risk and complexity in their supply chain.

Developing the right strategies. Our experts work closely with customers to understand their needs. Together we find ways to help take advantage of today’s opportunities to powerfully deliver products.

Innovating together - we tackle big challenges in the whole and not just one part to find answers that would otherwise be out of reach. From design to production and supply to recycling we offer our customers a joined-up solution that is sustainable for all.

1632 st, 1, 1040 Skopje, Macedonia, +389 2 2551 085 www.dssmith.com/mk