Africa Outlook Issue 26

WWW.AFRIC AOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Price Forbes SA

Offering local client assurances, providing global specialist insurances PALABORA COPPER (PTY) LTD 54

MINISTRY OF HEALTH SWAZILAND

Promoting internal efficiencies to become an employer of choice

ATLATSA RESOURCES CORPORATION 36

Well positioned for a market turnaround

130 Improving the health status of a nation

ZZ2 80 A promise of FoodHealth, a passion for soil health

AFRICA OUTLOOK ISSUE 26 ALSO FEATURING: STEFANUTTI STOCKS BOTSWANA | AIRTEL ZAMBIA | AFRICA’S BIG SEVEN 2015

W E L C O M E Solving South Africa Often referred to as the gateway to the African continent, this month’s issue pays tribute to the very latest success stories and challenges occurring in South Africa at present; balancing out market-leading businesses across mining, food & drink and manufacturing with a not-so promising analysis of the country’s energy sector.

On a positive note, our leading company showcase features Price Forbes, an international company capitalising on South African opportunity to affirm itself as a truly global enterprise.

Its supporting players within the country cut a more indigenous mould with the likes of Atlatsa Resources Corporation and Palabora Copper (Pty) Limited especially proud of their evolution within South Africa. We spoke to both about the philosophies that have brought them success to this point and the strategies in place for future development.

Agama Biogas, Filmatic Packaging Systems and Huhtamaki’s operations in SA act as an early indication of what to expect from 2015’s Manufacturing Indaba later this year, while the food & drink sector is duly served via ZZ2 and Morgan Abattoir.

Our South African journey is completed on a slightly less promising note however, as we take a look into the ongoing energy crisis in the country, and what steps Eskom needs to take in 2015 to limit the damage already done.

From there, our front-of-book compliment goes west, as the fallout from Nigeria’s general election is applied to implications on resources, and Golder Associates compounds these forecasts with a more general overview of the mining sector across the region.

Rounding off the issue, we highlight the very best industry success stories from across the continent.

Broll and Airtel are two continental heavyweights continuing their expansion drive, and we delve into Namibia and Zambia, respectively.

Elsewhere, Omnicane’s sugarcanepowered energy efforts in Mauritius, Stefanutti Stocks’ construction activities in Botswana and the Ministry of Health’s lifesaving initiatives in Swaziland ensure that all bases are Matthew Staff covered.

Editorial Director, Outlook Publishing Enjoy the issue!

EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Matthew Staff matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com Deputy Editor: Emily Jarvis emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

PRODUCTION Production Manager: Daniel George daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com Art Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com Advert Designer: Mandy Farnell mandy.farnell@outlookpublishing.com Images: Thinkstock by Getty Images

BUSINESS Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Operations Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com Sales Manager: Ben Wigger ben.wigger@outlookpublishing.com Senior Project Managers: Arron Rampling arron.rampling@outlookpublishing.com Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com Project Managers: Callum Philp callum.philp@outlookpublishing.com Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com Josh Hyland josh.hyland@outlookpublishing.com Stuart Parker stuart.parker@outlookpublishing.com Tom Cullum tom.cullum@outlookpublishing.com

ACCOUNTS Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Office Manager: Jen Whitfield jen.whitfield@outlookpublishing.com WEB DESIGN: Hamit Saka IT: James LeMay

OUTLOOK PUBLISHING Managing Director: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Chairman: Mark Weaver CONTACT Africa Outlook / UK 22 Wensum Street, Norwich, UK, NR3 1HY Sales: +44 (0) 1603 559 145 Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 559 152 Africa Outlook / SA The Colosseum, First Floor, Century Way, Century City, Cape Town, 7441 Tel: +27 (0) 21 5270053 SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: +44 (0)1603 559 152 Email: matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com

www.africaoutlookmag.com Like us on Facebook - facebook.com/africaoutlook Follow us on Twitter - @Africa_Outlook

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

3

C

O

N

T

E

N

T

S

In this issue of Africa Outlook...

6

NEWS

12

THE ESKOM DEBATE South Africa’s Power Crisis

All the latest top stories across the month from Africa

SAS discusses how analytics can change the game

16

GOLDER ASSOCIATES REPORT West Africa’s Mining Outlook

Business as usual in the midst of crisis

S E C T O R

20

F O C U S

RESOURCES Nigerian Election: The Catalyst for a Continental Catch-Up Nigeria looks to mitigate the impact of Africa’s oil crash

24

4

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

SHOWCASING LEADING COMPANIES Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

F

26

I

N

A

N

C

E

PRICE FORBES (PTY) LTD Success is on the Books Broadening insurance options for South Africa and beyond

M

I

N

I

N

36

ATLATSA RESOURCES CORPORATION PGM Specialists Target 2020 Steady-State Production Increase

MANUFACTURING

T E C H N O L O G Y

68

104

G

AGAMA BIOGAS (PTY) LTD Biogas to Play an Important Role in Rural Africa

Affordable services from Africa’s most-loved brand

A low cost solution to improve the livelihood of Africans

72

Well positioned for a market turnaround

FILMATIC PACKAGING SYSTEMS Filling Market Gaps to Become the Full Package Planning for a bright future on an international scale

76

AIRTEL RWANDA Rwanda’s Operator of Choice

110

Enabling systematic financial growth in Zambia

C O N S T R U C T I O N

114

HUHTAMAKI SOUTH AFRICA Responding to Global Packaging Megatrends

AIRTEL ZAMBIA Seamless and Exceptional Mobility

STEFANUTTI STOCKS BOTSWANA Industry Excellence from Construction Experts

Targeting a sustainable business presence, nationwide

Local packaging solutions, adapted for changing global megatrends

F O O D & D R I N K

80 48

SENET A Silver Anniversary for the Gold and Copper Processing Specialists

ZZ2 World-Leading Practices for Long-Term Value A promise of FoodHealth, a passion for soil health

118

An indigenously South African firm gearing up for future industry growth

54

Award-winning company attributes drive portfolio growth

PALABORA COPPER (PTY) LTD Resourcing for Success

L O G I S T I C S

124

Promoting internal efficiencies to become an employer of choice

R E S O U R C E S

62

GILBARCO AFS True Specialists in Fuel Management

BROLL NAMIBIA Maximising Property Potential

88

End-to-end fuel and fleet management solutions

A worldwide commitment to innovation, quality and investment in people

OMNICANE Sugarcane Experts Diversify to Remain Sustainable

H E A L T H C A R E

130

Fuelling Mauritius through the power of sugarcane

92

MORGAN ABATTOIR Blue-sky Thinking Breeds Livestock Innovation

Plans for a biogas plant to create a greener future

98

LODESTONE BRANDS Taking Entrepreneurs to the Next Level

BRINK’S AFRICA A Global Standard for Excellence

Building brands on a platform of innovation, entrepreneurship and flexibility

MOH SWAZILAND Preventative and Curative Progress, Nationwide Improving the health status of a nation

E V E N T

F O C U S

140

AFRICA’S BIG SEVEN (AB7)

142

AVIATION AFRICA 2015

The continent’s biggest food & beverage expo Debut networking event tackling key industry issues

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

5

N

E

W

S F I N A N C E

FUNDO SOBERANO DE ANGOLA TARGETS ECOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

M A N U FA C T U R I N G

NOVUS HOLDINGS LISTS COMPANY ON THE JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE (JSE) Novus Holdings, formerly Paarl Media Group, has successfully listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), joining other blue chip companies on Africa’s largest stock market.

The listing is a significant T E C H N O L O G Y

FIRST-EVER INDIAN PAVILION WILL APPEAR AT SA INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY FAIR (INDUTEC) India will add its own innovative flair to this year’s SA Industry and Technology Fair (INDUTEC) with its first-ever national pavilion at the show.

Trade between South Africa and India has surged in recent years, reaching the 2014 bi-lateral trade agreement target of $15 million at the end of last year.

“INDUTEC significantly enhances business opportunities by providing an industry-focused platform for India to showcase its many innovative technologies and quality industrial products,” said Ruchi Ghanashyam, High Commissioner of India for South Africa.

INDUTEC takes place from 20-22 May at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand.

6

development in the history of the Group, which has an ambitious growth plan to expand its business in South Africa and markets in Sub-Saharan Africa where there is significant potential for growth in the print and related manufacturing sectors.

“The listing is a step closer to our vision to grow Novus into the largest printing and relating manufacturing company in Sub-Saharan Africa,” said Stephen van der Walt, the Chief Executive Officer.

F O O D & D R I N K

AFRICA’S BIG SEVEN: FOLLOWING URBAN AFRICANS SUPERMARKET TRENDS At least 50 percent of Africa’s fastgrowing middle class population now live in cities and as each day passes, more of these citizens are using their disposable income in retail stores and supermarkets.

As the retail landscape in Africa continues to evolve rapidly, store owners are hard pressed to satisfy

The Fundo Soberano de Angola (FSDEA) has announced the launch of five dedicated investment funds that will target high growth industries while promoting economic and social development in Angola and the SubSaharan region.

With an initial investment volume totalling US$1.4 billion over the next three-to-five years, these vehicles will be dedicated to making investments in venture capitals in the sectors of mining, timber, agriculture, healthcare and structured capital through a separate mezzanine fund. The Fund also announced the establishment of a commercial entity that is focused on setting up micro-business incubators for national entrepreneurs. affluent consumers with growing appetites for exotic packaged foods and beverages from all over the world.

The biggest food and beverage trade exhibition on the African continent, Africa’s Big Seven (AB7), is one of the most efficient ways for these retailers to find like-minded people and satisfy these changing industry trends and customer demands.

AB7 takes place from 21-23 June, 2015 at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand.

For more information, visit: www.exhibitionsafrica.com

GO TO WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM AFRICA

T E C H N O L O G Y ACCESS TO BETTER TECHNOLOGY IS A TOP DRIVER FOR CLOUD ADOPTION n depth interviews with CIOs and decision makers from 160 organisations has revealed the reasons for SaaS adoption in Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe An Oracle-sponsored IDC study into Software as a Service (SaaS) adoption highlighted that cost savings, process efficiencies and productivity were the key benefits taken into account by businesses when choosing whether to implement cloud technology.

In depth interviews were with CIOs and decision makers from 160 organisations with 500 employees or more, in Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe.

Access to better technology and faster deployment of additional IT resources were the top two drivers

for SaaS adoption.

The research showed that many companies in the region have a “SaaS also” attitude, meaning that when they need new or replacement applications for capability, capacity and functionality, they look at SaaS solutions at the same time as looking at other on-premise software.

The investigation found that more than 60 percent of all companies across major verticals have adopted or are in the process of implementing cloud solutions.

More than two thirds of respondents felt that cloud offered

significant tangible benefits, 55 percent believed that it offered value, but cost and availability of bandwidth inhibited adoption locally.

The study illustrated that 48 percent of companies are currently using SaaS technology with another 31 percent planning to use it in the next one or two years.

Some concerns were raised through the study, particularly around security. While connectivity was highlighted as a key concern, for some organisations, connectivity issues were solved with the use of SaaS. Organisations that did adopt SaaS invested in network optimisation and additional security solutions to ensure overall SaaS quality.

The study also focused on particular sectors including the banking industry. The results showed that 59 percent of all banks surveyed believed that cloud offered significant tangible benefits, with 52 percent of those surveyed currently using SaaS within their organisations.

More than half of the banks expect the number of SaaS users within the organisation to increase over the next year and 38 percent of the banks have a “SaaS first” approach. Access to better technology and IT skills were the primary drivers for SaaS and workforce productivity was stated as being a major benefit experienced by 87 percent of the banks.

Dana Murugan, Senior Marketing Director for Oracle commented: “The results of the survey indicate that SaaS adoption is continuing to rise in Africa and we look forward to supporting our customers with the latest technology that will enable them to achieve business objectives.”

GO TO WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM AFRICA

7

N

E

W

S T E C H N O L O G Y

ORANGE AND AIRTEL JOIN FORCES TO ENABLE NEW INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFERS

E N E R G Y

MOZAMBIQUE’S RECENTLY MERGED ENERGY AND RESOURCE MINISTRIES PRESENT NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR INWARD INVESTMENT With Mozambique’s Ministry of Resources and Energy now merged, the country has taken another major step towards its 2025 vision for gas and power development.

As exports of liquefied natural gas projects scheduled to start in 2019, Mozambique has high expectations for its gas sector. Furthermore, the prospects for renewable energy look promising with more than 23TW of possible renewable projects coming online.

However, despite over US$3.238 billion of investment in power projects in 2014, the transmission bottleneck continues to impact the social and economic development of the region, threatening the bankability of power projects in development.

At this year’s 4th Annual Powering Africa Mozambique, hosted by EnergyNet in Maputo from the 7-8 May, 2015, topics will focus on these new Ministry’s strategies for encouraging investment, natural resources and generation topics in support of Mozambique’s plans to escalate electricity access in line with its future gas economy and vision 2025 objectives.

8

Customers of Orange Money in Côte d’Ivoire can now use their mobile phones to send money to customers of Airtel Money in Burkina Faso, and vice versa, using their mobile phones. This partnership between Orange and Airtel enables Orange customers, for the first time, to send and receive money to or from people based in a country outside the Group’s footprint.

“Following the successful launch of Orange Money International Transfer between Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali, we want to develop new ways to allow our customers to send and receive money between countries in the West African Economic and Monetary Union. We are very happy to launch this service between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, which meets one of the region’s biggest needs,” said Thierry Millet, Orange’s Senior VP Mobile Financial Services and NFC. Orange Money is available in 13 countries in Africa and the Middle East and currently has over 13 million customers.

R E S O U R C E S

WATERTEC AFRICA: CONNECTING THE WORLD OF WATER Watertec Africa will again be soaking up a flood of international water industry visitors eager to find new products, technologies, suppliers and customers, in the rush to upgrade infrastructure in Africa’s rapidly expanding urban areas, as economic development lags behind the rapidly expanding middle class population; which is expected to grow to more than half a billion people on the continent by 2030.

As Africa’s leading industrial trade exhibition of equipment and services across the entire water industry spectrum, businesses are encouraged to join Watertec in its search for the best new and innovative water technologies to upgrade the city’s infrastructure. It is a hugely popular component of The SA Industry & Technology Fair (INDUTEC), a composite of 12 industrial shows targeting the manufacturing, engineering, water, petrochemical, plastics, energy efficiency, waste and recycling sectors.

Watertec Africa takes place from 2022 May, 2015 at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand.

GO TO WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM AFRICA

T E C H N O L O G Y

ONLINE HUB BOOSTS INTRA-AFRICAN TRADE Microsoft 4Afrika has launched an online hub for Kenyan small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to access locally relevant information and resources to promote SMEs and improve trade.

Unveiled at the Connected East Africa Summit, Biz4Afrika is an Africa-wide network of SMEs designed to enable a sustainable and connected community of entrepreneurs that will have a meaningful impact on job creation, global competitiveness and wealth creation in the long run.

Kunle Awosika, Country Manager of Microsoft Kenya commented: “The Biz4Afrika.co.ke online hub aims to meet the needs of every start-up, small business and medium-sized enterprise at three

T E C H N O L O G Y

WHY BUSINESSES SHOULD NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY DATA GOVERNANCE Antionette Van Zyl of SAS believes that market forces are driving data awareness as businesses realise that they can derive significant value from effectively analysing data and apply the findings to decisions and actions; as regulators tighten rules around how data should be managed.

‘Big data’ is still used as a buzzword in business. But data has always been available – it’s just evolving as more data sources become available, such as cloud, mobile and click-stream data.

And with the growth of machine-tomachine technology and the Internet of Things, even more data sources will come online soon.

entry points: the start, growth and acceleration phase, by aggregating freemium offers and relevant online services, complimented by valuable information, resources and learnings in one place.”

The ‘freemium’ format - where basic services are provided free of charge while more advanced features must Proper data management starts with a solid understanding of data governance. Businesses also need strong policies that enforce rules regarding data management.

Effective data governance involves people, processes and technology to ensure consistent and proper

be paid for - will enable SMEs to become familiar with pay-as-you-go services that help entrepreneurs maximise their productivity while minimising their costs.

Currently, intra-Africa trade is only at 12 percent compared to 61 percent within the European Union, according to the African Development Bank. But the International Data Corporation predicts that 2015 will see closer intra-Africa trade facilitated by ICT initiatives such as payment systems, financial inclusion initiatives, and cross-border payments.

Microsoft has launched several programmes targeted towards the development of SMEs across the continent including BizSpark, an ecommerce portal in partnership with Skrill, and Africa’s first Intellectual Property Hub in Kenya to help entrepreneurs protect and monetise their innovations. handling of data. It involves all levels of data processing, including data management, data quality, policy management, business process management and risk management.

Data should be clearly defined, secure and fit for purpose if a business wants to derive benefit from it. To achieve this level of data reliability, policies should specify how data should be captured. Effective data governance practices require support from executive management if they are to be successful across planning, design and execution.

If these aspects are optimised, Van Zyl believes that any business will be able to make decisions faster, make its information more consistent and aligned with values and goals, and improve risk management; all because of collaboration and clean, valuable data.

GO TO WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM AFRICA

9

TELL US YOUR STORY

AND WE’LL TELL THE WORLD AFRICA OUTLOOK is a digital and print product aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers across a wide range of industries on the continent.

With content compiled by our experienced editorial team, complemented by an in-house design and production team ensuring delivery to the highest standards, we look to promote the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories from the length and breadth of Africa.

We reach an audience of 165,000 people across the continent, bridging the full range of industrial sectors: mining; oil & gas; logistics; resources; manufacturing; construction; engineering; technology; food & drink; retail; finance; and healthcare.

In joining the leading industry heavyweights already enjoying the exposure we can provide, you can benefit from FREE coverage across both digital and print platforms, a FREE marketing brochure, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a readymade forum to attract new investment and to grow your business.

To get involved, please contact Outlook Publishing’s Managing Director, Ben Weaver, who can provide further details on how to feature your company, for free, in one of our upcoming editions.

W W W. A F R I C A O U T LO O K M A G . C O M Tel: +44 (0) 1603 559 140 Email: ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com

S A’ S

12

P O W E R

C R I S I S

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

E

N

E

R

G

Y

SA’s Power Crisis:

How Analytics Can Change the Game Many companies such as SAS are looking towards technology and energy management solutions in order to help Eskom keep South Africa’s lights on Writer: Emily Jarvis dvanced analytics could hold the key in proactively managing Eskom’s allocation of energy to South Africa in the future with a strict maintenance routine the potential solution to securing a more reliable electricity flow for an improved long-term outlook.

A long-term solution is exactly what’s required too, with short-term forecasts shrouded in negativity; the country’s utility recently making 1,000 workers at a local power plant redundant as the continent’s most advanced economy continues to suffer its most severe power shortages since they began in 2008.

Additionally, the firm is currently in conflict with its senior management; Chairman Zola Tsotsi having resigned after suspending the CEO, Tshediso Matona and three of his fellow executives while an inquiry is held into the operations of the troubled utility.

In March, a labour court in Johannesburg dismissed an attempt

by Matona to overturn his suspension.

Not only has there been a management problem, but since the aforementioned redundancy – which was disseminated via text message – another union has threatened a new walkout.

Loss of confidence

It is clear that job-losses and suspensions have led to a loss of confidence in Eskom’s corporate governance and its reliability. The power utility has suffered from years of underfunding and investment in new plants and has failed to keep up with demand. Now, it is about using Eskom’s funds in the most efficient and logical ways possible.

Not only this, labour disruption and technical faults have delayed construction of the Medupi Plant which would be the first power station built in South Africa for 20 years - with 21,000 contract workers protesting against poor living conditions and seeking higher pay in mid-March.

Eskom has always used a degree of analytics to manage power supply, but its failure to plan ahead is the central reason for load-shedding today.

The big data it gathers from power plants, transformers, generators and other machinery only reflects events that have already happened, making decisions based on this historical data ineffective. This inability to align itself with modern technological efficiencies is perhaps just one of the contributing factors that hold Eskom back from providing a more secure supply of electricity.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

13

S A’ S

P O W E R

C R I S I S

Kroshlen Moodley, General Manager of SAS, Public Sector and Utilities says now is the ideal time for Eskom to use advanced analytics to improve decision-making and better handle South Africa’s power crisis.

Looking back vs looking ahead

“The biggest problem is that Eskom’s decision-making is reactive rather than proactive,” he says.

“Take infrastructure maintenance as an example. Many of South Africa’s power plants are operating well beyond their 30 to 35-year life spans.

An increase in demand puts pressure on these plants, which often break down and force Eskom to perform reactive unplanned maintenance.

As these events are outside of the normal maintenance cycle, Eskom is forced to delay planned maintenance and to sweat its power assets even more. Anyone in IT will be familiar with the risks of sweating assets, which include a higher probability of breakage, increased costs and sluggish performance.”

As a result of this, Eskom has had to rely on diesel generators to make up for the shortfall when power plants are offline for maintenance. This is also risky as the generators were not meant to supplement daily capacity but rather maintain reserve capacity. They were purchased to supply reserve capacity to cater for fluctuations in demand and to ensure the grid does not slip into a complete failure state.

If this, then that

Advanced analytics can have a massive impact. “The big data gathered from Eskom’s machinery, as well as data around area usage and other variables, can be plugged into a statistical model, allowing Eskom to predict future scenarios based on a set of events that have already occurred. This will enable proactive decision-making that will regulate supply and help Eskom to better plan its maintenance schedule,”

14

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

E

N

E

R

G

Y

says Moodley.

Relying on reactive data to plan for the future is problematic as decisions on new plants and additional energy resources are only made once supply can no longer meet demand, as is the case in South Africa currently.

“Using advanced analytics to forecast demand and supply – and by analysing information from smart meters to determine how much energy a particular area needs and to forecast how much demand is likely to grow – Eskom will be able to better manage generating capacity to meet demand.

“When there is a gap in demand, analytics can help Eskom to make better decisions in terms of introducing other electricity sources into the energy mix to close the gap.

By analysing weather, seasonal and geographic information, as well as the variables for each alternative energy source, Eskom can make informed decisions on how to create the optimal generation and supply scenario – such as including wind energy from coastal regions and solar energy from inland areas in the mix,” he further explains.

Low-impact load-shedding

With advanced analytics, Eskom would be able to also responsibly manage and communicate planned outages as Moodley highlights: “By considering variables such as critical operation times for certain industries and traffic flow, and combining this with the insights gathered from smart meter monitoring, Eskom can made a decision on how best to supply energy at different times of the day in a way that minimises impact on businesses and citizens. Sentiment will increase as a result, which would calm foreign investor nerves and improve confidence in the economy.”

Soaring diesel costs, unplanned maintenance and the knock-on effects of load-shedding clearly show that keeping the lights on comes at a price.

Eskom has to change the game in

Kroshlen Moodley, General Manager, SAS, Public Sector and Utilities

“Today’s analytics software is user-friendly and intuitive and can build models for us. It uses a degree of artificial intelligence to meet the requirements of modern-day businesses”

terms of how it forecasts and plans for demand, and advanced statistical models have a huge role to play in this.

“The good news is that we no longer need qualified statisticians to build these models,” explains Moodley.

“Today’s analytics software is user-friendly and intuitive and can build models for us. It uses a degree of artificial intelligence to meet the requirements of modern-day businesses and presents a number of different scenarios in terms of what might happen. This allows businesses and utilities to make better-informed decisions, saving time and money and optimising processes and resource allocation,” he concludes.

Many feel the time has come to break Eskom’s monopoly over South Africa’s electricity supply, urging the allowance of Independent Power Producers to contribute electricity to the national grid. Of course, analytics would be one potential way forward that is very accommodating for any power entity seeking to enter the market, and may indeed be the only path to rid South Africa of the business and life-impacting burden of load-shedding and its untimely power cuts.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

15

W E S T

A F R I C A’ S

M I N I N G

O U T L O O K

West Africa’s Mining Outlook:

Business as Usual in the Midst of Crisis Africa Outlook (AFO): Could you please tell us more about Golder Associates and its significant presence in consulting for the international mining industry across Africa?

Ralph Heath (RH): Golder Associates is a 55-year old employee-owned company that consults on environmental and engineering issues for the global mining, oil & gas, manufacturing, and infrastructure industries. We have been running an African operation for 13 years, which is well-established and largely driven by mining. We have worked with most of the world’s biggest mining companies for a long time – Glencore, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton etc. – and we expanded into Africa alongside them.

In practice, Golder helps mining companies with all aspects of mining projects: feasibility studies, environmental and social impact assessments, exploration, production, water management, optimisation, closure, and remediation. The core purpose of our work is to help companies to get responsible access to resources.

Our first African office was in South

16

As a major player in consulting for the international mining industry across Africa, Ralph Heath, Managing Director of Golder Associates Africa, comments on the latest production trends and how the ongoing Ebola crisis is impacting West Africa’s mining landscape Writer: Emily Jarvis Africa. But as large-scale mining has spread across the continent over the past few decades, we now have eight country offices across all of Southern, Western, Central and Eastern Africa.

South Africa is certainly still the big mining hub in Africa, as it’s been from the beginning; but many countries and regions are on the rise. DR Congo and the Zambia have been developing for years, and lately there has been

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

River rapids, Angola

renewed interest in Congolese mining specifically. Ghana has also been a strong emerging player, and there is a lot of potential in Guinea and Guinea Bissau – amongst many others. One of the most exciting projects we’re currently working on is Rio Tinto’s massive Simandou development in Guinea.

AFO: What are your thoughts about the outlook for the African mining market over the next few years?

RH: The big issue right now in Africa, as in the rest of the world, is the slump in global commodity prices. Because of this, new ventures are particularly difficult to get underway. Opening

M

I

N

I

N

G

Photography by Golder Associates throughout

Greenfield sites require considerable funding over the longer term, but investors often want to start to see return on investments after the first couple of years. This puts an extra onus on mining companies to demonstrate that they can generate income from the early stages of an operation.

Existing operations also suffer as a result of the commodity prices.

Glencore has, for instance, slowed down or halted their operations in some areas across Africa – and this is just one example of what is happening across the continent. But if the low prices carry on, there will at some point be a shortage in supply and prices should then rise again. With

higher prices, the outlooks for the African market are very promising, because of the wealth of resources and the emerging economies.

Several parts of Africa, however, also have the added difficulty that they need substantial investments in infrastructure to be able to transport commodities to market. It’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation where mining investments require infrastructure investments and vice versa. This double-play is particularly difficult to find investor money for with the current commodity prices – but it can work. For the Simandou project, Rio Tinto is looking to invest in a Trans-Guinean railway from the in-land mine to the coast. Developing solid

infrastructure like this is one of the Africa’s biggest challenges, not just for mining but across all industries.

AFO: Other than infrastructure, what are currently the most important issues for mining companies in Africa?

RH: A big issue that has really changed over the past few years, both in Africa and the rest of the world, is that sustainable mining has gained primacy. We are now talking a lot more

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

17

W E S T

A F R I C A’ S

M I N I N G

about social issues with our clients, and helping them with environmental and social impact assessment. Mining companies have become more focused on leaving local communities better off than they were before mining started.

When we start working on a project, the first question we ask them is “how do you want to leave this site once the mining is over?”.

From there, we work our way back and consider how all the aspects of the mining operation can support this goal. A lot of the important work on a mine site happens before the actual mine opens, with the end target of leaving a strong legacy in sight. At Golder we also work directly with local communities to make sure they really benefit from new mine sites. A thorough environmental and social impact assessment helps communicate the advantages of a mining operation to a local community. It also helps mining companies understand the impact they have on communities – and supports them in mitigating negative effects and reinforcing positive ones.

AFO: In West Africa, how is the Ebola crisis affecting the mining business?

RH: The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is an international, humanitarian tragedy. In addition to its disastrous human consequences, it has also had a vast impact on economic activity in the region, which the mining industry is an integral part of.

We work on several projects in the region – including Simandou – and it’s very difficult to service those mines that are in or near the outbreak areas. Local communities, however, often depend on income generated from mining, and so it’s important for them that we keep mines as close to operational normality as possible.

Additionally, mining companies have ongoing obligations to governments as part of their projects that need

18

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

O U T L O O K

By keeping on top of the information flow and having clear rules for all eventualities, we are able to help keep mines operating at the highest rate possible

to be kept in mind. The companies have therefore maintained as much activity as possible without risking the health and safety of anyone involved.

Golder has also worked closely with International SOS, Doctors without Borders, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the mining clients and health organisations alongside our projects in West Africa throughout the epidemic, and helped raise awareness of the virus as well as develop an understanding of how best to mitigate the exposure of our staff to the virus. Luckily, the situation now looks to be slowly improving and hopefully those living and working in the region will be able to resume normal activity before too long. Even after the epidemic has abated, however, it will be essential to follow strict disease guidelines for some time in the West African mining industry.

Ralph Heath, MD Golder Africa (left), breaking the ground for Golder’s new offices in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

M

I

N

AFO: What does Golder do specifically to keep its own and its clients’ employees safe in such high-risk situations as an epidemic, while at the same time keeping mines operational?

RH: Our biggest asset is our employees. Their health and safety is paramount to us and we go to the fullest length to protect them in any high-risk situation. The same goes for our clients’ employees. We therefore follow the strictest of guidelines when working in any high-risk area and have clear rules for when we evacuate personnel, which we did last autumn from Ebola-stricken regions. Our risk calculations are worked out in close co-operation with clients and based on assessments from the WHO and other international organisations.

Another risk issue across parts of Africa is malaria. When working in malaria endemic areas our concerns are similar to those we face in the Ebola epidemic. We have to make

We have been running an African operation for

13 years

I

N

G

A Golder environmental and social impact assessment by Lake Albert, Uganda

sure our workforce is protected and that our workers have all the information they need. We believe in a holistic approach and spend the time communicating and training our staff of the potential risks and mitigation measures prior to them travelling into high-risk areas. This enables everyone to understand what is happening and to be confident, which makes a whole mine site a safer place.

Obviously, no-one is ever forced to work on a site and only those with extensive training are even considered for jobs in potential risk areas. That said we need to give our employees the information they need to do their jobs safely and to make informed decisions about where they want to work. When they are stationed in remote, rural areas, we also call our teams every day to stay continually updated on their situations and the risks they face. By keeping on top of the information flow and having clear rules for all eventualities, we are able to help keep mines operating at the highest rate possible.

AFO: What is your predicted long-term outlook for West Africa’s mining industry?

RH: Africa, in general, is an attractive part of the world to work in. In West Africa, as well as other parts of the continent, resources are rich and mining has a bright future. As soon as commodity prices get an upswing, this is one of the places that has the potential to see a real boom.

Historically, political stability has been a concern in some African countries, but this is becoming less significant in many countries these days. With the surging economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa as well, there is no reason not to be positive about the outlooks for the African mining industry.

For the long-term future of the sector, Golder is committed to responsible resource extraction and industry innovation. We look forward to continuing our work with our major clients across the continent to optimise their mining operations and provide them with strategic advice.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

19

S E C T O R

F O C U S

Nigerian Election:

The Catalyst for a Continental Catch-Up

20

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

R

E

S

O

U

As countries across the continent look to mitigate the impact of the oil crash, Nigeria’s recent election could catalyse the country’s efforts to play catch-up with its more diversified neighbours Writer: Abel Myburgh, Head of Africa’s Desk, BDO

R

C

E

S

ecent reports from the World Bank showed that Sub-Saharan Africa’s growth will slow from 4.5 percent in 2014 to four per cent this year, driven in part by the fall in oil prices.

The end of the commodities super cycle means that the less diversified oil exporters such as Angola and Equatorial Guinea are likely to be hit hardest while several oil importing countries such as Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya are expected to remain strong.

Nigeria’s historic elections last month saw voters choose, by a wide margin, former general, Muhammadu Buhari as their new President-elect.

The most competitive presidential race ever in Nigeria resulting in outgoing ruler, Goodluck Jonathan conceding defeat; the first time this has happened since Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

The response from financial markets showed the landmark nature of Buhari’s return to office for a second term: the Nigerian Stock Exchange witnessed its biggest leap in one day for more than five years and even the Naira recovered slightly in thin trade.

However, the full impact of the election on the business environment will be better understood next month when the incoming President lays out his economic agenda; a key pillar of his tripartite campaign promise, alongside reducing corruption and improving security.

So what is likely to be announced, what are the opportunities for domestic and international businesses and what are the implications for the wider oil and gas sector across Africa?

Nigeria is already identified as part of the promising “MINT” cluster of emerging economies also comprising Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey.

Following in the footsteps of the BRIC markets, it is tipped for rapid development, and it’s perhaps no surprise why.

Nigeria is the seventh most populous

country in the world and accounts for nearly one fourth of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population. It is recognised as the continent’s economic powerhouse, having established itself in pole position last year. Exceptional growth has been enjoyed predominantly thanks to its rich natural resources, making it Africa’s largest oil producer and now ranking 13th on a global stage.

However, as oil prices have crashed, its overly oil-dependent economy has been caught short. Its growth forecast for 2015 has been revised from 6.4 percent to 5.5 percent. Having forsaken other economic sectors - particularly agriculture - Nigeria depends on oil for 70 percent of government revenue and 95 percent of foreign exchange earnings. The

EDITOR BIO ABEL MYBURGH Abel Myburgh is Head of BDO’s Africa Desk. BDO is an international network of independent member firms providing advisory services in 150 countries and territories, with more than 56,000 people working out of nearly 1,300 offices worldwide.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

21

S E C T O R

F O C U S

low oil prices are driving low foreign exchange reserves, likely to result in further turmoil across the oil & gas industry.

One of the first legacies to be tackled by Buhari therefore will no doubt be a need to diversify the Nigerian economy. As a result, the oil & gas industry - Nigeria’s prime industry over the past decade - now braces itself in anticipation of the changes to be brought about by the new leader.

Challenging times

However, to gauge the likely impact on the sector, we need to take a broader view. Nigeria’s oil industry was already facing challenging times, well before the global price crash. Persistent violence in the oilproducing Niger Delta resulted in many operators divesting their onshore producing assets – few of these are now producing optimally. At the same time it had seen a chronic lack of investment amid uncertainty of the Petroleum Industry Bill.

Through the Bill, previous governments aimed to ensure that the oil & gas industry is refocused on professionalism, accountability, openness and transparency, in a bid to increase indigenous participation and multiply the nation’s wealth.

The formal handover on May 29th will see Buhari take up his position in power

Exceptional growth has been enjoyed predominantly thanks to its rich natural resources, making it Africa’s largest oil producer and now ranking 13th on a global stage Muhammadu Buhari - Nigeria’s President-elect

22

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Reform revolved around the need to reorganise the sector by separating and clarifying the roles of different public agencies operating in the industry, as well as a need to infuse strict commercial orientation. But first introduced in 2000, the Bill is still awaiting passage into law and during this time Nigeria has faced increasing competition from neighbouring countries, which have made recent discoveries and opened up exploration and international oil politics.

New leadership

It is expected that the new leadership will accelerate the reforms, particularly the consolidation of privatisation across the power sector, in order to attract more private investments.

R

E

S

O

U

In turn, this should open up opportunities for those operating within the upstream and downstream segments of the sector. For the upstream petroleum sector, there will be new opportunities brought about by reform allowing for indigenous partners and multinationals to participate in government leases and contracts.

Similarly, a new funding mechanism is likely to lead to an inflow of investment capital, opening up joint venture arrangements. Within downstream, new measures around the refining and marketing of petroleum products, transport logistics and facilities management are likely to present opportunities for ambitious businesses.

These elements of reform plus other policies are likely to be consolidated upon by the incoming government and should create further investment opportunities.

At the same time, it is expected that the capital market will finance entire infrastructural gaps as the government deploys fiscal incentives to deepen

R

C

E

S

the market by encouraging companies in the sector; alongside those in the telecoms and aviation, to become listed on the securities market.

Unlocking the potential

However, the country is still currently awash with corruption claims and the

Nigeria’s petroleum industry has faced challenging times of late

Nigeria relies heavily on its oil industry

threat of Boko Haram is very real. In an increasingly turbulent environment fraught with challenges, ambitious businesses need advisers who are natural resources experts and able to help them anticipate the services they need now and in the future to successfully navigate these challenges.

Similarly, the high degree of autonomy between Nigeria’s 36 states and Abuja, Federal Capital Territory means businesses face an array of different local practices and regulations depending on the city and state where they establish themselves.

Deep local knowledge of these intricacies is therefore key to unlocking the potential.

As one of the largest audit, advisory and accounting firms in Nigeria, BDO supports domestic and international clients in navigating the market and grasping the opportunities there. We see Nigeria as an interesting future market for our clients and can support them with deep local knowledge, combined with global expertise and the consistent delivery of exceptional client service.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

23

is a leading business-to-business publication promoting and showcasing the leading companies across an array of sectors on the continent.

Appearing in both digital and print, the publication is aimed at boardroom members and hands-on decision makers, reaching more than 165,000 business executives.

Each month we feature leading companies and business executives by profiling their operations and success stories. Covering areas of best practice, capital investments, the supply chain, innovation and continuous improvement, we aim to promote all that is good about the industry and the region, with your company taking centre stage throughout it all.

Producing business profiles across the full range of sectors and every corner of the continent, Africa Outlook is the platform to promote your business success.

Read on for this month’s profiles.

Emily Jarvis, Deputy Editor emily.jarvis@outlookpublishing.com

If you want to enjoy the exposure and coverage we can offer, please feel free to contact us to discuss the opportunity further.

Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world.

Matthew Staff, Editorial Director Tel: +44 (0) 1603 559152 matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com

ame P R I C E

26

F O R B E S

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

( P T Y )

L T D

F

I

N

A

N

C

E

Success is on the

Books

Through successful talent selection and working with like-minded organisations, globally recognised insurance Group, Price Forbes is successfully demonstrating its capabilities in a new market Writer: Emily Jarvis • Project Manager: Callum Philp

ince its establishment in 2012, Price Forbes Group Limited’s South Africa division, Price Forbes (Pty)Ltd, has witnessed exponential growth in a mere three years, in part due to its extreme client focus, Greenfield business and Group backing.

The origins of the Price Forbes name can be traced back to 1893. The business today is the result of a 2004 merger of two highly professional brokers, Prentis Donegan and Price Forbes. 2006 saw the formation of Price Forbes & Partners Limited, a truly independent London and Bermudabased global, specialist broker that is 100 percent owned by management and its employees.

“The establishment of Price Forbes (Pty)Ltd in South Africa in 2012 was a significant step towards achieving the goal of being a global insurance specialist,” says Warren Bolttler, CEO of Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd. “Even with

the well established brand name, we are still the new kids on the block in Africa. Therefore, we need to quickly demonstrate our capabilities to a new market.

“As our customer base grows in this area, we can offer more competitive rates than ever before. Additionally, backed by the Price Forbes brand that has existed for almost a century as a global household name from its base in London, UK, we have been able to leverage the Group’s reputation to fulfil our South African operating model; known for its direct partner relationships and unique value propositions that offer something completely different,” adds Bolttler, who was keen to emphasise that growth in South Africa was organic and based on a local retail model.

The Group’s South Africa operations serve to broaden the offering available to insurance and reinsurance buyers of domestic corporate and commercial insurance; providing enhanced

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

27

P R I C E

F O R B E S

( P T Y )

access to international markets and introducing specialist skills and greater competition into the country’s insurance market. “Following significant consolidation in the South African broking market, our books predominantly cover domestic risk and large domicile corporates in South Africa and the neighbouring countries.

We heavily utilise our extensive knowledge of the domestic market to provide our insurance products.

“At present, the market is currently soft, therefore it presents a lot of opportunities for insurance buyers; where products are quickly commoditised and innovations are quickly replicated and moulded to suit the ever-changing regulations. This is a sign of a healthy and financially sound market, where there is capacity, competition and choice,” details Bolttler.

L T D

MIRABILIS ENGINEERING UNDERWRITING MANAGERS

At present, the market is currently soft, therefore it presents a lot of opportunities for insurance buyers; where products are quickly commoditised and innovations are quickly replicated and moulded to suit the ever-changing regulations

M

irabilis is the largest engineering underwriter in Africa. Our team includes qualified engineers with practical experience, in-depth expertise and understanding of engineering risks and insurance requirements.

Our territorial scope includes continental Africa, the Middle East, Central and South East Asia and the Indian Sub-Continent. We can transact directly in various foreign currencies Accompanied by Santam Limited and our international panel of reinsurers, Mirabilis offers solid security for engineering risks and substantial capacity in our acceptances. We underwrite and facultative reinsure the full spectrum of engineering risks.

T +27 (11) 880 8200

www.mirabilisafrica.com

CAMARGUE UNDERWRITING

C

amargue Underwriting Managers is a specialist underwriting insurance firm with approved coverholder status at Lloyd’s of London, writing its business in both Southern Africa and certain SubSaharan countries on behalf of Lloyds of London and Mutual and Federal on a 50/50 co-insurance basis. Providing risk management solutions and specialised insurance products to a broad spectrum of industries in SA, Camargue’s product lines have received industry honours and support. Its M³ principle – to Manage, Mitigate and Migrate critical business risks through its over 400 legal professionals, risk managers, arbitrators and risk analysts – uniquely positions Camargue to assist clients with all related business needs.

T +27 (0)11 778 9140 / 41 - 47 E camargue@camargueum.co.za

Warren Bolttler, CEO of Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd

28

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

www.camargueum.co.za

F

I

N

A

N

C

E

INSURING ENGINEERING AFRICA’S LEADING ENGINEERING INSURER

MIRABILIS OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF ENGINEERING INSURANCE PRODUCTS: In addition to our standard products, we also provide seamless tailor made “Cradle to Operational” covers, designed specifically for financed engineering projects where a single insurer (Santam) covers all project risks from Marine to Operational including Marine, Marine ALOP, Contractors’ All Risks, ALOP, Contractors’ Third Party Liability, Project Professional Indemnity, Assets/Operational All Risks and Operational BI. OUR TERRITORIAL SCOPE INCLUDES CONTINENTAL AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST, CENTRAL AND SOUTH EAST ASIA AND THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT. Johannesburg I Durban I Cape Town Tel: 0861 100 100 / +27 11 880 8200 www.mirabilisafrica.com info@mirabilisafrica.com Underwritten by Santam. Santam is an authorised Financial Services Provider (3416)

AN AUTHORISED FINANCIAL SERVICES PROVIDER (28190)

Beyond Insurance Camargue is more than a policy. Camargue is more than a product. Camargue is a concept. The Camargue concept is driven by an inherent desire to continue challenging what is possible in the world of specialised liability management. Bringing risk management solutions and risk management services to an ever-increasing range of clients - with ever-increasing impact on business, society and beyond. The Camargue concept acknowledges people as the proponents of knowledge, making successful and sustainable business a reality. A concept dedicated to seeing the power of knowledge change the world. One business. One challenge. One victory at a time.

96x160.indd 1

2015/03/31 2:44 PM

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

29

P R I C E

F O R B E S

Tailored products

( P T Y )

In 2013, the entire African insurance market only accounted for 1.56 percent of the global premiums, standing at $72.4 billion, compared to the world total of $4.6 trillion. South African premiums however, accounted for $54 billion of this total and penetration levels were ranked second in the world at 15.4 percent, reflecting a saturated market and the potential for growth in key areas such as property insurance, mining, construction and manufacturing. “These are the four significant insurance classes on our books and success in these areas has allowed us to grow our business at a healthy rate,” explains Bolttler.

Through a tailored insurance offering for each corporate entity seeking insurance, Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd is able to take advantage of high growth markets for sustainable revenue growth to secure a long-term future in South Africa. “A new high growth market for us is technology,

L T D

where we have recently won some large global firms and will continue to seize the opportunity to build this book going forward. Not only this, but we must differentiate our product and service offering in a meaningful way to attract more retail customers,” adds Bolttler.

He says that the growth of Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd is not just constrained to South Africa, and this is a result of significant infrastructure development that characterises the African landscape. “We find that the dominant classes of business are construction, engineering, marine & transportation and energy. In light of the significant offshore energy resources in East Africa for example, we have strategically positioned ourselves to be able to handle insurance in this area by providing a facility to service the local East African markets. Not only this, but we have made significant steps in our oil & gas specialisations for the South African market.”

ACE INSURANCE

A

CE Insurance Limited South Africa is part of the ACE Group of Companies, and has been trading in the South African market since July 2006.

Although ACE South Africa are licensed in and have traditionally primarily operated in South Africa, we are now actively developing and growing our facultative reinsurance business in SubSaharan and East African territories.

We focus on the following specialist underwriting areas: • Property, Energy & Technical Lines • Financial Lines • Accident and Health • Casualty • Surety T +27 (0) 11 722 5700 E milenko.skoro@acegroup.com

www.acegroup.com/za

CONSORT TECHNICAL UNDERWRITERS

F

ounded in 1999, Consort Technical Underwriting Managers (Pty)Ltd has over 200 years of collective Engineering Insurance experience and has become a well-respected source for brokers both locally and internationally when seeking sound, quality underwriting for this highly specialised class of insurance.

Thanks to Consort’s reputation within the Engineering Insurance market, our Treaties have been backed by the likes of some of the world’s largest Reinsurance Companies both locally and internationally.

Through strong relationships with our brokers, we seek to offer structured solutions for our mutual clients that meet their specific insurance requirements.

www.consort.co.za

6

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

I

N

A

N

C

E

039 DCUNITED

F

As one of Southern Africa’s leading Construction and Engineering Underwriting Managers, we offer cover for the following classes of insurance: • Contractors All Risks (CAR) • Erection All Risks (EAR) • Plant All Risks (PAR) • Public Liability (PL) Insurance • Electronic Equipment (EEI) • Machinery Breakdown (MB) • Business Interruption (BI) • Deterioration of Stock (DOS)

TRUSTED ENGINEERING INSURANCE

For more information contact us Johannesburg; Unit 29, Consort House, Waterford Office Park, Fourways, 2055, Tel: +27 11 658 1156 Cape Town; Shop A1, Office 4, Westlake Square, 1 Westlake Drive, Tokai, 7945, Tel: +27 21 030 0054 United Kingdom; 1 The Hornets, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 5RE, Tel: +44 7467 492586 Consort Technical Underwriting Managers (Pty) Ltd (Reg. No.: 1999/003909/07) is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP No. 2273), and underwrites on behalf of Lombard Insurance Company Limited.

C039 Consort advert (96mmH x 160mmW).indd 1

2015/03/26 6:57 AM

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

31

P R I C E

F O R B E S

( P T Y )

L T D

GENASYS

B

uilt up from humble beginnings we have grown into a world-class industry leading technologyinspired software company within the insurance sector.

Genasys Technologies is a tight knit company, with employees who thrive on their passion for their profession.

Our employees take everything that one step further: they don’t sit on the sidelines and watch on, they get in there and push through any problem that might arise. We do whatever it may take to make things better for our clients.

We remain committed to our everevolving product and becoming the leading provider in insurance software.

T + 27 (0) 11 679 3151/61 + 27 (0) 21 851 4153

www.genasys.co.za Price Forbes has been able to secure a strong team for its offices in Johannesburg

Organic growth

The high level of innovation and organic growth in the South African market has helped Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd to identify its capabilities and potential in a short space of time. By investing in people and a bespoke IT system, the insurer has been able to secure a strong team of service professionals for its offices in Johannesburg. “We are looking to invest in the best people who will bring the business and knowledge with them to aid us in targeting particular client groups this year,” says Bolttler.

“By ruthlessly sticking to the execution of our plans, the next 12 months will be about putting into action our strategies.”

Already equipped with a robust book of business in the South African market, Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd will aggressively target growth in the rest of Africa by working with independent brokers and securing partnership agreements

32

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

We are looking to invest in the best people who will bring the business and knowledge with them to aid us in targeting particular client groups this year

that can help local businesses prosper.

“Our intention is to look for business opportunities with our partners in order to improve our chances of competing for multinational business. As a WBN (Worldwide Broker Network) member, we are well positioned to achieve this.

“The entrepreneurial and innovative culture we instil in others combined with our African partners will encourage enterprise development and skills transfer across Africa,” Bolttler emphasises.

Macro-economic growth

As a young and dynamic company stemming from a globally renowned Group, beginning operations in the rest of Africa has not been without challenge. Perhaps the most significant challenge has been South Africa’s sovereign credit rating downgrade to BBB last year, the second-lowest investment grade level in line with Brazil and Russia. “This means even

F

I

N

A

Z I M B A B W E We are a leading Insurance Broker and offer a full array of Insurance Products: Agricultural, Motor, Haulage, Business Bloodstock / Livestock Household, Marine hull Healthcare and Travel Life And All Others

N

C

E

Oyster Bay Office Complex, 368 Msasani Road, Oyster bay P.O Box 7390, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania T: +255 22 266 4204/4209 M: +255 754 22 77 22 E: info@heritagetanzania.com www.heritagetanzania.com

We deliver beyond our promise

Telefax: +263 (04) 251551-7 Email: queries@hrib.co.zw www.hrib.co.zw HRIB Insurance Brokers is proud to be associated with Price Forbes.

Heritage focuses on corporate business, insuring nonlife corporate risk and has a fully qualified technical team to advise on Complete Risk Management Services.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

33

P R I C E

F O R B E S

( P T Y )

L T D

The Company encourages its staff to attend training conferences and seminars

though our local insurers have the individual credentials to warrant a far higher rating than this, they are immediately pulled down by S&P (Standard & Poor’s) to below the country’s sovereign rating. In a country and continent that heavily relies on foreign investment and lending, it poses a challenge when the foreign lenders and investors normally demand A rated insurers to cover the projects they are funding,” Bolttler further explains.

This may impact the macroeconomic growth of the country’s insurance industry and can effect large insurance organisations with hefty international growth ambitions.

However, Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd remains largely unaffected during the early stages of its business lifecycle as it is growing at such a rate that it outstrips both the country and the insurance sector’s average economic

34

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

We want to get the message out that we are small enough to care, and large enough to handle big projects

F

I

N

A

growth, mainly as a result of being small and agile in a market dominated a few large and cumbersome opponents.

Initially operating as an independent South African broker, it quickly became apparent to Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd that it was imperative to gain access to partners beyond the borders in order to provide seamless insurance propositions for Pan-African clients.

“Our methodologies allow us to provide more insurance capacity and a broader skill set to our allies across the continent.

“We have to seize every opportunity; of course, we make sure it is right for us first. Through their continent-wide businesses, our clients have PanAfrican exposure and we have to be able to offer multinational insurance solutions that cover all areas which we service. In line with this, we now have partnerships in 11 African countries including Angola, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Uganda and the DRC. “Multinational policies can be tricky to satisfy all; it has to satisfy local legislation which can be known to change regularly. By working closely with partners, we continuously improve our approach to this challenge,” highlights Bolttler.

In support of this, Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd has a number of initiatives that specifically focus on enterprise and skills development for black-owned organisations in South Africa. “We provide opportunities they would not normally have, developing local education and technical knowledge in insurance,” he adds.

The right expertise

From the outset, Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd were equipped with a comprehensive, multi-skilled group of staff; some extracted from the competition and some with more than 30 years’ experience in the insurance field.

“These people formed the foundations of our expertise, but the next step

N

C

E

Quietly and with quality capacity we support our selected intermediaries and their clients.

Our expert inputs are willingly provided today and everyday.

Honesty, integrity and transparency motivate our actions.

T: 011 476 4420 www.inniu.co.za Authorised Financial Services Provided FSP No. 34049

was to secure younger people with the right entrepreneurial thinking to sustain the company’s future,” says Bolttler, further explaining that the company has a “healthy blend” of staff, with senior members of staff disseminating technical skills to the younger team members, and longstanding members of the team benefitting from the natural skills the young staff bring.

“We have a liberal policy when it comes to training including encouraging attendance to conferences and seminars. Additionally, our new secondment programme will begin in Spring, where we leverage skills from our UK operation in order to allow staff to learn different practices and experience the different geographies of the world,” he adds.

Creating a financially stable and viable insurance business in a saturated environment such as South Africa takes a little something extra, which

Bolttler believes Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd offers through its attention to detail and heightened level of time spent with clients. “And our short-term goals revolve around this,” he says. By smoothing out internal and external processes, Price Forbes is able to demonstrate that it has the capacity to deal with domestic corporate business in South Africa to an incredibly high standard. “We want to get the message out that we are small enough to care, and large enough to handle big projects. Price Forbes offer the best of both worlds with a personalised service tailored to the client.

“In the long term we will leverage on our reputation in the industry.

We’ve had the fundamentals in place built up throughout more than 100 years of history and through targeted acquisitions of like-minded people, Price Forbes will firmly root itself as an African insurance broker you can depend on,” he concludes.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

35

ame A T L A T S A

36

R E S O U R C E S

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

C O R P O R A T I O N

M

I

N

I

P G M

N

G

S P E C I A L I S T S

TARGET 2020 STEADY-STATE Production Increase

Atlatsa Resources Corporation is striving for mid-tier PGM production status as part of its ongoing ramp-up phase in South Africa Writer: Matthew Staff Project Manager: Arron Rampling tlatsa Resources Corporation is well on its way to achieving its mission of becoming a significant mine-tomarket platinum group metals (PGM) company in South Africa as it carefully, yet proactively, positions itself for an expected market turnaround in the coming years.

The Company’s focus revolves around a 2020 production target with ramping-up phases and diversification within its operations being carried out at present with that goal in mind.

Known purely as Atlatsa – previously, Anooraq Resources Corporation – the black economic empowered (BEE) business was incorporated in the Province of British Colombia, in Canada, before later combining its PGM assets with those of Atlatsa Holdings, a private 100

percent BEE South African company.

This combination affected a reverse takeover of Atlatsa under Toronto Stock Exchange rules, with the latter now holding 62 percent of the company.

Chief Executive Officer, Harold Motaung, picks up: “In 2007, Atlatsa announced a major BEE transaction with Anglo American Platinum Limited (Anglo Platinum) pursuant to which the two entities combined their PGM joint venture interests under a new group structure, the Bokoni Group.

“The transaction was completed in July, 2009, under which Atlatsa acquired 51 percent of the Bokoni Platinum Mine (formerly Lebowa Platinum Mine) and took operational control of the mine.”

The resultant structure has gone from strength to strength since then and now controls one of the last remaining significant high-quality PGM resources in the country; located on the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) of South Africa.

Bokoni stages

The BIC is the world’s largest platinum deposit, producing in excess of 75 percent of the globe’s supply and comprising a Western, Eastern and Northern Limb consisting of predominantly Merensky, UG2 and

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

37

A T L A T S A

R E S O U R C E S

Platreef minerals.

In Atlatsa’s case, mining operations are carried out across the Eastern Limb at the Bokoni Platinum Mine, since taking control of the site six years ago.

“Atlatsa is the controlling shareholder of the Bokoni Mine, and it was the first operating asset that generated revenue for Atlatsa,” Motaung explains. “The mining of PGMs is done by the Atlatsa team with the sale of the metal-in-concentrate sold to Anglo Platinum for smelting and refining.

“Regular interaction takes place between the two joint venture partners through corporate governance structures such as the Bokoni joint operational committee,” The four-shaft Bokoni Mine complex currently produces 194,000 PGM ounces per annum, with the site consisting of a 154 million ounce resource base, a 12 million ounce reserve base and a 37-year lifecycle.

Before the real fruits of this resource base are unearthed though, Atlatsa is firmly focused on its extensive ramp-up phase, comprising two replacement, new generation and cost-effective decline shaft systems; complimenting its opencast Merensky mining operation to build a presence both over and underground.

C O R P O R A T I O N

THEO PEGRAM & ASSOCIATES

T

heo Pegram & Associates (Pty) Ltd is a mining consulting company which was founded in October 2009 by Theodore Pegram, a geologist with 27 years’ experience in the South African mining industry. The company offers extensive experience including PGM’s and chromite of the Bushveld Complex, Witwatersrand gold, iron ore, coal and alluvial diamonds. International commodities include Alpine chromite and poly-metallic lead-zinc-silver complexes, haematitic iron ore, copper as well as lode gold deposits. To date we have serviced a wide range of opportunities across the commodity spectrum in 7 countries for more than 20 different clients.

Firmly focused on its extensive ramp-up phase

The four-shaft Bokoni Mine complex currently produces 194,000 PGM ounces per annum, with the site consisting of a 154 million ounce resource base, a 12 million ounce reserve base and a 37-year lifecycle

Theo Pegram & Associates (Pty) Ltd are bound and driven by our Values, which include • Integrity, • Professionalism, • Trust, • Timeous delivery, and • Provision of proactive guidance to the benefit of the client Theo Pegram & Associates’ ascendancy is marked by the systematic expansion of their staff complement to 48. Our key focus areas include: • Outsourced Mine Technical Services (Geology, Survey, Sampling, Rock engineering, Ventilation, Mine Planning • Geological orebody modelling & Mineral Resource Estimation • Exploration • Project studies & -evaluation • Database management • Governance – technical audits, Competent person’s reviews & reports We are committed to forging a new paradigm in favour of outsourced technical services and offer professional capacity and skills to the benefit of our clients as a cost effective set of turnkey solutions.

www.pegramconsult.co.za

38

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

The Sky is the Limit

The Sky is the Limit

Partnership through Integrity

Tel: +27 11 958 0161 Fax: +27 86 538 2017 info@pegramconsult.co.za www.pegramconsult.co.za

A T L A T S A

R E S O U R C E S

The Company continues: “Stage One (2009-2014) comprised a capital investment of $200 million to expand the Merensky and UG2 4E PGM production to approximately 200,000 ounces per annum. The underground Merensky and UG2 operations achieved 140,000tpm of production in 2014 and the opencast Merensky operation continued to fill the mill gap of installed processing capacity of 160,000tpm and will continue to be managed of a flexible volume basis.

“Stage Two (2015 onwards) contemplates further expansion at a capital investment of approximately $100 million to achieve an annual production rate of 250,000 4E PGM ounces.

“Both the Stage One and Stage Two expansions at Bokoni are intended to access the Merensky and UG2 reefs from near surface to approximately 650 metres below surface. This presents a key technical and cost advantage, as there would be no need for significant refrigeration at these mining depths.”

This transformation and ramping-up phase will not only enhance Atlatsa’s status from junior to mid-tier PGM production status but will also facilitate the creation of an entirely new business culture at the mine through, not only the increased production, but also reduced costs and a more disciplined approach to orebody management and grade control.

Motaung emphasises: “Bokoni Mine remains an operation in development with its key Brakfontein Merensky and Middelpunt Hill UG2 development shafts remaining in their ramp-up phase, and on target to achieve steadystate production by 2020.”

C O R P O R A T I O N

THARI MINERALS PROCESSING SERVICES

T

hari Minerals Processing Services was founded with a view to utilizing various skills and experience and form partnerships with the private and public sectors to help reduce unemployment, poverty, illiteracy and crime. As a consequence of this, it will encourage societies to become cleaner and more environmentally aware.

With our various services, we are aiming to create jobs and growth, helping to contribute to the development of our people.

Bokoni Mine remains an operation in development

Our mission is to render construction related services with excellence and quality workmanship. Thari Minerals employ dedicated and skilled staff members that provide excellent customer service and delivery turnover, therefore maintaining our client relationships, both past and present.

About Kgoroshi Donald Makgopa Chairperson

The Bokoni Mine achieved its highest production volume since 2006 with a 14 percent increase in total tonnes milled and 4E PGM ounces in 2014, from the 2013 financial year

Mr Makgopa’s role within the business is to ensure that all records are kept, all financial activities are documented, and that the business is registered with all relevant bodies and databases. He is also responsible for ensuring that all board and management responsibilities are met.

With experience in conveyor belt operation and maintenance in the Bokoni Platinum mine, he is well placed to lead the company forward.

Address Stand Number 78B. Ga-Selepe Villiage, Mashemong Section, atok 0749, PO Box 313, Atok 0749

Positive trajectory

Atlatsa revenue is derived from its PGM production – both Mersnsky and UG2 ore - at the Bokoni Mine, through the sale of metal-in-concentrate to Anglo Platinum, via a dedicated

40

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

T 076 632 9165 062 047 9366 073 293 0833 E kgoroshi111@gmail.com

SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY

Thari Minerals Processing Services > Operation and maintenance of conveyor belts (including cleaning) > Feeder installation > Splicing, belt training or alignment and belt extensions Tel: 076 632 9165 | 062 0479366 | 073 293 0833 Email: kgoroshi111@gmail.com Stand Number 78B, Ga-Selepe Village, Mashemong Section, Atok 0749, PO Box 313, Atok 0749

A T L A T S A

R E S O U R C E S

concentrate sale agreement.

While the company is still officially in a ramping-up phase to fully optimise the vast resource base, recent years have seen an early market pick-up in terms of production volumes, as Motaung reflects: “The Bokoni Mine achieved its highest production volume since 2006 with a 14 percent increase in total tonnes milled and 4E PGM ounces in 2014, from the 2013 financial year.

“The mine achieved its 160,000 tonnes per month (tpm) of concentrator milling capacity in 2014 so there is a positive PGM production trajectory.”

The well-developed sunken infrastructure of the Bokoni Mine, incorporating the development of the two new generation shafts, is expected to ensure a total steady-state production of 160,000tpm by 2020.

“Capital investments on these two shafts will cost approximately CAD$110 million in the next six years,” the CEO adds.

Increased scale of operations

As well as a fast-evolving mining

C O R P O R A T I O N

company, Atlatsa is also keen to explore opportunities in the exploration space in the BIC region, incorporating a 2002 agreement with Rustenberg Platinum Mines to acquire up to an 80 percent interest in 12 PGM properties located on the northern limb of the BIC. The Company is subsequently investigating opportunities on these properties, including those of Kwanda, Central Block and Rietfontein, as Motaung notes: “As a small operator, the focus is on expansion development to increase the scale of the operations such that majority of fixed costs are absorbed and the mine moves down the cost curve graph.

“This will hopefully see an evolution of Atlatsa from a junior to a mid-tier PGM producer.”

Effectively owning 51 percent of the Kwanda Projects, a previously Bokoni Holdco-owned operation, Atlatsa is consequently in the process of sharing information and conducting exploration activities in the area; leveraging the knowledge of the wider BIC area and its already significant progress occurring in the Eastern Limb.

HLABIRWA JV

H

LABIRWA JV is an emerging 100% black owned company and was born out of a jointventure transaction between Ranmak Consulting and Hlabirwa Mining Services Ltd. The company brings to bear their in-depth knowledge of the mining, finance and IT industries, and a broad range of skills gained from more than 14 years’ experience working in different prominent mining & IT portfolio companies in South Africa, Botswana, DRC and Zambia.

HLABIRWA JV offers mining services in the areas of underground stoping and development, vamping/sweeping, stope equipping & conveyor belt operations.

The company is able to deliver a complete service to meet, manage and deliver on the full spectrum of mining requirements for projects of any scale.

As a result of the company’s broad experience, HLABIRWA JV is able to provide services in a range of disciplines accurately and diligently to deliver on time while ensuring compliance with relevant norms.

About Malope Selepe (Mr) The founder and chairman of the company, Mr Selepe started his mining career in 1995 as a learner official. He has been involved with the management and production of mining operations throughout Africa in both production and project capacities. He has established & successfully managed Hlabirwa Mining Services (Pty) Ltd to full operation at Bokoni Platinum Mine.

T 079 807 8310 079 562 5896 E selepemalope@gmail.com

www.hlabirwa.co.za

42

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

HLABIRWA JV has the ability to meet a broad scope of project requirements and is therefore able to deliver a spectrum of mining services to its clients.

o o o o o o

Development and Stoping Equipping, Construction Conveyor Belt maintenance Vamping of historic ore Reclamation Underground Rehabilitation

E-mail: selepemalope@gmail.com Cell 1: 079 807 8310 Cell 2: 076 562 5896 www.hlabirwa.co.za

A T L A T S A

R E S O U R C E S

C O R P O R A T I O N

ZEBRATONE MINING

Z

erbatone Mining, registered in 2009, was started by P.J Mohuba and M.S Phasha and is 100% BEE compliant. Our initial focus was to provide practical training to the community and although this is still an ongoing process, we have recently expanded our operations into contract mining.

We ensure the regulations of proper feasibility studies are followed and employ experienced and suitable candidates to manage and supervise our ventures. Our skilled workforce ensures that high standards of work are delivered to all our clients.

Address Office 138. Old Mutual Building, Lebowakgomo, 0737

Placing emphasis on locally sourced staff and internal progression opportunities

T + 015 633 4024 + 086 634 3427 E zebratonep@gmail.com

Investing in communities

To achieve its goals, Atlatsa places much of its emphasis on the correct hiring and ongoing development of its employees; bringing to the fore aspects of local opportunity and internal progression.

“The Bokoni Mine is a community mine with 80 percent of employees coming from surrounding communities,” Motaung says. “Atlatsa invests in employee development through various training educational courses.

“We hire the best candidates in the mining industry from engineers, geologists and accountants, and the well being of our employees remains of paramount importance to us.”

This philosophy gives an insight into the Company’s wider adherence to corporate social responsibility applications; a facet which is pivotal given that its work has a direct impact on 6,000 lives, and an indirect impact on 150,000 people, in the Sekhukhuneland region.

44

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

TKY TRADING

We hire the best candidates in the mining industry from engineers, geologists and accountants, and the well being of our employees remains of paramount importance to us

T

KY Trading Enterprise specialises in the repair and supply of electrical and mechanical components such as electric and vibrator motors and pumps and cylinders, allowing us to supply various mining companies throughout South Africa.

We are diversifying into a new project of supplying non-crushing cast iron components which is planned to take off in May 2015. On this project, we will be able to produce any size and any material specification required.

Our aim is to be a leader in meeting the real needs of clients by providing excellent services, relevant development expertise in a safe and cost effective manner.

www.tkytrading.co.za

M

I

N

I

N

G

Operational Activities • Stoping & White area stoping • All types of development • Sweeping and vamping • Ledging • Equipping • Rail upgrading • Haulage maintenance • Opencast mining

T: + 015 633 4024 + 086 634 3427 E: zerbatonp@gmail.com Office 138,Old Mutual Building, Lebowakgomo, 0737

EMERGENCY/BREAKDOWN CONTACT: Mamokiba.tky@gmail.com|Mamokiba. makuwa@gmail.com T: 081 095 4258 SALES Patunia Tshibudzi sales@tkytrading.co.za T: 072 628 3060/081 051 4286 OPERATIONS Mamokiba Makuwa Mamokiba@tkytrading.co.za T: 081 095 4258/079 190 1314

TKY Trading specializes with the repairs for electric motors, pumps, cylinders and valves and also supplies the industry with a vast range of quality engineering and mining components.

Excellence is our business www.tkytrading.co.za

Yvonne Makuwa – Operations Leader

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

45

A T L A T S A

R E S O U R C E S

Motaung continues: “We engage with and invest in communities through various community-based projects. We allocate bursaries for mining engineering studies; we support foundational phase learning through a community crèche.

“We also offer portable skills ranging from carpentry, sewing, welding and bricklaying. We also recently completed a housing project in the Monametse Village.”

Additionally, Atlatsa stimulates local economic growth via successful SMEs, Zerbatone and BBP Mining and projects. Overall, there are 20 contractors currently supplying goods and services to the mine, including Fanang Diatla Bakery, Khomanchas slate quarry project and Mogorishane civil works; all of which ensure that the company’s immediate influence spreads further than purely its impact in the mining industry.

C O R P O R A T I O N

Efficient initiatives

Atlatsa’s objective of becoming a significant mine-to-market PGM company is on track through its substantial and diversified asset base, and the promise of further progression to come over the next five years.

Future project acquisitions alongside its established organic growth will facilitate this migration from junior to mid-tier status even more as it stays true to its three-pronged strategy of becoming a renowned producer, establishing a new operational culture and track record at the producing mine, and continuing the Company’s asset portfolio development.

“Atlatsa is not just an investor but rather a BEE PGM operator that invests in communities through educational support and local economic development. We’ve taken the bold decision to build through challenging economic times, positioning ourselves

BOKANG CONSULTING SERVICES Adaptive, innovative, intelligent security services Intelligence driven security is still a fairly new concept in the South African or African context in general. However even with technological advances many companies still apply static asset guarding that only has the ability to passively engage with threats, theft, political and communal insurgencies.

In order to circumvent issues such as ongoing strikes, illegal mining, industrial espionage, sabotage, political insurgence and theft of assets, a cutting edge, tailor made intelligence driven solution is required.

Bokang Consulting Services utilises a combination of intelligence collection and investigation to pre-empt threats before it translates into actual crimes.

Whether the threat is directed at an individual or an organisation, we assess the nature of the threat and design appropriate intervention strategies.

Our reputation is for challenging the conventional, and for delivering solutions that are innovative, flexible and effective.

We provide an end to end service which includes: · Intelligence gathering · Investigation services · Surveillance · VIP Close protection · Emergency response team · Security serveys · Research · Risk assesment

T +27 11 958 2034 F +27 86 654 9214 E info@bokangcs.co.za

www.bokangcs.co.za

46

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M

I

N

I

N

G

for a turnaround in PGM markets,” Motaung concludes. “We have a large, high quality orebody with a Merensky focus and also have a comparatively low capital requirement to fund growth.

“The development of the two new generation shafts, Brakfontein and Middelpunt Hill, remains on target to achieve steady-state production levels of 160,000tpm by 2020 and this development will position us favourably for a turnaround in PGM markets.

“In this challenging economic environment, we continue to focus on various initiatives to improve operational efficiencies, disciplined capital allocation and cost management, without compromising the mine’s existing ramp-up plan.”

Investing in communities

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

47

S

E

N

E

T

A Silver Anniversary for the Gold and Copper Processing SENET has built a significant reputation across numerous mining commodities over its 25 year life and continues to diversify, expand and evolve with the future in mind Writer: Matthew Staff • Project Manager: Arron Rampling

ENET is celebrating its 25th year of operations while looking towards the next 25 as it gears up for future industry booms in the mining sector in Africa.

Despite its core copper and gold markets being engulfed in a general slowdown of late, the indigenously South African project management and engineering organisation is taking steps to ensure that its internal processes are being optimised in order to strike while the iron is hot once the industry picks up speed again.

Since its inception in 1990 as a conveying and bulk materials handling business in the mining sector, the company has grown and diversified, building a formidable reputation as a significant player across the

48

African continent by providing an all-encompassing process plant design solutions range.

This range comprises all levels of project feasibility studies, process plant design, project management, procurement and construction services, heap leach stacking using state-of-the-art equipment, mineral

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

beneficiation, bulk materials handling and conveying; all within the mining domain.

“Our services cover everything from conceptual desktop and feasibility studies of mineral processing plants, to project design, project execution and construction up to the point of commissioning,” explains SENET’s new Business Development Director, Darren Naylor, who also emphasises what a great achievement it is to have been successful for so long in such a fluctuating and challenging industry.

“To reach our 25th year is a momentous milestone within the African space. We are part of an elite group of truly South African EPCM (engineering, procurement and construction management) companies

M

I

N

I

N

G

that are still in existence,” he adds.

“Most of the others have been bought out by large international players, therefore it’s a testament to SENET that it has maintained its unique identity and continues to prosper.”

“From that point onwards we grew exponentially with a track record in full process plant design with strong execution in construction and completion of projects.”

While not necessarily known as a construction company itself, this aspect has been integral in providing the complete service that SENET now prides itself on. This, combined with the final, tailor-made solution that is developed for each client, has led to the company working with numerous market-leading Groups on large-scale mining sites.

A bedrock of expertise

With the original founders of SENET still involved in the business, this provides a flexible, entrepreneurial basis from which all of its expansion and diversification has occurred over its history.

Starting life as a predominantly materials handling and heap leach business, the company used this robust approach to form a bedrock of expertise and to build a reputation within the industry, particularly in Africa. These features remain integral to the service provided by SENET, which is now under the guidance and direction of a new, dynamic and likeminded management team.

The SENET that exists today is the result of development that started with its first major process plant

Track record

Darren Naylor Business Development Director contract awarded more than a decade ago, as Naylor notes: “Initially, we expanded our services to meet our clients’ increasing needs, and then in the early 2000s we built our first large gold process plant, which kick-started our real growth.

By meeting and exceeding customer demands and expectations and producing flagship projects over the past 25 years, SENET has created a successful business model, starting with its first groundbreaking heap leach project in Ghana in 1994, and subsequently including work with multinational giants like Glencore for whom SENET carried out work at their Mutanda Mine in the DRC.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

49

S E N E T

VIEW TANKS

V

iew was established in 1948 and manufactured its first pressed steel tank shortly thereafter.

Offering sectional steel tanks in both modular and circular design, tanks are formed using panels, prefabricated cleats and stays bolted together on site to give an infinite range of sizes and capacities.

Though generally square or rectangular in construction, tanks can be provided in a variety of forms to suit particular site conditions and project requirements.

This modular concept and bolted construction allows for fast assembly utilising semiskilled labour, which provides advantages and cost cutting benefits associated with reduced site occupation when considered against traditional concrete or welded steel construction.

www.viewtanks.co.za “Track record counts for everything,” Naylor states. “Until we completed our first process plant, we were considered a conveying company and, at best, a heap leach company, but since then we have received a significant amount of repeat business from various clients going through three or four phases of their development over the years.

“This is testament not only to doing something well, but also to developing loyalty in an environment where loyalty is diminishing.”

Fostering such close-knit relationships with clients has further aided SENET’s own growth on a geographical level too, moving into new regions of Africa, and even overseas, as customers look to the company for a consistent, standardised service across their own international operations.

“Our target copper and gold markets are predominantly in Africa but we have also executed projects

50

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Our target copper and gold markets are predominantly in Africa but we have also executed projects in Kazakhstan, South America and the UAE, amongst many others

in Kazakhstan, South America and the UAE, amongst many others,” Naylor adds. “We do have good exposure internationally, but we still focus primarily on Africa because when it comes to the core skills of the business, we are very good at working in remote areas and have built a reputation for our work in that geographical area.

“We understand Africa well and some remote regional parts of Africa extremely well. You can only attain that experience through working somewhere over a number of years so it’s crucial we continue to work in areas that we are comfortable with, for our own benefit and that of our clients.”

Improving efficiencies

While the company’s present growth is somewhat dictated by the current industry situation, SENET is still finding unique selling points to ensure that it remains sustainable and prosperous

M

I

N

I

N

G

MODULAR • RUGGED • EASY INSTALLATION • DURABLE

OFFERING SECTIONAL STEEL TANKS IN BOTH MODULAR AND CIRCULAR DESIGN

Contact us:

www.viewtanks.co.za Tel: 011 493 5960 Email: sales@viewtanks.co.za

SENET celebrates its 25th year of operations while looking towards the next 25

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

51

S E N E T

in the build-up to the next industry boom.

SENET’s unique selling points include, amongst others, a technical and economic advantage in its milling in raffinate work, for which the organisation has become a world leader. In addition, its heap leach and conveying expertise continues to be developed and enhanced.

Naylor explains: “Commodity demand is at an all-time low which doesn’t translate well into many projects getting off the ground, leading to a lot of competition in the African space.

“However, SENET benefits from being a medium-sized company of around 350 people, by being able to offer a more personal, tailor-made and project-specific approach to our clients.

“This, combined with our track

52

SENET has many unique selling points, making it a world leader in some operations

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M

I

N

record, experience and low turnover of experienced employees, contributes largely to our success and client appeal.”

Adherence to pressing industry trends and, in particular, environmental concerns further ensures that SENET’s offering is one of the most attractive to clients across the sector in Africa, as everything is put in place for future, enhanced activity across the region.

“The industry is in a challenging position at the moment,” Naylor concludes. “The short-term calls for a period of consolidation, as well as the improvement of efficiencies and internal skills within the organisation.

“The industry will be challenging for the next few years and although we may be growing during this period, we do so cautiously with a focus on building capacity, as we gear ourselves for the next industry boom.”

I

N

G

SENET head office, Gauteng, South Africa

SENET has vast experience operating in remote areas of Africa’s landscape

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

53

ame P A L A B O R A

54

C O P P E R

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

( P T Y )

L I M I T E D

M

I

N

I

N

G

Resourcing for

Success Palabora Copper has built a reputable presence in South Africa for nearly 60 years, leveraging a natural resource which manifested billions of years previously Writer: Matthew Staff • Project Manager: Arron Rampling alabora Copper (Pty) Limited has capitalised on the world-leading potential of the Palabora Igneous Complex for more than half a century, combining its long-standing optimisation of operational procedures with an ever-developing adherence to internal facets and the progression of its employees.

Known previously as Palabora Mining Company prior to 2013, the company has built its esteemed reputation in South Africa as the country’s only producer of refined copper, providing the nation with 85 percent of its overall copper requirements..

Beginning life in 1956, the business has developed to now produce more than 60,000 tonnes of the mineral each year, supplying South Africa with the aforementioned majority, and exporting the remains to ensure the full fruits of its efforts reap rewards.

Arguably though, the potential of the Palabora Igneous Complex site far precedes the company’s comprehensive growth throughout

the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s.

“Some two billion years ago, a series of violent volcanic eruptions, which took place over a period of millions of years, gave rise to a rich body of minerals, which became known as the Palabora Igneous Complex,” the company’s website explains. “The unique ore body outcropping at a small saddleback hill, later to be called Loolekop, contains a unique variety of minerals; copper, phosphates, magnetite, uranium, zirconium, nickel, gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.

Two other volcanic pipes nearby contain vermiculite and phosphate. “ Now, as the most extensive site of copper mining opportunity in the world, Palabora Copper has diversified, invested and expanded its range of products, services and operations to incorporate a large block cave copper mine and smeleter complex comprising a more than 2,200-strong workforce.

The company adds: “The refinery produces continuous cast rod for the domestic market and cathodes for export. Useful by-product metals and minerals include zirconium chemicals,

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

55

BASF BASF creates chemistry through innovative solutions to grow Africa.

As a global leader in the chemical industry, BASF offers scientific and innovative solutions to customers in nearly every industry, enabling these businesses to meet the current and future needs of society. Master Builders Solutions®

by BASF provides a diverse range of mineral processing chemicals and technologies to the industry worldwide, along with expert advice and technical support.

Since the launch of project ‘Pump’ in August 2000, Palabora Mining Company (PMC) has used these innovative solutions to create chemistry of its own. Together with BASF, Byrnecut and LA Crushers, PMC has developed a 1.2km twin decline from Lift I to Lift II in under five years. MasterGlenium Sky 923 and MasterRoc SA 160, used jointly offer a wet mix sprayed concrete for rock support and rapid hydration reaction, resulting in early strength development. The quick setting property allows rapid work progress and the ability to construct thick sprayed concrete linings via layered application, during one construction sequence.

Use of the mixture and equipment, operated by BASF personnel on site, played a large part to the project’s completion in February 2015.

While MasterGlenium Sky 923 and MasterRoc SA 160 has proven highly effective in the construction of the decline, these are only two of the many products used for the development. Stabilisers, resins, fibres and curing compounds are only some of the other chemical solutions which ensured the high quality concrete production for phase one of project Pump. Master Builders Solutions by BASF has introduced new products of improved quality and competitive pricing in its latest tender to PMC for the development of Lift II footprint or production level. The new project phase is scheduled to span five years and aims

to not only add value to Palabora but also extend the operating life of the mine to 2030.

The BASF Group has been active in Africa for 90 years. The company has been exporting colorants and intermediates to Kenya from its headquarters in Ludwigshafen, Germany, since the end of the 1920s. Today, the BASF Group has more than 1,000 employees in Africa (excluding the oil and gas business). In North Africa, the company is represented in Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. The key industries are construction, textiles, agriculture, automotive and the health care and plastics sectors. The BASF Group company Wintershall has been producing oil onshore in Libya since 1958, and it is also involved in an offshore oilfield. In South Africa, BASF has production facilities for emission catalysts, construction chemicals, coil coatings, dispersions and polyurethane plastics.

Master Builders Solution’s experts combine their global and local expertise to meet market needs, and they offer reliable and approved professional applicators. This ensures successful completion of jobs. To meet high performance requirements, BASF products are designed and certified for the specific intended use.

BASF’s Construction Chemicals division offers advanced chemicals solutions for new construction, maintenance, repair and renovation of structures. Master Builders Solution’s portfolio encompasses concrete admixtures, cement additives, chemical solutions for underground construction, waterproofing solutions, sealants, repair & protection solutions, performance grouts, and performance flooring solutions.

T +27 11 203 2405 E info@master-builders-solutions.basf.co.za www.master-builders-solutions.basf.co.za

P A L A B O R A

C O P P E R

( P T Y )

L I M I T E D

GROUPT

G

roup T (Pty) Ltd is a specialist trackless mechanised mining contractor operating across South Africa and Africa. Its wealth of experience has been built over the last 20 years of operations in some of South Africa’s leading mining houses where it provides key services to its clientele.

Group T, through its subsidiary TBM 11, has been working on the Phalaborwa copper mine since 2000 and has since built a reputation of excellence along with a strong trust relationship with the old and new mine owners.

Group T still provides a key service to Phalabora Copper and look forward to only building on this relationship and assisting PC to further expand its mining operations.

T +27 (0) 15 780 3248

www.groupt.co.za Optimising its operations to ensure success

magnetite and nickel sulphate as well as small quantities of gold, silver and platinum. Palabora has developed a US$410 million underground mine with a production capacity of 30,000 tonnes of ore a day.

“Palabora also owns a nearby vermiculite deposit which is mined and processed for sale worldwide.”

Health and safety

Over the years, the company has made the most of the resources at its disposal, and the reliance that South Africa has subsequently had on the sales of minerals emanating from Palabora Copper.

To become a more well-rounded company however, recent years have witnessed a more concerted focus on the internal capabilities within Palabora’s operations; primarily including health and safety concerns and the establishment of a specific programme to address the trend.

“The safety and health of employees at Palabora Copper is of the utmost

58

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

We understand that we need to work relentlessly to foster a climate in which principles of responsibility and accountability can be practiced every day

importance and it’s a key principle in an efficient and profitable operation.

Therefore, the company firmly believes that all injuries, occupational illnesses and incidents are preventable,” the business states. “All employees and contractors undergo entrance and exit medical examinations when joining and leaving the company. During their course of employment they are subject to routine medical examinations.

Routine examinations are risk based and provide a comprehensive health profile of each employee.

“In October 2011 - following three months of increased safety incidents, which led to the worst safety record in Palabora’s recent history - we embarked on an ambitious enterprisewide LeKgotla process. Working with the Amsterdam-based Kgotla Company, we put this highly potent dialoguing process into practice within Palabora’s organisational setting, engaging 3,800 Palabora employees and contractor employees.”

M

I

N

I

N

G

Underground mechanised development and stoping projects Underground large excavations and silos construction Robotic shotcreting and total mine support applications Manufacture & supply of standard & customised mining plant and equipment Project management Engineering solutions and conveyor systems installations Drop raise, raise boring and blind hole drilling

www.groupt.co.za T 27 (0) 15 780 3248

MINING SERVICES EXCELLENCE

TRP2651 SENMIN AfricaOutlook_REPRO.indd 2

2015/04/21 3:45 PM

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

59

P A L A B O R A

C O P P E R

( P T Y )

L I M I T E D

Having since institutionalised the process, Palabora LeKgotla exists as an ongoing dialoguing process which encourages all employees to share and voice areas of concern to create a company-wide solution forum and which is benchmarked by numerous divisional reviews over the course of each year.

“Since the October 2011 LeKgotla, we have held several subsequent LeKgotla sessions. These have spanned the operational areas of processing, mining, technical excellence, training and the rod plant,” the Company notes. “We understand that we need to work relentlessly to foster a climate in which principles of responsibility and accountability can be practiced every day. That means building an organisation where it is safe for people to create visions, where inquiry and commitment to the truth are the norm, and where challenging the status quo is expected and accepted.”

LeKgotla has consequently instilled a much stronger organisational climate within Palabora Copper, paving the way for the company’s general people and skills strategies to flourish.

Employer of choice

Built around goals of tolerance and acceptance, open dialogue, personal accountability, diversity and ambassadorship, Palabora’s people & skills strategy embraces facets of HR management, sustainability and BroadBased Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) adherence.

The Company says: “From the time the mine started operations in the mid-1960s, Palabora has been at the forefront of employment practices in the local mining industry. Palabora employs approximately 2,200 people, with competitive employment conditions in the industry.

“The Human Resources division is an active partner in facilitating the company’s objective of ‘resourcing for success’ and the creation of a self-

60

motivated and progressive Palabora workforce, that is focused on business objectives, while achieving personal and career growth, as well as selffulfilment.”

Striving to be an employer of choice within the mining industry, the attraction and retention of talent is pivotal, leading to the business adopting a series of initiatives including significant remunerations and bonuses; extensive employee engagement; internal promotion opportunities; ongoing training and development; and perhaps most importantly, the promotion of organisational development.

This final facet encourages each employee to make their own

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

entrepreneurial mark on Palabora, as it continuously opens its ears to new techniques, systems or procedures.

Uplifting communities

Enriching lives both inside and outside of the Company, Palabora has gone to great lengths to fulfil its South African Mining Charter obligations as well as its BBBEE activities.

“Palabora has developed a comprehensive transformation strategy supported by a set of policies and procedures that seek to address the seven elements on the BEE scorecard,” the Company says.

This incorporates not only fostering an inclusive work environment to maintain its role as an “equal

M

I

N

opportunity workplace” but also BEE procurement which has seen Palabora’s BBBEE spend dramatically increasing since the turn of the decade.

Spreading its influence even further, Palabora also places a concerted emphasis on its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts to share its wealth and knowledge outside of the mining domain; leveraging its transporting operations and subsequent ability to bridge the infrastructure and technological gaps that often appear in more rural areas of South Africa.

Supporting local communities adjacent to the Igneous Complex, one recent example in 2015 saw Palabora Copper contribute towards Greenvalley Primary School’s computer and Tumelong drop-in centre; a new computer learning facility in the region.

“Palabora hosted a charity golf day in the latter part of 2014 in an effort to raise funds. The project was aimed at initiating a dialogue amongst transporters to raise funds together to support the communities,” a report on the event stated. “On 5 March, 2015, Greenvalley Primary School, based in Acornhoek and a home to 1,300 learners, received their long awaited computer centre.”

Sanda Zungu, Manager of Supply Chain & Logistics at Palabora added: “These road transporters are already doing a lot to support and develop the communities in which they operate, however when those efforts are not concerted, the impact becomes minimal, benefiting only a limited number of people in the community.

“Therefore, Palabora Copper will continue to encourage its contractors to get involved and contribute towards projects aimed at uplifting and developing the communities in which we all operate.”

Strategic objectives

Embracing peripheral areas of people development, health and safety,

I

N

G

Authorised Center Why Canon? Perform » Connect » Save » Sustain

Canon Business Center Sereti will assist your organisation Telecommunications, Voice and Data Solutions, CCTV, Computers,

Canon Business Center Sereti is capable of delivering a customised Tel +27 11 244 5000 | Fax +27 86 679 6115

BBEEE and CSR not only enhances Palabora’s reputation even further within South Africa but helps build a bedrock of sustainability from which its core mining activities can flourish.

Across its primary copper product, as well as its magnetite, nickel sulphate, anode slimes, sulphuric acid and vermiculite compliments, its core and industrial mineral divisions are in a stronger position than ever before to optimise the natural potential that the Palabora Igneous Complex provides.

Through this, the Company continuously invests in and updates

you can

its underground mining techniques, as well as its concentrating, smelting and refining operations, while the industrial component is similarly progressive regarding its vermiculite functions.

Offering services across sample development, analytics, fire assaying and quality control assurance, Palabora Copper is in a prime position to fulfil a mission and vision that have been consistent in the Company’s continuous improvement strategy since day one.

“Palabora’s strategic objectives which are key drivers towards the achievement of its vision are: to create a strong enterprise; to optimise operations; resource for success; sustainable long-life values; integrity; courage; care; and teamwork,” its website emphasises.

Moving forward, it is these philosophies which will affirm Palabora Copper’s position as a recognised market leader in the mining industry.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

61

G I L B A R C O

62

A F S

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

R

E

S

O

Fuel

U

R

C

E

S

True specialists in

Management Since the acquisition of AFS Group, Gilbarco AFS has increased its presence across Africa to offer an unrivalled fuel management solution and accompanying services to the continent Writer: Emily Jarvis • Project Manager: Arron Rampling

or AFS Group, the journey began in 1995 when it first brought a revolutionary technology to Southern Africa that would change the fuel and fleet industries. The FuelOmat technology was designed to securely authorise and control all fuel issued to fleet vehicles, thus minimising fuel losses and significantly increasing efficiencies and reducing costs associated with fuel. AFS deployed the technology in both retail and commercial applications, and had resounding successes in both market segments. This technology was specifically useful in the open cast mining environment, where large volumes of fuel are dispensed annually.

“We look to use technology through innovative software and cloud solutions to give customers a

way to monitor not just their fuel and fuel losses, but also give them the ability to use the fuel information to drive productivity, efficiencies and to monitor fleet utilisation,” says Eoin O’Neill, General Manager of Global Mining at Gilbarco AFS. An open cast mining environment usually has a high operating expenditure on fuel, which is often in excess of 30 percent of the total operating expense. Of this percentage, it is not uncommon to see around five percent in wastage or losses, depending on existing control measures. In any business, trimming large expenses such as fuel can be crucial to success. Gilbarco AFS has seen impressive results from the implementation of its solutions, and all the installed sites are managed to within 0.5 percent variance. This is approximately 10 times less fuel

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

63

G I L B A R C O

A F S

wastage or loss than before.

“On a large mining operation, this can translate to a saving of around $1.5 million per year. However, it is not just about recording this loss, but analysing the performance of the whole fleet of vehicles, monitoring variables such as driver behaviour, condition of the road and other operating conditions that help not only reduce loss but improve productivity,” emphasises O’Neill.

Currently, Gilbarco AFS manages in excess of 1.3 billion litres of fuel on the African continent annually, with more than 130,000 vehicles using its fuel management systems. In the mining industry, Gilbarco AFS have in excess of 250 in-field controllers controlling fuel issues and receipts and collecting data to transmit to a central server for validation and reporting.

Globally recognised parent company

Since 2013, Gilbarco AFS has been part of Gilbarco Veeder-Root, a global leader in the supply of fuel equipment solutions and technologies to the petroleum industry such as fuel dispensers, pumps, point of sale equipment and tank gauges.

Headquartered in North Carolina, USA, the parent company has a strong global presence, with businesses in every part of the world and strongly believes in its motto: “Our customers fuel the world”.

“The Gilbarco AFS subsidiary was created to ensure that the business unit focused on providing fuel management solutions that would control and monitor fuel levels and provide accurate information to their customers. We also identified the mining industry as a potential high growth sector for these fuel management solutions,” added O’Neill.

In addition to the AFS acquisition, Gilbarco Veeder-Root also acquired the Navman Wireless telematics company, completing the solution offering by

64

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

JAYCOR

J Managing in excess of 1.3 billion litres of fuel in Africa

AYCOR is a specialist provider of communication, connectivity and power solutions for the Oil & Gas / Petrochemical, Mining, Energy and Industrial Automation markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. We partner leading global manufacturers to provide cuttingedge technology for mission-critical signal and power transmission systems across a broad spectrum of applications.

We deliver high performance solutions for minimal downtime and maximum profitability for our clients.

In addition to supplying key components, JAYCOR offers value added services including custom product design and manufacture, harness assembly, network design and installation, fault locating and consulting.

T +27 (0) 11 444 1039 E sales@jaycor.co.za

www.jaycor.co.za

R

E

S

O

U

R

C

E

S

A global leader in the supply of fuel equipment technologies

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

65

G I L B A R C O

A F S

including the ability to offer fleet management via telematics.

“AFS Group was a distributor of Gilbarco Veeder-Root products and had developed a full featured, endto-end fuel management solution, tailored specifically for the mining industry. This solution capability and existing market penetration was a big draw card for Gilbarco Veeder-Root and the solution fitted well with the company’s plans,” says O’Neill.

Gilbarco Veeder-Root is now expanding its product range in order to bring a broader solution portfolio to South Africa, a market in which the parent company did not previously participate. “We look forward to fully integrating Gilbarco AFS into the Group,” he confirms.

We now have a presence in the Central Africa region, deploying into five mines in the DRC

Total fuel and fleet management

Gilbarco AFS has become the leading solution provider for end-to-end fuel management and fleet management solutions across the retail, commercial and mining sectors. “We identified early on that Gilbarco AFS needed to bring something innovative to the market, and we differentiated ourselves by accompanying our product with site maintenance services as well as managed information services,” comments Sean McQuade, Marketing Manager of Global Mining at Gilbarco AFS. “Many of our competitor products are installed and handed over to the customer to manage. Our experience and research indicated that there was a high failure rate in adoption of systems deployed under this model, and the system eventually becomes defunct. Consequently we changed our business model to include the complete solution offering, especially maintenance and information services.

The key to this success has been a highly motivated operations team and an advanced information management system. Gilbarco AFS continues to invest heavily in advanced information

66

Its site maintenance services are a differentiator

systems to capture, process and report on fuel and fleet data,” says McQuade.

By paying attention to the customer needs and previous industry trends, adoption of Gilbarco AFS systems has been made as easy as possible. Now with the global footprint, financial support and backing from Gilbarco Veeder-Root, the company is now

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

rolling out its solutions across further markets outside of Southern Africa.

O’Neill adds: “We now have a presence in the Central Africa region, deploying into five mines in the DRC. Our strategy is to enter new countries to assist in developing the mineral resource there in a sustained way. We are currently looking at opportunities

R

E

S

O

U

R

C

E

S

Gilbarco AFS has become the leading solution provider for end-to-end fuel management and fleet management solutions across the retail, commercial and mining sectors

not only in Zambia but also further afield in countries such as Botswana, Tanzania, Ghana and Burkina Faso.”

Providing innovative solutions

and other key markets across the globe. We are already seeing traction with the strategy,” highlights O’Neill.

To secure long term growth, Centre of Excellence Gilbarco AFS will continue to expand To support the African and global its geographical footprint but also look expansion of its fuel and fleet into other innovative solutions it can management solution, Gilbarco AFS offer the mining and fuel management has established a Centre of Excellence industry. “We will do this through for mining solutions and technologies our increased presence rather than in South Africa. simply growing organically. Mining is “From product, solution and a global business and our concept of technical support perspectives, fuel and fleet can improve productivity we will look to South Africa for our for everyone in the business,” he development, training and support. confirms.

We have chosen South Africa as there “Attending this year’s Mining Indaba are a significant number of mining confirmed to us that commodity prices houses that operate here, and the are driving mining organisations to Gilbarco AFS team has built very strong refocus on ways to be more efficient technical and customer intimacy in the where possible. By controlling mining industry. Combining this with outgoings such as the management Gilbarco Veeder- Root’s technical and of fuel and fleet via our complete endcustomer focus in the oil sector and to-end solution, it is clear that Gilbarco Gilbarco’s global presence will help us AFS plays a key part in the future of to expand into other parts of Africa this industry,” concludes O’Neill.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

67

ame A G A M A

B I O G A S

( P T Y )

L T D

to Play an Important Role in Rural Africa Managing Director, Gordon Ayres says AGAMA’s biogas digester gives “people in poverty a fighting chance to escape” Writer: Emily Jarvis • Project Manager: Tom Cullum

68

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

R

E

S

O

U

GAMA Biogas (Pty) Ltd, a division of consulting and engineering Group, AGAMA Energy, demonstrates that there is no time like the present to utilise biogas in Africa. Through the manufacture of biogas digesters, the company hopes to expand the reach of its low cost solution to as many areas on the continent as possible.

As one of the fastest growing renewable energy sectors in the developed world, with annual market growth exceeding 30 percent a year, biogas has become an important contender in the race to becoming green; even more so of benefit to developing countries where it has been widely used as a source of energy and waste treatment.

“Our idea grew at such a rate that a division of the wider AGAMA Energy Group was dedicated to the project, and it has a huge number of advantages that will enhance people’s lives here,” details Gordon Ayres, Managing Director of AGAMA Biogas.

The capturing of methane through the use of biogas technology has an immensely important role to play in rural energisation, poverty alleviation and development, increased efficiency and competiveness; all resulting in improved management of greenhouse gas emissions.

“The biogas solution fits Africa like a hand in a glove; it reduces the odour on the streets, reduces waste and the spread of disease, and transforms this into onsite energy production to meet household gas cooking needs and slurry for natural fertiliser.

“It gives people in poverty a fighting chance to escape,” he emphasises.

Sales methodology

After eight years of development, a key aspect of the biogas solution has been developing the best

R

C

E

S

strategy to bring the digester to market in an effective way so as to reach as many Africans as possible. Ayres identified that there are more than 300,000 rural South Africa households that could benefit for this technology right now: “Our product takes very little technical skill to build onsite, however the challenge lies with enhancing local awareness of our relatively niche offering [at the moment]. The most effective way to reach the market has been through a handful of local distributors who talk to the market for us and consequently, we have seen the number of units sold rise to 500 this year,” he explains.

In essence, AGAMA Biogas provide the relevant training and licensing and the distributors communicate with the people that live in the area – sometimes in the official local language if needs be – to make sure the customer is fully aware of the product and its advantages.

Moreover, AGAMA make sure that the digester’s point of manufacture is as close to the point of installation as possible.

Our distributors, supporters and designers took a risk selling our technology in the early stages of development. They helped with design and foreseeing any issues we may have in the market. Without them, we would not have made our mark thus far.

“We want our product to be widely recognised as a simple solution that will eventually become the norm for households or businesses.

By focusing on this sales methodology, we hope to make it clear that we address current issues in Africa via our awardwinning solution, selling to those locally who understand these local conditions,” states Ayres.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

69

A G A M A

B I O G A S

( P T Y )

L T D

THE SOLAR ZONE

T

he Solar Zone specializes in the design, supply and installation of solar equipment in commercial and domestic applications. Our system designs include home and office backup power systems as well as off-grid installations. Apart from photovoltaic systems (including solar panels, batteries and inverters), we supply Agama Biogas digesters, various solar hot water systems (solar and thermodynamic geysers), sewage treatment systems (BIOROCK), solar borehole and surface pumps and a wide range of LED lighting. All of these energy-efficient technologies allow us to bring affordable energy to the rural sector.

T +267 686 4450 +267 72333434 E enquiries@the-solar-zone.co.bw

www.the-solar-zone.co.bw Site inspection

Model for up-scaling

With other domestic energy solutions a “hot topic” in South Africa at the moment, such as a flushing toilet, the use of available resources to improve living conditions is attracting the attention of city councils and municipalities. “And our solutions fit right in here. There is a growing understanding of biogas technology from these bodies and by setting our gas at half the price of LP gas, there is room for substantial growth. People are becoming open to biogas digesters and learning that waste can have a physical value.

“This year, we intend to push on every level to identify our core markets,” highlights Ayres.

Currently, AGAMA Biogas has experienced a “shotgun effect”, where the company has drawn interest from a wide range of parties; from agriculture to supermarkets, low cost housing provided by city councils, to interest from charities such as Oxfam operating

70

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

This year, we intend to push on every level to identify our core markets

on a local level. Ayres says the area that the digester can really make a difference is the low cost housing market: “This is not just exciting from a waste perspective – providing gas for cooking – but it provides slurry to grow food. If this goes well, we will look at implementing an SME business model in order to reach a wider sphere.”

Other markets that Ayres hopes to explore are private homes and guest lodges, where there is a big eco push at the moment. “People want an honest experience of Africa when they visit, and our solution can play a role in enhancing this,” he adds.

All of the above indicates that AGAMA’s biogas solution is ready to be rolled out at a moment’s notice.

In support of this is the ease of construction, providing an easy point of access into work for local people as Ayres further explains: “There is minimal skill involved to fit a digester and we have a model in place for those who are keen to join our efforts.

R

E

S

O

U

R

C

E

S

• • • • • • • • •

Go green with The Solar Zone – Botswana’s one stop solar shop!

Just one skilled person is needed and therefore, we have a business that can be up-scaled significantly; going from constructing one to 100 units a day to meet rapid growth demands.”

With a unique work-from-home staffing model, Ayres says AGAMA Biogas look for “self-motivated, green and enthusiastic people” to join the company in its infancy. Made up of mostly South Africans and frequent student volunteers, AGAMA also has a training programme taking school leavers who didn’t qualify for university, and training them on the basics of biogas energy to help develop local talent.

Changing perceptions

As businesses and the general public become more aware of the advantages of biogas, AGAMA hope to capitalise on this change for greener and sustainable living. “South African schools even have a biogas section in

Off-grid solar systems Household and office backup systems Solar panels, batteries and inverters LED lighting BIOROCK domestic sewage treatment plant Agama BiogasPro digester Evactuated tube and thermodynamic geysers Solar borehole and surface pumps Solar refrigeration

Tel: +267 686 4450 Cell: +267 72 33 34 34 enquiries@the-solar-zone.co.bw Mophane Road, Maun, Botswana www.the-solar-zone.co.bw

the syllabus, which is causing change in the general market inertia that waste can generate energy.

“As members of the South Africa

Biogas Industry Association, we were also pleased to see a good turnout at the recent Johannesburg conference, which shows people are really taking notice of its potential. Additionally, we have found the internet a very useful platform for gaining attention, with a company from India requesting to work with us for example,” says Ayres.

In the next two years, AGAMA Biogas predict a 300 percent rise in the number of units sold. Alongside this, the company will begin to establish a foothold in other parts of Africa, with the eventual goal of establishing a worldwide customer base. “It seems with the pace of development, things are being taken out of our hands due to healthy, organic growth. With a local person on the ground combined with AGAMA’s technical knowledge, we create an interactive sales methodology and a multi-faceted, lowcost biogas solution to suit the needs of each individual,” he concludes.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

71

ame F I L M A T I C

P A C K A G I N G

S Y S T E M S

FILLING MARKET GAPS TO PROVIDE THE

Full Package Filmatic Packaging Systems is already the biggest industry player in Africa, and is now excited about replicating its successes further afield, following a 2015 strategic partnership Writer: Matthew Staff Project Manager: Ben Wigger ilmatic Packaging Systems has grown to become the biggest machine manufacturing design company in Africa, and is now looking forward to the next stage of its evolution which will see its products reach an even bigger intercontinental audience.

Expanding in line with market demand and its early successes since inception in 1979, the company has similarly evolved its product range to cater not only for the dairy industry, as was initially targeted, but to engineer machinery for the packaging of water, juice, oil, sauces, cosmetics and personal care.

“All products that are liquid and can be filled, we can cater for,” states the company’s Sales Director, Riaan Van Zyl. “We started mainly in the dairy industry 36 years ago with filling and capping machines, but have evolved into supplying full turnkey solutions, developing all the equipment that is necessary in the filling line to meet the

72

Single head volumetric piston filler

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

demand for high-speed production lines.

“There has always been demand for quality filling and capping machines such as those we designed, but we redesigned our old designs in 1999 to install a completely new range of equipment with all the new features necessary to meet our turnkey demands.”

Filmatic has subsequently evolved from that milestone to manufacture more than 2,000 contemporary, state-of-the-art machines including rotary fillers, cappers and labellers to name but a few; all of which have been exported continent-wide within Africa and abroad up until this year, prior to an acquisition which will see the same success replicated on a global scale in the not-too-distant future.

Worldwide footprint

This imminent further broadening of horizons has been facilitated by a 40 percent share purchase of Filmatic by Danish company, Trepko; enabling the former to export its products to the latter’s existing customer base which incorporates a presence across much of Europe, Australia and the US. “The acquisition was confirmed in January of this year and they will sell our machines worldwide, except for Africa where we already have an export footprint,” Van Zyl confirms.

“We should be seeing the sales growth from this within a couple of months and from next year it will become a big portion of our business coming

M

A

N

U

F

A

C

T

U

R

I

N

G

situation so that we are able to discuss problems and have the best people possible to provide support for our equipment worldwide.”

Ongoing processes

Indexing level filler capper

Propak, Cape Town

Trepko 2 brick butter forming and wrapping machine

through Trepko.”

This strategic move follows a threeyear period in which general sales have already doubled for Filmatic, with prior export markets also rising from 20 percent of the company’s turnover to more than 50 percent in the years leading up to 2015.

Van Zyl continues: “We have been exporting for more than 25-years so we are used to working on an international level and Trepko will only increase this even more significantly.

“From our side we need to ensure that we keep on training our technical personnel not just in terms of engineering, but also in international travel and communicating with clients and senior personnel in a boardroom

This philosophy is indicative of the Filmatic way of operating, ensuring that the customers’ needs are placed at the forefront of considerations and that there is unparalleled levels of aftersales service and collaboration in order to create a value-added service.

To achieve this, the company regularly attends and showcases its products at global exhibitions to stay abreast of global industry trends; a facet which began in the early days of Filmatic’s evolution and its initial diversification of equipment.

“Over the years, there has been a lot of packaging changes in terms of the bottles, through the introduction of materials such as PET a couple of years ago, and the demand for screw capping applications, as an example,” Van Zyl explains. “That is why, over the years, we have seen our machines redesigned like they were completely in 1999 to cater for new applications and to fill as many gaps in the market as possible.”

Cosmetic filling line: Filmatic has evolved its product range to cater for different industries

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

73

F I L M A T I C

P A C K A G I N G

“The changes since then have been mainly in sub-sections of the machines such as the cap application or the sealing of the caps, implementing technologies that differed from the original redesigns.”

“It’s an ongoing process in order to offer these value-added services, backed up by regular audits following discussions with clients on what issues need to be addressed or where improvements can be made in the future.”

Working alongside large multinationals, including the likes of SAB Miller and Total Oil, further aids Filmatic’s adherence to global trends and the forecasting of necessary future developments; one of which, at present, revolves around the need to further improve levels of hygiene and longevity.

Van Zyl adds: “We have recently adapted our machines to be able to achieve a better shelf life for milk by incorporating more recent clean and hygienic filling practices and design philosophies in line with global trends.

“We can now achieve 21 days for normal semi-pasteurised milk which is a huge improvement, just by re-addressing hygiene requirements on our filling systems and making small redesigns to our equipment.”

Filmatic staff Rotary rinser level filler pick and place screw capper

Bright future

The machines themselves are designed and assembled in-house

Filmatic’s admin building

74

S Y S T E M S

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Inline pump filler

but manufactured externally via a network of established, long-standing business partners who have been selected domestically, where possible, to help boost the local economy in the process.

These sub-contractors have grown alongside Filmatic over the years, working to the same high standards as are expected of the company’s internal workforce; with training existing at the epicentre of the company’s recent, substantial progression.

“In the past three years we have more than doubled our staff numbers which puts a lot of strain on the company but we have ensured that we keep the same culture of quality standards in the business,” Van Zyl notes. “We are more focused than ever before on training our personnel to our internal structures and systems, as well as the required quality expectations and technical aspects.”

In such a competitive market, the

M

A

N

U

F

A

C

T

U

R

I

N

G

Schäfer Engineering > Turning & Milling > CNC Routing > CNC Turning HDPE/UHDPE/PVC/Nylon/ Perspex/Acetal/Tufnol/Brass/ Stainless Steel/BMS

Filmatic’s preferred carrier

We provide clients with quality products, excellent service and timely delivery.

• Engineering • Signage / Engraving • Medical • Marine Parts • Automotive; Gaskets • Bottling; Change parts etc.

• Food industry; Conveyor Parts / Shafts and Guides etc.

Tel: 072 419 0539 or (021) 862 0091 Fax: (021) 862 0118 info@schaferengineering.co.za

technical expertise of personnel can be a real differentiator, Van Zyl goes on to emphasise; especially given the international status of Filmatic.

The Director continues: “We have a very low turnover of staff because of the type of industry we are in. It’s very fulfilling to build machines, starting off with individual manufactured parts one day and then having a fully built R2 million machine in front of you the next.

“All competitors out there should be able to produce a quality product, but what we offer differently is the urgency in which we address customers’ needs and in which we attend to their requirements and aftersales service.

“The focus we have on training our people to provide a value-added service is another differentiator.

We don’t just send our technical team to visit a client – they must go there, measure line and equipment

CDS Africa specialises in moving cargo predominantly into the SADC region.

Our services include but are not limited to the following: LCL, FCL Shipments to - Namibia, Botswana,Lesotho,Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Angola and the DRC. Tel: +27 (0)21 386 1874 Fax: +27 (0)21 386 2263 Email: sales@cdsafrica.co.za

LIDA self-adhesive labeller

efficiencies, carry out risk assessments and offer solutions.”

This potent combination of unique turnkey solutions, combined with its imminent geographic expansion

signifies an exciting period for Filmatic as the company looks poised to vastly increase its global market share and to ultimately deliver on Van Zyl’s promise of a “bright future”.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

75

ame H U H T A M A K I

S O U T H

A F R I C A

( P T Y )

L T D

Megatrends RESPONDING TO GLOBAL PACKAGING

Global packaging leader, Huhtamaki Group is growing its presence in the world’s fastest developing regions, beginning with Africa Writer: Emily Jarvis Project Manager: Tom Cullum ith more than a century of experience in the design and manufacture of moulded fibre packing solutions, Huhtamaki Group has responded to shifting market trends and now has the capacity to offer fully customised solutions in protective moulded fibre packaging. “We offer egg cartons, fruit trays, wine carriers, cup carriers and protective buffers for consumer electronics and other products,” stated the Company.

Huhtamaki today manufactures in six continents, operating around the globe and continuing to form important partnerships and to make acquisitions “where it counts for customers”. As well as growing organically, currently, the company is growing its presence in some of the world’s fastest-growing regions including Africa and the Middle East.

“This is so that we are well placed to serve both global and local customers – wherever you [the customer] see your next opportunity,” said the Company.

76

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Global megatrends

As global megatrends such as rapid urbanisation and demographic changes drive growth in Africa, Huhtamaki Group believes that by responding to these trends and growing the business in line with them will enable the company to reach a larger audience.

The Company added: “In the 1970s we started to expand our presence and technical capabilities outside Finland and we haven’t stopped since.

Simply put, we’ve expanded with our customers, as their consumer markets have grown.

“It’s why we define our purpose as being able to help great products reach more people, more easily...

So we can support you, through packaging, to open up opportunities in new markets and sectors.”

In support of this is the combination of an experienced team on both a global and local level and Huhtamaki is very much invested in supporting the global manufacturing industry in order to encourage long-term growth. By demonstrating the capabilities to satisfy and adapt to increased demand for food and drink goods, the company is committed to understanding customer needs through an open communication policy. Moreover, sustainability and renewable resources remain a hot topic within the guiding principles of its supply and production chains.

Huhtamaki has conducted business in South Africa since 1955, where

M

A

N

U

F

A

We see opportunities everywhere in food and drink markets, just as our customers do. And we’re well placed to help you to act on them. Our broad global reach is matched by our established presence and experience in many markets, particularly those that are fastest-growing - Jukka Moisio, Huhtamaki Group CEO

C

T

U

R

I

N

G

it operates from two sites which collectively employ 170 people. “We have been at the forefront of egg packing innovation in South Africa for more than six decades, and are proud to have been awarded BRC and SANS 10330:2007 HACCP accreditations,” explained the Company.

As the global market leader in sustainably produced moulded fibre, or pulp packaging, Huhtamaki South Africa is able to create solutions that are tailored for individual client packaging processes, distribution requirements and marketing goals. The Company commented: “In all our food packaging solutions, we maintain the highest possible protection factor and maximise its sustainability. We supplement these activities with the design and production of moulded fibre in every conceivable 3D shape for protection, buffering and product presentation.”

Under the Leotech® brand name, Huhtamaki South Africa is able to produce and supply a wide range of pulp moulding machinery, finishing equipment and process technology, designed for the production of egg cartons and other tray products. This further strengthens the Huhtamaki brand as one known all over the world as a pioneer and innovator when it comes to packaging solutions. “Our extensive network of expertise and high quality production, testing and control processes guarantee optimum performance under any working conditions,” confirmed the Company.

“Our Leotech® moulded fibre technology represents productivity, business assurance, rapid availability of parts and moulds, and a professional service.”

Leotech® machinery is also used on a daily basis in 38 different countries

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

77

H U H T A M A K I

S O U T H

A F R I C A

( P T Y )

L T D

SHOPLOGIX

S

ince its creation in 2002, Shoplogix has been committed to the goal of increasing manufacturing profitability through improving efficiency and understanding costs.

Our goal is to make manufacturers as profitable as possible as quickly as possible. With over fifty (50) man-years of development, the Plantnode solution is ideally suited to help companies increase bottom line profitability.

Shoplogix™, believe that by automating the collection of production data, we can provide actionable insight to your operational performance and provide the tools with which to dramatically improve overall effectiveness. By doing so, we can directly improve profitability, both by improving productivity and reducing costs.

T + 27 11 476 8817 E sales@les.co.za

www.les.co.za

Offering fully customised solutions in protective moulded fibre packaging

across the world to produce millions of items made from moulded fibre using renewable resources.

products as raw materials for our moulded fibre packaging products and sell various quality levels of paper as raw materials for other paperRecycling taken seriously processing industries around the In line with its clear commitment to world.” green enterprise, the Huhtamaki Group By further ensuring that the has set up its own recycling facilities, geographic location of this service incorporating the latest environmental is as close to Huhtamaki’s moulded standards into its practices and fibre mills as possible, the company the Company highlighted: “The is able to successfully limit its carbon Huhtamaki Paper Recycling arm footprint between collection and of the business collects paper at end use. a local level which receives a new lease of life in accordance with the laws of sustainability and renewable resources.

“We operate in conjunction with regional haulage partners in order to guarantee a seamless service via our large fleet of hook lorries and bins, offering a total recycling solution.

“In turn, we then use the recycled

78

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

M

A

N

U

F

A

C

T

U

R

I

N

G

Shoplogix™, a global provider of the Real-time Performance Management solution Plantnode®.

Engage Employees Display real-time feed back to operators on plant floor

T: + 27 11 476 8817

Visualize Success Visualize production data in meaningful easy to understand reports

sales@les.co.za

Machine Truth Record manufacturing data automatically.

www.les.co.za

CK 2009/06788/23 VAT 4170252748

www.casservices.co.za

Big data, better insurance insights At Aon, we empower economic and human possibility through data and analytics for our clients. We understand you need solutions for today’s globally interdependent environment of risk and people.

CAS Services cc repairs, services and supplies spare parts for the whole Mattei compressor range, catering for the mining industry. We build Control and Monitoring systems for Multiple Compressor installations as well as building local assembled units to the customer’s requirements.

Partner with Aon and Huhtamaki and let’s empower results together – call 0860 453 672 or visit aon.co.za.

Risk. Reinsurance. Human Resources.

Aon South Africa (Pty) Ltd is an Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP #20555).

chomp@casservices.co.za / imce@casservices.co.za T - +27 (0) 16 362 0883 M - +27 (0) 83 320 4722

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

79

ame Z Z 2

VA LU WORLD-LEADING PRACTICES FOR LONG -TERM

Committed to international standards of FoodHealth and sustainable operations, ZZ2 is staying true to its inspirations and missions in South Africa Writer: Matthew Staff • Project Manager: Josh Hyland

80

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

F

O

O

E

D

&

D

R

I

N

Z2 is the brand name for a farming organisation which now supplies more than 40 percent of commercially traded tomatoes in South Africa.

It is a fast growing player in the production, packaging and marketing of avocados (avos) while onions and deciduous fruit are also gaining importance in the fruit and vegetable basket offered to customers. Livestock has always been part of the ZZ2 value proposition and includes a Pinzgauer cattle herd from the Austrian Alps and the indigenous Nguni cattle. From these two breeds, a new breed has been developed at ZZ2, the PinZ²yl.

Farming operations are spread across South Africa, the Group consisting of various independent companies managed under the ZZ2 umbrella with a turnover exceeding R1 billion per annum. ZZ2’s employees match this status by increasingly representing a multicultural African society within a multilingual environment.

The company extended the services provided to the internal convertors of production, packaging and marketing value with carefully considered joint ventures. It has significant shareholding in an international commercial seedling nursery, an online fresh produce trading platform, a box manufacturing plant, a staging depot for fresh produce, and production facilities for biological inputs to compost, compost tea and fermented plant extracts. Joint ventures in primary production include a date farm in Namibia on the Orange River.

K

“that’s it!”

In the mid 1990s, ZZ2 implemented the “open system” or “living system” business philosophy, which demands a long-term view to create value for all stakeholders of the company rather than chasing short-term profits for shareholders.

The company is therefore managed as an open and living system based on the following ethical norms (values) which are implemented as preconditions for any orderly and civilised society: • “Prudentia” (thoughtfullness, wisdom, vision, integrity) • “Justitia” (fairness, honesty, impartiality, humanity) • “Fortitudo” (fearless without wavering, with energy, perseverance, endurance, dauntlessness) • “Temperantia” (modesty, selfrestraint, selflessness, tolerance) ZZ2’s inspiration (vision) is to be the benchmark of success in agriculture, creating sustainable value for its stakeholders as a living, open system.

The mission is to deliver high quality, primary agricultural products to clients looking for value and practices are in place to optimise resources and are based on principles that are ethical, environmentally friendly and economically sustainable.

Inspiration and missions

The ZZ2 trademark is a well known brand in South Africa. Originally a cattle brand it has become associated with the company and excellence.

The Sepedi/Northern Sotho phrase “Ke Tswa Tsweo” was added to the trademark in 1994 and literally means

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

81

Z Z 2

World leader

ZZ2 is a world leader in extensive, nature-friendly agricultural practices, also known and registered as Natuurboerdery® or translated into English; nature-friendly farming. It is a break with the deleterious effects of industrial farming and includes some of the more sane concepts of organic farming.

A centre was established to research (with the help of local and international experts) and mass produce compost, now universally apllied to all ZZ2 crops, and an array of biologically based pest and disease control agents. The concept and techniques of Natuurboerdery® are attracting much attention as an alternative to unsustainable industrial farming and unproductive organic farming.

In today’s times it is a fact that people are demanding healthier food.

Therefore FoodHealth is ZZ2’s promise and healthy soil is its passion. By embracing nature and implementing Natuurboerdery® principles, healthy products are delivered.

Market trends

In line with this, ZZ2 decided more than 20 years’ ago to farm with avocados.

Avocados have been identified as one of the superfoods of the world, being absolutely packed with heart-healthy nutrients, monounsaturated fats and essential omega-3 acids. In the past five years, ZZ2 started to aggresively expand it’s avo production. Avocado production surpassed 8,000 tonnes in 2012 and is growing exponentially with 70 percent exported mainly to Europe.

EQSTRA INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT TOYOTA FORKLIFT DELIVERS OPTIMAL LIFETIME VALUE TO OUR CUSTOMERS The latest supply of 10 new electric Toyota Forklift trucks to the South African farming conglomerate ZZ2, highlights the role Eqstra Industrial Equipment (EIE) plays as a partner of choice in the agricultural industry.

The reliability, advanced technology and optimum performance of our range of forklifts is essential when it comes to meeting production demands at ZZ2.

We are proud to be a supplier to ZZ2 - a leader in the farming industry.

Toyota Forklift is the global market leader in materials handling equipment.

www.eiegroup.co.za

FIRST NATIONAL BANK

A

t FNB Business, we understand that the agricultural industry is important to South Africa’s economic sustainability. Not only do we provide you with access to the latest information, trends and studies about the industry, but also offer you innovative solutions that can contribute to your farming decision-making.

We understand the challenges and responsibilities that you, as a business owner, face every day. That’s why we provide all the financial solutions you need to ensure your farm’s growth and success. In addition to supplying innovative financial solutions that are customised for your unique farming needs, we also support you with a team of agricultural managers whose industry knowledge and experience can contribute to your decision making.

T 0860 362 000

The avocado has been identified as one of the superfoods of the world

82

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

www.fnb.co.za

F

O

O

D

&

D

R

I

N

K

Farmer of local produce.

Business of global reach.

ZZ2’s business is growing as quickly as the juicy tomatoes they have been farming for over a century.

From a single farm in Limpopo, they have expanded into a countrywide farming conglomerate, with exports across the continent and the globe. FNB is proud to have been ZZ2’s banking partner from the very beginning, and we look forward to many more centuries of success and growth together.

For more information, email agric@fnb.co.za or visit fnb.co.za First National Bank - a division of FirstRand Bank Limited. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider (NCRCP20).

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

83

Z Z 2

RIJK ZWAAN

R

ijk Zwaan is a breeding company from the Netherlands with 25 different vegetable crops in its assortment. In the worldwide market of vegetable seeds, they are at the fifth place with a turnover of over 300 million Euros. Rijk Zwaan is well known for its high service level and its personal approach.

The seeds of Rijk Zwaan are sold in more than 100 different countries all over the world, via 25 local Rijk Zwaan sales subsidiaries and numerous (exclusive) distributors.

Avocado production line

Looking at the per capita consumption of avos worldwide you will find that Mexicans consume nine kilograms (kg) of avos a year; Chileans, four kg a year; Israelis, four kg a year; Americans, 2.5 kg a year, Europeans two kg a year; and South Africans, only 0.8 kg a year. ZZ2 therefore identified a huge growth potential in this market segment. In addition, South Africa is ideally situated to service the East (India, China, Indonesia, Malasya etc) where there is a huge untapped market.

Taking all the above into account, ZZ2 has deemed it necessary to expand it’s packing facility at Boekenhoutbult Farm, Mooketsi. ZZ2’s own team of engineers tackled this project with great enthusiasm, from design to completion. The packhouse is presently being constructed and was completed at the end of March, 2015.

Marketing model

ZZ2 supplies fresh produce to consumers in a carefully considered value channel. Products are sold to retailers, wholesalers, hawkers, repackers and food processors via sales commission agents.

84

ZZ2’s new avo packhouse: The new avo packhouse facility, Boekenhoutbult was the original/ founding packhouse of ZZ2 and has a history of more than 60 years. It was the main tomato packhouse up until 2014. As the tomato production centre of gravity shifted, more favourable locations were utilised to pack tomatoes. This created the opportunity to move the avos into Boekenhoutbult while the old avo facility was transformed into a successful lowcost regional market • The facility covers more than 7000m2 • It has a throughput of 15 tons an hour, and can handle all varieties of avocados • Cupsizers with a total of 14 lanes are used to upgrade the packline • The packaging area is isolated and can be air conditioned to 18°C • Waste heat recovery from the cooling is used to clean and dry the avos • The facility still accommodates specialised tomato packaging in a separate cooled area, with a throughput of up to 100 tonnes a day

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Rijk Zwaan recognizes the potential of the African continent. Next to its sales subsidiaries in Egypt and Morocco, the company made a long term investment with the establishment of Rijk Zwaan Afrisem in Tanzania. Besides the development of local varieties, a lot of effort is put into exchanging knowledge and ideas about cultivation as well as sales. In this way Rijk Zwaan helps its growing partners to get the best out of their varieties.

On 1 July 2015 the new subsidiary Rijk Zwaan South Africa will take over the sales activities from the current distributors in South Africa. This strengthened presence is expected to be the start of a period of even stronger growth in the region. ZZ2 is one the long term partners of Rijk Zwaan in South Africa. Both are family companies with a strong company culture and together they are actively screening new tomato varieties to meet the challenges of the future.

Rijk Zwaan Export B.V. De Lier The Netherlands T +31 174 532 300 E export@rijkzwaan.nl

www.rijkzwaan.com

F

O

O

D

&

D

R

I

N

K

We share Johan’s ambition to surprise consumers time after time

Johan Solleveld comes from a tomato-growing family and has been involved in variety development at Rijk Zwaan for over 30 years. Thanks to his extensive experience, and to the fact that he really speaks the growers’ language, he knows exactly what to look out for when selecting new tomatoes. Over the years, Johan has gained an ever-greater appreciation of the tomato’s versatility and potential. He knows that nature can sometimes have surprises in store, and how important it is to remain open to the resulting opportunities. In close collaboration both with colleagues and customers, he strives to make a valuable contribution to creating tasty new products every day.

It is Johan’s ambition to surprise consumers time after time. Rijk Zwaan - a global specialist in vegetable breeding - shares this ambition. We are working together towards a healthy future. Learn more at rijkzwaan.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

85

Z Z 2

The new avo packhouse facility, Boekenhoutbult, Mooketsi, Limpopo

The sales commission agents operate on a retail and wholesale level.

Prices are discovered by balancing supply and demand. This process is supported by a comprehensive system called FGX (Farm Gate Exchange, an online trading platform) where the goal is to aggregate volumes supplied and demanded with prices paid, enabling an environment for an industry-wide functional market for efficient price discovery.

The agency system of selling is employed with remuneration based on ad valorem commission for sales functions performed. These synergistic systems bring exceptional reach in terms of area covered to customers and ZZ2 alike. Special attention is given to different offered products; in terms of packaging, variety and taste, continuity, and reliability of supply and quality.

ZZ2 markets its avos under the name Afrikado and all its fruit exports are done through Core Fruit; exporting around the world.

86

ZZ2 produces the following varieties of avocados: Fuerte*

February-March and June-August

Ettinger February Maluma* February-March Pinkerton* April-May Hass* April-June Edranol June Ryan* July-September Queen October Lamb-Hass* November-December Reed November-December Itzamna January * = exported

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

An exciting journey

At the same time as the construction of ZZ2’s packhouse, the company is also establishing ripening rooms at its staging facility, ZZFresh, near Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg. ZZ2 cooperates with Mission Produce, the biggest supplier of avos in the world, to understand how to ripen and market ripe and ready avocados. This will enable ZZ2 to supply its customers with ready-to-eat avos throughout the year.

F

O

O

D

&

ZZ2 markets its avocados in the following packaging: EXPORT: • 8 kg box • 4 kg box LOCAL: • 4 kg box • 2 x fruit in a boattray • 4 x fruit in a boattray • 1 kg plastic bag

D

R

I

N

K

The aims of environmentally sustainable and affirmative value creation for all its stakeholders through the open-system approach should safeguard its sensitivity and mobility in any conceivable environment

ZZ2 is of the opinion that providing consumers with ready-to-eat avos will boost the local consumption from 0.8 kg per capita to the level of other countries with the same per capita income, such as Mexico and Chile.

The company is very excited about the journey it has embarked on and looks forward to promoting this wonderful fruit locally and internationally.

ZZ2 is endowed with a sound and ethical corporate philosophy. The aims of environmentally sustainable and affirmative value creation for all its stakeholders through the open-system approach should safeguard its sensitivity and mobility in any conceivable environment. It should also ensure the relevance of ZZ2 as a sustainable value creator to all its stakeholders over the short, medium and long-term.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

87

ame O M N I C A N E

SUGARCANE EXPERTS DIVERSIFY TO

Remain

Investments made in value added services, including electricity generation for self-sustainable operations, has allowed Omnicane to try its hand in a whole host of associated industries Writer: Emily Jarvis • Project Manager: Josh Hyland

88

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

F

O

O

D

&

D

R

auritius’ sugarcane industry is more than three centuries old, representing 85 percent of the arable land in the country and heavily contributing to the GDP. During this time, the industry has contributed significantly to infrastructures, education, housing, public welfare and much more.

For just shy of 90 years and previously known as MTMD, Omnicane has been a key part of the cultivation and production of refined sugar, adopting a leading position in the modern sugarcane industry, harvesting 237,610 tonnes of cane in 2010.

“We were born of Mauritius’ centuries-old sugar industry, and strive to be an inspiration for sustainable development through our latest activities not just in farming sugarcane, but in bioethanol, thermal energy and electricity generation,” says the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Jacques d’Unienville.

“Prior to Omnicane, there was a single product: sugarcane. Thereafter, we diversified to demonstrate our ability to work in harmony with partners and shareholders, and to show our new multi-facetted approach to business. Then the name Omnicane was born, Omni from the Greek meaning ‘all’ and cane the source of our activities,” he further details.

The company introduced stream and electricity production on a yearround basis through a dedicated and highly efficient cogeneration power plant, refined sugar EEC Grade II from a specialised refinery, and hydrous ethanol from a state-of-the-art distillery. All of this was made possible through significant investments ever since 2002, amounting to US$350 million. Additionally, Omnicane is engaged in agricultural diversification activities including potato, vegetable, palm heart, fresh water shrimp and venison production.

This diversification is accompanied

I

N

K

by a team of talented local staff and expatriates, with a long history in the sugarcane business.

La Baraque

Jacques d’Unienville, CEO, Omnicane Jacques M. d’Unienville holds a Bachelor’s degree in commerce. He has held office as Chief Executive Officer of MTMD (now Omnicane Limited) since 1 April, 2007. Mr d’Unienville is the Chairperson of Omnicane Thermal Energy Operations (La Baraque) Limited, and Omnicane Thermal Energy Operations (St Aubin) Limited, and is a director of Southern Cross Tourist Co. Ltd and The Union Sugar Estates Co. Ltd. Moreover, he is a board member of several sugar-sector institutions in Mauritius and was the President of the Mauritius Sugar Producers’ Association in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010. He recently held the position of President of the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate and is currently a member of the risk management sub-committee.

After a recent rebranding, Omnicane seeks to develop a modern image in line with an integrated business model based on its diverse range of value-added products; investing time and resources into a state-of-the-art agro-industrial sustainable cluster at its La Baraque site, under the Omnicane Thermal Energy Operations subsidiary.

“Not only do we produce refined sugar for the European market here, we also generate energy for the national grid, bio ethanol for our distillery, bio fertilisers and beverage grade CO2.

“This cluster will be completed in 2016 with the commissioning of a carbon burn out unit, transforming coal ashes into valuable material for production of specific cements for the construction industry,” explains d’Unienville.

Further, La Baraque is one of the largest coal-bagasse co-generation plants in the world, equipped with two units of 44.5 megawatts each. The site also houses a second power plant that uses woodchips and coal that cater mainly for the company’s distillery requirements, in terms of both steam and electricity generation.

The site is accountable for 40 percent of the country’s renewable bagasse-based energy and represents just under 30 percent of the annual electricity generated in the country.

Sugar mill

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

89

O M N I C A N E

Sugar mill

Investing in Mauritius through CSR projects

Based on the fundamental principle of interconnectivity and integration that will serve to sustain the natural ecosystem in Mauritius, La Baraque will drive these sustainable, valueadded services in thermal energy that will provide a welcome impact across numerous industries in the country.

WHAT IS

BAGASSE? Bagasse is a material that remains after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract their juice. Omnicane uses this fibrous matter in combination with coal to make biofuel.

Value-added services

As product suppliers, Omnicane has always maintained close working relationships with buyers of Mauritian sugars. Fruitful long-term partnerships have been crucial to Omnicane’s reputation, rapid expansion and diversification in recent years. In line with this, Omnicane is currently investing in the associated business surrounding its activities including cold rooms and other facilities that will form part of a project to ensure food security and freshness as it targets the retail and up-market sugar-based agroindustry. By moving up the value chain, the company hopes to form a closer

90

relationship with the end-user.

The company also remains invested in its position as a responsible corporate citizen, engaging with local communities and supporting numerous local and national NGOs under the banner of the Omnicane Foundation.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Thermal power plant

F

O

O

D

&

D

R

I

N

K

Crop Protection & Agriculture

Irrigation & Water Distribution

Industrial Chemicals & Equipment

T: (230) 203 9350 blychem@iblgroup.com www.blychem.mu

“This is our dedicated CSR entity that works across the fields of education, poverty alleviation, community health awareness, sustainable and responsible development, and the promotion of sports.

“By adhering to the Global Reporting Initiative in 2010, we became the very first local corporate organisation to embark on the journey of corporate sustainability,” the CEO highlights With such a multitude of prospering business divisions, Omnicane is expanding using the application of a sound business model in order to develop resilience to future industry trends in order to achieve long-term growth and continue to offer an entrepreneurial value-add service to all its clients and partners.

“Omnicane is not just a sugar company, but is more importantly a model of successful Mauritian entrepreneurship within a global business sector dominated by large multinationals,” the CEO concludes.

Omnicane diffuser

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

91

ame M O R G A N

A B A T T O I R

Blue-sky Thinking Breeds

Livestock Innovation By keeping abreast of industry and economic changes, Morgan Abattoir looks to grow its business in a sustainable manner Writer: Emily Jarvis • Project Manager: Josh Hyland

92

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

F

O

O

D

&

D

R

I

N

K

s one of the oldest abattoirs in South Africa, Morgan Abattoir has always adapted to take advantage of market trends in order to remain competitive, no matter the economic circumstances. Its latest investments and adoption of biogas to power its facilities will assist in the long-term sustainability of the business via efficient waste recycling and environmental practices.

Originally built in 1927, the Abattoir has undergone drastic changes over the years, in particular when the former South African Meat Board provided the opportunity for municipal or state-owned abattoirs to be bought by private organisations or individuals, as current Managing Director Dirk Groenwald explains: “Previously, abattoirs had certain quotas given to them regarding the amount of animals that may be slaughtered by certain auction houses. Therefore, farmers had to market their livestock for slaughter directly to the livestock agencies.

“These agencies then informed the farmer where the cattle would have to be sent – or the agencies would collect the cattle – and transport it to have it slaughtered. With prices dictated by market factors on the day, this certainly presented a challenge and a fluctuation in spending costs.”

Now that privatisation has become a reality, farmers can liaise directly with abattoirs and this has shaped Morgan Abattoir into the business it is today, focusing primarily on cattle slaughtering to supply beef carcasses and offal to butcheries, wholesalers, supermarket groups and other institutions.

In 2006, the Morgan Group of Companies bought out all shareholders of MVB Abattoir, which further ensured a constant supply of cattle for throughput. “We receive our cattle from other feedlots within a 300

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

93

M O R G A N

A B A T T O I R

MULTITHENE

M

ultithene was established in 1993 to service the industrial packaging market in all spheres of packaging and there is no job too small or too big when it comes to the expertise and knowledge that Multithene has to offer.

With its strong manufacturing ties and experienced staff, Multithene provides excellent quality, prices and service to challenge any competition in its field. Customers can feel secure in our commitment to honesty, integrity and sound knowledge.

Multithene caters to the packaging needs of all areas of industry and constant hands-on interaction between Multithene and House of Boxes ensures that customers get the best of both companies in terms of shared knowledge and expertise.

The Abattoir has additional freezer storage since a 2012 development

kilometre (km) radius from our Springs location, which allows us to guarantee meat safety and quality. The reason we buy feedlot cattle is due to the traceability of the product,” confirms Groenwald, adding that Morgan Abattoir is also capable of handling contract slaughtering for individuals and organisations.

After major site development in 2012, the Abattoir expanded its wholesale arm of the business adding four loading bays, additional cold rooms and freezer storage and a training facility, as well as laying the groundwork for a deboning plant which was scheduled for completion in 2013.

Deboning plant

Today, the Abattoir has increased its slaughtering capacity from 270 a day to 500 a day over the past 12 years, and in 2014, the company obtained an export to African, East Asian and Middle

94

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

In the current economic climate, diversity is important. That was one of the key reasons why we invested in the building and operating of a deboning plant

Eastern countries for carcass and deboned products to further enhance the business.

“In the current economic climate, diversity is important. That was one of the key reasons why we invested in the building and operating of a deboning plant,” says Groenwald. “The plant has gone from strength to strength, surpassing our initial estimates of production levels to reach 350 hind quarters a day, which will increase to a daily production of 500 hind quarters a day once we complete the next phase of development.”

Deboned products are sealed in state-of-the-art Cryovac Bags® that are able to handle large volumes; a typically expensive process that ensures better shelf life. Moreover, Morgan Abattoir do not inject meat products with any water, solutions or additives, providing a 100 percent pure cut of beef - fresh or frozen - from a name with a reputation for quality.

F

O

O

D

&

D

R

I

N

K

Biogas investment

Morgan Abattoir do not inject meat products with any water, solutions or additives

Given the current electricity blackout problems facing South Africa, careful research and investigation into alternative electricity and heat generation in 2011-12 has led Morgan Abattoir to begin developing a biogas plant in order to become near-self sustainable when it comes to energy usage.

Groenwald further explains: “We are confident that the plant will be finished before the end of May this year. Thereafter, generation of electricity will commence by the end of August.

“Biogas was a logical choice for us given the large amount of waste and waste products generated by the cattle. Furthermore, the plant can take spoilt or rejected fruit and vegetables from local farmers, factories or markets, and convert this into highnutrient slurry to be used as fertiliser.”

The biogas fuel will not only

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

95

M O R G A N

A B A T T O I R

generate electricity and heat for water to aid in the cleaning and sterilising processes, but it will also assist in minimising Morgan Abattoir’s carbon footprint, reducing costs and 75 percent of the smells typically associated with an abattoir.

“We estimate that the biogas plant will be able to supply us with nearly 65 percent of our electricity and 90 percent of our heat/warm water needs,” states Groenwald.

Developing the business

Throughout the years, the Abattoir has made many capital investments that have enabled the company to update its equipment, internal processes and delivery vehicles and systems which Groenwald says were essential to remain ahead of the industry curve.

As a consequence of the centralisation of its fleet of in-house delivery vehicles, Morgan Abattoir is able to deliver its meat to Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal.

“By having in-house logistical capabilities comprising 21 delivery trucks in varying sizes, we have not only cut costs but since receiving approval as an export abattoir, we have been able to focus our attention on increasing our supply to other African, East Asian and Middle Eastern countries,” he explains.

As an abattoir has a pre-defined set of required skills across slaughtering, deboning and wholesale, Morgan Abattoir train competent people in specific taught skills, providing opportunities for employees to move up the ranks.

“We firmly believe that no abattoir is the same. Although there may be some similarities, we place great emphasis on hiring new talent and prefer to employ local people from the surrounding community that supports us. Starting at the bottom and working your way up is just one of the mantras that we abide by,” highlights Groenwald.

96

Adhering to a pre-defined set of required skills

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

F

O

O

D

&

D

R

I

N

Placing emphasis on hiring new talent

K

These training opportunities are supported by continuous enforcement and training in hygiene and other vital health and safety practices.

When it comes to the supply chain, Morgan Abattoir has built - and continues to build - relationships with its cattle suppliers. Moreover, the Abattoir is able to provide information on the wellbeing of the animal and the slaughtering process to every farmer that utilises the facility.

“Our success has been determined by these sustainable long-term relationships we form with our suppliers and our continued commitment to timely delivery,” confirms Groenwald.

Blue-sky thinking

Over the years, changes to the economic climate have dictated Morgan Abattoir’s improvement strategy. The Abattoir hopes to reach its maximum slaughtering capacity of 600 cattle a day and increase the deboning plant to 800 quarters a day in the next two years.

With the biogas plant nearing completion, Groenwald hopes the plant will eventually be able to supply all the electricity needs of the Abattoir, including all future expansions. “In line with this, we are keen to setup a water purification plant so that we can reuse and recycle water where possible,” he adds.

Finally, the company will optimise internal processes to ensure efficiencies and satisfied customers and staff alike.

“We always think outside the box and through constant reviews of every product, process and pricing, we continually revaluate key parts of the business. By increasing our own standards above that of the standards of our customers, within reason and deliverance; we believe this is what sets us apart from other competitors and will lead us into continued future success,” concludes Groenwald.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

97

L O D E S T O N E

B R A N D S

Taking Businesses

Next to the

Level odestone Brands is aiming to apply the same, vast amounts of experience and expertise that helped initiate the company, to produce the next generation of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) entrepreneurs.

Incepted in 2009, with the initial investment from Standard Chartered Bank of $170 million, the company is a brainchild of former Tiger Brands CEO, Nick Dennis alongside partners John Seymour and Shaun Bruyns.

The idea was to achieve sustainability and longevity through the acquisition of a series of marketleading FMCG brands, to take them to new levels of success, and to establish Lodestone Brands as a top-two player in each of its core operating sectors; being sugar confectionery, beverages, and baby care. “When meeting with Shaun initially, I said I wanted to continue to work on something that had longevity,� CEO,

98

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

F

O

O

D

&

D

R

I

N

K

Lodestone Brands is looking to expand its acquisition portfolio across Africa, building on an initial six years of success in the FMCG market Writer: Matthew Staff Project Manager: Callum Philp

Dennis recalls. “Shaun then spoke to John Seymour, and we decided to see if we could replicate, in a much smaller way, what had been achieved at Tiger.

“It was about building a branded FMCG business and using our experience, including learning from previous mistakes, to try and get things done in a far shorter time frame.”

Seymour adds: “The brief was essentially to combine Nick’s unparalleled strategic and operational expertise in fast moving consumer goods, with Shaun’s and my financial and investment skills, and to build a business by way of acquisition.

The next level

The subsequent six years of development has comprised this philosophy to the tune of a three legged Lodestone Brand portfolio consisting of four acquisitions under the industry category banners of confectionary, beverages and baby care.

The acquisitions, being Mister Sweet

It was about building a branded FMCG business and using our experience, including learning from previous mistakes, to try and get things done in a far shorter time frame

and Candy Tops; Dynamic Brands; and National Pride, respectively, are all pre-existing market players in their various fields of FMCG and, after being acquired by Lodestone over the past half-decade, are now undergoing the necessary expansion strategies to take them to new market levels.

Seymour explains: “When we acquired them, most of the businesses were mid-sized within their target markets and we identified that they needed a strategic partner to take them to the next level.

“What we have endeavoured to do is add a level of

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

99

L O D E S T O N E

B R A N D S

professionalism and invest in requisite professional skills.”

This business model is applied in keeping with the existing entrepreneurial spirit present in the acquired business. A balance is found between maintaining the facets that made the company successful to begin with, while facilitating future growth.

“The founding partners developed a statement of purpose to ‘take entrepreneurs to the next level’,” Dennis continues. “All our businesses were highly entrepreneurial but, as is often the case, the entrepreneurs haven’t had the advantage of working in big professional organisations which is what we brought to the table.

“What we are trying to do is

We’re still a relatively small player so have to work smartly in terms of where we put our money behind these brands

E s s e nt i al s

National Pride is one of Lodestone’s most successful acquisitions to date

Rascals is another brand being re-driven into the market place

100

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

professionalise these businesses without corporatising them, retaining a significant degree of entrepreneurship within the business. This enables us to act with speed; an essential component in building our group”

Smart marketing

After only six years of operating, the success of this model is already evident across Africa with its sugar confectionery category currently the third largest player on the continent.

In the category of disposable diapers, Lodestone is also market leader in Zimbabwe, Zambia and the DRC as well as number two in Angola, Malawi and Mozambique.

In the category of beverage

F

O

O

D

&

concentrates, Lodestone’s portfolio boasts the largest brand in Southern Africa by both value and volume.

Being produced within South Africa and subsequently exported across these markets, this early success is a sign of things to come for Lodestone Brands, but Dennis is adamant that this is just the beginning.

“Where we are in terms of our performance as an organisation at the moment, we’re a two out of 10,” he states. “There is so much to do and this includes actively marketing our brands.

“Prior to the acquisitions, none of these companies had ever had a conversation with a consumer which is fundamental in building a branded

D

R

I

N

K

FMCG business.”

To counter this challenge, Lodestone has worked tirelessly in conducting qualitative market research in the relevant market categories. Areas where brands need support have been identified and this knowledge has been invaluable in brand building.

The CEO continues: “We’re still a relatively small player so have to work smartly in terms of where we put our money behind these brands.

“Because we have identified the brand positioning with the consumer we have been able to use these learnings in our strategic re-launches.”

World-class talent

Key to ensuring the growth and

ongoing entrepreneurial flair of each acquisition is the flexible ethos of Lodestone Brands itself, working on a decentralised basis and incorporating an owner-manager culture with no bureaucracy.

“This structure ensures the essence of speed, whether it is speed to market for new product launches or the speed to make decisions,” Seymour emphasises.

L O D E S T O N E

B R A N D S

Veering away from traditional midsized enterprise challenges, Lodestone has also encouraged an increase in the amount of exposure that people get across the wider group to further develop their own understanding and skills set within the FMCG sector; a general enhancement of industry knowledge that is also epitomised by the company’s supply chain management strategy.

Dennis explains: “We have moved significantly, especially in our biggest division – confectionary – towards the injection of world-class people who have also worked for the large multinational and local market participants.

“These people have fantastic experience and while it does take a while to adapt to midsized organisations, they have been attracted to working in the environment and especially the entrepreneurial culture that comes with it. We have been able to attract great, world-class talent.”

Unique culture

Engraining world-class partnerships and structures into the pre-existing entrepreneurial ideology promises to be a combination that ensures Lodestone achieves its goal of being the number one or two branded organisation in each niche category.

Seymour notes: “2015 will be a year of continuing to build on the success we’ve had in prior years and I expect to see more leverage of our brands across the categories as a key focus.

“We’ve made significant investments over the past three years in both people and capital and we need to make sure we are getting returns on these.”

In a market that holds potential for companies outside of multinational status, there are significant opportunities for Lodestone Brands.

Marketing itself as a flexible,

102

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

F

O

O

D

&

entrepreneurial owner-managed business, the scope to partner with likeminded organisations across East, West and Central Africa – and beyond – is unlimited and Dennis is excited about the opportunities that these attributes will unearth over the coming years.

“We’re passionate about, and absolutely love our business,” he concludes. “If you cut into our veins, you don’t see blood, you see brands!

“What makes us unique? Our innovative capabilities, our unique culture and our speed; unfettered by bureaucracy.

“We are now keen to build our business in Southern Africa, and then selectively across the continent, where we expect our next meaningful port of call to be in East Africa.”

D

R

I

N

K

Cost-Effective High Quality Packaging Solutions

We supply high quality corrugated cartons including standard stock sizes and special sizes made to order. All styles of cartons are available as well as many other packaging solutions.

Produced to any specifications that you require.

Tel: (011) 708 2380 Fax Sales: (011) 708 2351 Fax Admin: (011) 708 3245

To find out more and to contact us visit the webpage: www.lodestonebrands.com

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

103

A I R T E L

R W A N D A

(L-R) Mr. Bhullar and Airtel Africa Executive Operatons Director cutting the ribbon to open one of the Airtel service centers in Kigali City

104

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

T

E

C

H

N

O

L

O

G

Y

Operator RWANDA’S

of Choice As a company driven by the vision of making mobile communications affordable and accessible to all, Airtel Rwanda has major plans to increase its customer reach through rural network expansion Writer: Emily Jarvis Project Manager: Donovan Smith

irtel Rwanda has already made waves in the telecoms industry since entering the country three years ago. With big plans all-round to launch valueadded voice and non-voice services, expand the network and adopt seven new service centres, the company is positioning itself to gain an increased market share and accelerate growth in rural areas.

In 2014, Managing Director, Teddy Bhullar told Africa Outlook how network growth was being driven by consumer feedback in order to develop the company footprint in Rwanda. The response pointed

towards a desire for increased data services across a wider reach.

Speaking in 2015, Bhullar feels Airtel is on its way to accomplishing this: “The high mobile penetration rate of 72 percent in Rwanda has helped in our decision to add a further 126 sites for 2G and 100 3G/3.75G sites to our portfolio, and we recently commercially launched 4G alongside partners in the city of Kigali and soon in major towns around the country.

Similarly, our competitive packages represent our strong drive to connect as many people as possible through the power of Airtel,” says Bhullar.

Operator of choice

Boasting a 15 percent market share, Airtel Rwanda has become the operator of choice for data and affordable smart devices. The Airtel Money platform is also steadily taking centre stage. “Availability, affordability, innovation and speedto-market are the key reasons for our growth. By keeping ahead of the latest technological demands, we have been able to give customers what they want,” he adds.

In addition to data services, Airtel Money is another of major interest to Airtel Rwanda. The service is already present in 17 African countries and has become one of the leading financial tools that has revolutionised the

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

105

A I R T E L

R W A N D A

continent by providing the means for more people to access a wide range of banking, insurance and payment options. “Mobile payment methods are fast becoming the norm in many African countries. Airtel Money service is equally as important for Rwandans as it brings the power of banking and the ease of paying bills directly to the customer via quick payments, even from rural areas. Currently, we have almost one million subscribers registered on the platform, a number which continues to rise in conjunction with transaction values,� emphasises Bhullar.

With the budget smartphone market in Rwanda, and Africa more broadly, booming, Airtel Rwanda is seeing great returns from its affordable data services and the financial services that are readily available to customers.

Moreover, the adoption of a connected social lifestyle means faster speeds for browsing, social media, streaming and download services.

Rural expansion

The Rwandan telecom sector witnessed particularly strong growth levels in 2014, testament to a sustained GDP growth of between seven and eight percent annually since 2008.

Consequently, the country is catching up with other markets in Africa and boasts a mobile internet penetration rate of 27 percent, signalling huge

Teddy R.V.S Bhullar Mr. Robert Muratirwa, Airtel Network Manager during a session with the RTUC students at the Airtel Operation Centre

106

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

T

E

C

H

N

potential for growth. Although, challenges along the way are of course present, the main problem of access to data and voice services in the rural areas of Rwanda has since been addressed by getting the network up and running for the population living here.

Right now, more than 40 rural areas are receiving Airtel network upgrades and this will be complemented by seven new service centres and a range of value-added services with affordability in mind. “When we started operations in 2012, we did not have any service centres, now we have six with a seventh on its way,” comments Bhullar.

The most prevalent factor of these network upgrades is to make sure customers can access the network anywhere they may be in the country.

The hope is to grow Rwanda’s mobile penetration rate and continue to connect more people. “Through targeted voice and data services, we are driving the Airtel promise of affordable, tailored services into new waters in close conjunction with increased availability,” he says.

There is one challenge that remains for Airtel Rwanda as Bhullar explains: “It presents difficulties in making people see the benefit of changing their service provider to Airtel.

“As we have only been in the market for three years compared to some of the competition being here for 15, we hope that by demonstrating our innovative spirit through the

Airtel Rwanda HQ Customer Service Center

O

L

O

G

Y

An Airtel Rwanda worker during the staff volunteer day to support the housing project for Rwanda refugees evicted from Tanzania

application of data and other attractive products such as financial services, we can capture an even larger audience going forward.”

Airtel has a huge presence across Africa in 17 countries and there is ample opportunity to skills share with other countries via exchange programmes and expert support. A substantial part of our success can be attributed to this

Recruitment drive

Since last year, Airtel Rwanda has more than doubled its workforce jumping from 70 to just under 150 members of staff – and launched an e-learning portal for the whole Group.

Additionally, the company has made a conscious effort to support the local student population by working closely with universities and local schools to provide training programmes.

“Airtel has a huge presence across Africa in 17 countries and there is ample opportunity to skills share with other countries via exchange programmes and expert support. A substantial part of our success can be attributed to this as our staff are continuously learning and developing their skills,” states Bhullar.

In terms of initiatives to connect the staff and brand to the Rwandan

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

107

A I R T E L

R W A N D A

IHS TOWERS

I

HS Towers is Africa’s leading independent mobile telecommunications infrastructure

provider founded in 2001. IHS provides services across the full tower value chain – co-location on owned towers, deployment and managed services.

IHS Towers has operations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia and Rwanda. Following the recent acquisitions of MTN and Etisalat’s tower portfolios in Nigeria and Airtel’s in Rwanda, IHS will own over 22,000 towers in Africa.

T +250 788 316 394 E info.rwanda@ihsafrica.com

www.ihstowers.com

community, Airtel is a known contributor to corporate social responsibility projects continent-wide.

“Filtered right back to Group level, Airtel has taken part in a generous amount of community activity over the years. Specific to Rwanda though, we have taken part in a number of activities over the past year across the education and enterprise development sector in particular,” highlights Bhullar.

Moreover, members of staff at Airtel Rwanda have been taking part in volunteering activities to help build a brighter future for the country and “bond with its people”. This year, the company is working on a number of initiatives such as going green and enterprise development for Rwanda’s disabled persons, which address key

108

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Over the past year our customer base has grown substantially to around 1.4 million and we command a 15 percent market share Best Customer Care Award at the 17th Rwanda International Trade Fair 2014

T

E

C

H

N

O

L

O

G

Y

At IHS we are committed to leading the way in mobile telecoms infrastructure across Africa and the Middle East. www.ihstowers.com

Mr. Bhullar signing the Rwf3m cheque to Impore Association for purchase of MAMA kits to aid mother-to-child transmission of the HIV virus

areas of need in society.

By next year, Bhullar hopes that Airtel Rwanda will have gained increased market share; a result of boosted data penetration projections in the country and the uptake of mobile financial services. “Over the past year our customer base has grown substantially to around 1.4 million and we command a 15 percent market share.

Our value-add propositions combined with the best data connectivity speeds and extended rural reach, an increased number of staff and some great partners all behind the Airtel brand in Rwanda means we can only grow in the coming years,� concludes Bhullar.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

109

ame A I R T E L

Z A M B I A

Seamless and Exceptional Airtel’s influence in Zambia has developed rapidly and nationwide through a commitment to mobile saturation, which will continue to take previously unheard-of services to every corner of the country Writer: Matthew Staff Project Manager: Donovan Smith

110

Mobility irtel is one of the leading mobile operators across the African continent and is in the midst of an exciting evolution within Zambia following the recent announcement of a new Managing Director and an expansive network investment plan.

Airtel Africa is a subsidiary of Indian telecoms giant, Bharti Airtel, and currently has a presence in 17 countries across the continent. As one of the newer developments as part of the wider continental strategy, its operations in Zambia fit into a sector already occupied by MTN and Zamtel, but the company’s immediate progression under former MD, Charity Chanda Lumpa has been extensive.

Offering the full range of expected personal tariffs, business tariffs and 3G connectivity, a company of Airtel’s stature differentiates itself on levels of scale and the speed of embracing new advancements; an aspect which has already been seen through its saturation of mobile money services into the Zambian market, and its plans for future network investments under the stewardship of new MD, Peter Correia.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Network investments

Having previously worked for the likes of Siemens, Vodacom and Econet, Correia’s experience in the industry will inevitably see a continuation of the development already enjoyed by Airtel in Zambia, and in particular, across its network expansion.

This year has already unveiled a plan to invest a further $50 million into this strategy over the next 12 months, with a concerted focus on incorporating financial resources into this network expansion this time around.

An uneven distribution of traffic on the network each day has been attributed as the core reason for the revision of calling time bands in line with these investments, due to the subsequent stretch on network capacity at isolated periods of the day.

An underutilisation of the network elsewhere further compounds the need for a more comprehensive network infrastructure to ensure that the business achieves a “delivery of seamless and exceptional calling experience” for its customers, as the company’s Director of communication, government relations and CSR, Joseph Kafwariman said in an interview during the investment’s announcement.

T

E

C

H

N

O

L

O

G

Y

All told, Airtel currently boasts a 37 percent market share in the country, and to complement 2014’s significant investments, and a similar effort in 2015 to come, the company is also embarking on the launch of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in Zambia.

Marketed as 4G LTE, the standard wireless communication of high speed data for mobile phones and data terminals is a benchmark for many leading telecoms Groups in Africa at present, and was expected to cost Airtel $80 million when unveiled in late 2014.

It is expected that the benefits of this overall network expansion and 4G progression will help offset the network challenges experienced in Zambia; compounded by an increase in the number of base station sites across the country – currently at approximately 1,100 – and the addition of 3.5G sites to improve general nationwide coverage even further.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

111

A I R T E L

Z A M B I A

Mobile Money

Arguably Airtel’s greatest achievement since entering the Zambian space has been via its mobile money offering, with the company now recognised as the backbone of the country’s financial sector; a sector which is pivotal to the future prosperity of the rural population especially.

“The Airtel Money platform has developed into playing a supportive role in the systematic growth of financial services in Zambia,” the Company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Yuyo Kambikambi said. “The comparative higher customer reach due to the recruitment of numerous reliable agents countrywide has allowed for broader usage of financial services in Zambia.”

With more than four million subscribers to its name since its inception in 2011, Airtel Money has received significant investment over the past four years for it to become a market-leading offering among elite company.

Despite the competition, Airtel’s approach has culminated in analysts declaring that its mobile money product has significantly contributed to the levels of financial inclusion now within Zambia.

Kambikambi added in an interview: “Our preference is to provide an assortment of other customer convenient services including the payment of utility bills directly from one’s phone...and the purchase of other goods and services from our growing merchant outlets.

“Our subscribers are educated on Airtel Money and subsequently recruited on a daily basis through our agents; Airtel shops and brand ambassadors deployed countrywide,” she continued.

Peter Correia, Managing Director, Airtel Zambia

Airtel Money

platform More than four million subscribers since 2011

Enriching Zambia

Investing in these areas of technological innovation not only boost Airtel’s already comprehensive

112

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

presence in Africa – and individually in countries such as Zambia – but also align with the Group’s overriding ethos of enriching the lives of people in each of its countries of operation.

The company’s mobile money efforts and overall network expansion have had a direct impact on the systematic growth of financial services in Zambia, as well as the accessibility that the general public now has to these kinds of products and services.

This is further epitomised by corporate social responsibility activities in the country, that largely address education gaps and the general lack of exposure to advanced mobile technologies.

A recent partnership with the British Council provided one example of such works through the provision of free internet connectivity to the Matero Girls Seconday School in Zambia; an initiative which will kickstart a programme incorporating a further 280 schools in the future.

“Airtel Networks Zambia Plc is committed to bridging the digital divide, especially in schools where education is key as a springboard for members of society to understand and know what their basic human rights are,” a company representative said earlier in 2015.

The initiative follows on from an extensive effort

T

E

C

H

N

O

L

O

G

Y

Africa Outlook- Zambia.pdf 1 2015/04/13 12:55:51 PM

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

GLASS GLAZERS LIMITED

CMY

Glass Glazers Ltd is a well established building and construction company with multi-faceted experience in various sectors of the Zambian market.

K

Our services range from; Aluminium windows • Shop fronts • Sliding doors • Curtail walls • Façades • And general construction T: 002 609 7777 4386 | 002 609 5599 8301

over the past year, alongside global tech heavyweights, Facebook, to offer free online services to a country previously unexposed to mobile apps or internet functions.

“We believe that every person should have access to free basic Internet services - tools for health, education, jobs and basic communication,” posted Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg during the announcement of the new app, Internet.org.

Gaining recognition and entering partnerships with the likes of Facebook gives an indication of how quickly Airtel has made its mark in Zambia, and with the foundations laid under the new leadership for even further network and service expansion in the future, the company’s influence on the infrastructural and personal development of the country looks set to continue and strengthen moving forward.

E: brian.sinkamba@gmail.com

VH Fibre supplies a comprehensive portfolio of state-of-the-art fibre optic products: Optical Fibre, Optical Cable, Sirocco Blown Fibre System, Blown Mini Cable, Fibre Optic Connectivity, Hardware, FTTx connectivity solutions, RetractaNet & Verticasa. We also offer Network Designs as a service.

Contact us on +27 (0) 11 791 4177 info@vhfibre.co.za Visit www.vhfibre.co.za for more

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

113

ame S T E F A N U T T I

S T O C K S

B O T S W A N A

Industry Excellence from

CONSTRUCTION EXPERTS Via an extensive localisation strategy, Stefanutti Stocks Botswana strives to grow its presence as the preferred construction partner of choice in the country Writer: Emily Jarvis • Project Manager: Stuart Parker

114

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

C

O

N

S

T

R

s one of Botswana’s leading construction contractors, Stefanutti Stocks Botswana has built a substantial portfolio of public and private projects in the country, contributing to not only local infrastructures, but Botswana’s GDP via its extensive localisation staffing plan; with hopes to achieve 99 percent local staff capacity.

Currently undertaking a completion contract for Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA), Gaborone, and Kasane Airport, Kasane, the construction giant continues to look towards the government to secure further large scale projects that will further enhance the country’s infrastructure. “Backed by our years of experience, Group reputation and quality of work, we are waiting in the wings to take on new projects,” says Tim Stow, General Manager of Stefanutti Stocks Botswana.

U

C

T

I

O

N

SSKIA, Gaborone Airport Project Seven month completion contract BWP145 million Completion date: 15th May, 2015

FBKE, Kasane Airport Project Airport popular with tourists travelling to Victoria Falls BWP280 million Completion date: September 2016

Economic climate

With China rising to contention for the tendering of construction projects in Botswana, the industry grows more price-competitive for companies like Stefanutti Stocks, and Stow hopes it will emerge above the others as a truly African company: “Government spending in our sector is currently very low due to economic conditions beyond our control, this is affecting everyone in the industry at the moment and business is sporadic.

“As a result of our wider Stefanutti Stocks Group presence, we hope to rise above the parapet as we draw on our South African resources and expertise. If we have a major contract in Botswana for example, we are able to source the initial project managers from South Africa if needs be.”

However, according to some analysts, Botswana’s GDP is forecast to grow up to five percent in 2015, driven by a potential recovery in diamond production, the economy is expected to experience a “ripple effect” which will be filtered through government expenditure in other key areas including the construction industry.

In order to stand the best chance of standing out from the competition as the climate improves, Stefanutti Stocks has a localisation strategy that will sustain the reputation of the Botswana division going forward.

“At present, we have an 80 percent local staff contingent, with the rest comprising expats from across our other African operations. Ultimately though, we strive to be fully local as this is a vital part of our localisation strategy, which is a long-term goal for the company,” says Stow.

Not only is having the right staff, delivering a project on time and on budget all key factors in construction success, but building those all important, long-lasting relationships

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

115

S T E F A N U T T I

S T O C K S

B O T S W A N A

with key business partners also plays a crucial role in maintaining a leading Tim Stow, General Manager market position as a contractor as Stow further explains: “When Some 32 years ago, Stow qualified as a doing business in a tough economic civil engineer and worked his way up the environment, solid strategic partners ranks to his position as General Manager are required to demonstrate our at Stefanutti Stocks Botswana in October capabilities.

2012. Since then, he has overseen large “For example, PPC Cement Botswana scale construction projects in the country, is a major supplier of ours and we have applying decades of experience to the worked together for more than 10 years job at hand. through thick and thin.”

The duo is a strong advocate of begun exploring the possibility of quality and is responsible for the becoming a general contractor for civil construction of first-class, high quality works including pipelines, structural builds with timely delivery. engineering and so on,” he says.

Moreover, the Group has vast Diversifying In terms of future opportunities, Stow amounts of experience working in says Stefanutti Stocks Botswana may South Africa’s mining and roads & have to look further afield to keep the earthworks sectors, which it may look business pouring in. to capitalise on in Botswana as part “Botswana is one of our of a long-term strategy that promises longstanding markets and it is Stefanutti Stocks a future where the important for us as a Group to possibilities are touted to continue remain here. Consequently, we have growing.

Concourse view to international arrivals and departures, Kasane International Airport

116

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

BUILDERS WAREHOUSE

B

uilders Warehouse aims to offer you the largest range of building materials and building related products all under one roof. We cater to contractors, DIY enthusiasts and home owners alike, so whether you’re building it, decorating it, fixing it, painting it, planting it or simply just wanting it – you’re sure to find the solution at Builders Warehouse.

Gaborone Airport Junction Shopping Centre, Plot No. 70665, A1 Road T 00267 393 0533 Francistown Plot Number 31247, Mowana Park, Somerset West Industrial, Along A1 Road T 00267 242 5200

C

O

N

S

T

R

U

C

T

I

O

N

Get to Builders Warehouse.

Get it done!

Our range of products include:

• Bathroom • Braai • Building • Décor

• DIY • Electrical • Flooring

• Handtools • Paint • Garden/Pool

SPEAK TO US ABOUT A TRADE ACCOUNT! BUILDERS WAREHOUSE BOTSWANA: GABORONE: Airport Junction Shopping Centre, Plot No. 70665, A1 Road, Tel: 00267 393 0533 FRANCISTOWN: Plot Number 31247, Mowana Park, Somerset West Industrial, Along A1 Road, Tel: 00267 242 5200

MONDAY TO FRIDAY: 7AM - 6PM; SATURDAY: 7AM - 4PM; SUNDAY AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: 8AM - 2PM

PPC Cement Supports Local Now That’s Strength Beyond The Bag PPC Cement is the leading supplier of cement in Southern Africa.

PPC endeavours to bring out the best in cement products by employing the latest cutting-edge technologies whilst upholding the highest international best practice and standards. The PPC approach is to strategically partner with companies such as Stefanutti Stocks, to promote local sustainable economic development. This is one of the many ways in which PPC as a responsible citizen company supports the Nation's Economic Diversification Drive (EDD).

PPC will continue to strive towards sustainable development in all the markets in which we operate, supporting local companies and empowering local citizens. PPC Botswana Cement is ISO 9001, 14001 and 50197-1 certified.

For more information

call 390 1553 International departures hall, Kasane International Airport

visit www.ppc.co.bw

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

117

ame B R O L L

118

N A M I B I A

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

C

O

N

S

T

R

U

C

T

I

O

N

MAXIMISING

Property Potential ince 2003, Broll Namibia has swiftly grown to a leadership position in the commercial and retail property sectors and now manages a property portfolio exceeding N$2.5 billion.

A subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List Group of Companies (O&L), the property management and development company has once again been the top performing company in the 2014 financial year 12 Seasons Awards; winning in the categories of Creating Excellent Trust Relationships with Customers, Best Company to Work for and Overall Best Performing Operating Companies.

Broll Namibia looks to capitalise on its position as a market leader by playing a key role in developing Windhoek’s central business district Writer: Emily Jarvis • Project Manager: Stuart Parker

About Broll Property Group As Africa’s largest independent property services Group, Broll Property has operations in South Africa, Ghana, Indian Ocean Islands, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria and Rwanda; offering endless amounts of expertise in all aspects of property development.

Not long after Broll Namibia was established, Broll & List Property Management achieved the significant milestone of an ISO 9001:2008 certification, a set of voluntary international standards that have been upheld since 2004.

With an assortment of significant commercial developments under its belt including extensions and refurbishments to supermarkets, leisure centres, financial offices, shopping centres and residential, Broll Namibia is a driven organisation that strives to maximise its development performance from now into the future.

As the Broll Property Group continues to implement new strategic service lines such as the newly established facilities management department, this will strengthen Broll Namibia’s current offerings and act as a springboard for the Company’s strategy to offer a much wider repertoire of professional services.

Construction boom

Broll Namibia’s main focus for the next five years will be to further expand and develop high quality commercial developments within the Namibian market.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

119

B R O L L

N A M I B I A

“In order to cater for the growth in the central business district (CBD) of Windhoek, we are currently in the feasibility stage of a potential Wernhil Park Phase Four development, which would mean the construction of a 20,000m2 retail extension, making the Park the largest retail mall in Namibia.

This will serve to further cement Wernhil Park’s position as the ‘pulse of the city’ within Windhoek’s everexpanding retail sector,” highlights Managing Director, Marco Wenk.

“The continuous upliftment and revitalisation of the Windhoek CBD area is vital since the majority of our portfolio value under management is located within the CBD area.

For the CBD to remain vibrant and attractive, continuous development is necessary. Our 77 On Independence development is planned to include 165 upmarket residential apartments as well as a retail mall, linking Independence Avenue with the Old Breweries Craft Market, with an anticipated completion date of 2016.

This will bring much needed residential accomodation back into the CBD area and will thus also promote the current abscent night trade within this area.

“Broll Namibia’s inspirational journey and tremendous growth over the past almost 12 years has not come without facing many challenges along the way. Our success could not have been achieved without a meaningful

Major Company Milestones 2003 Developed Standard Bank Centre and Town Square 2004 Achieved its ISO 9001:2008 accreditation 2005-2006 Developed the current fruit & veg and Cashbuild outlets as well as Phase One of Wernhil Park 2007-2008 Wernhil Park Phase Two completion 2010 N$70 million Alexander Forbes House and Carl List Mall revamp completion 2010 N$20 million Pick ‘n’ Pay Centre, Walvis Bay completion 2011 N$185 million Wernhil Park Shopping Centre Phase Three completion 2011 N$11 million Standard Bank Centre Office upgrade completion 2012 Broll Namibia SIP joint venture – SIP Namibia 2013-2014 1st Overall PMR Award winner for continued excellence over 12 months in Namibia 2014 Commencement of the 77 On Independence 14 storey retail and residential development

120

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

purpose, strong values and a highly motivated team who continually strive to create value for our clients. I am extremely proud to have been able to play my part in contributing to Broll Namibia’s unbelievable growth over the years and am confident that the Broll Property Group will only go from strength to strength,” he comments.

Strong individuals

The performance of any company is a combined effort of all individuals working as a team and serving the organisation. Broll Namibia believes it holds a winning recipe for staff management which Wenk further explains: “Our ownership culture and drive towards excellence is reflected in the commitment of our staff. Continuous leadership growth and a breakthrough culture

C

O

N

S

T

R

U

Committed to the revitalisation of Windhoek’s CBD

C

T

I

O

N

allow us to build on and exceed past successes.”

Moreover, as of April 2015, the company employs a 100 percent Namibian workforce and has a leadership development training programme to further improve internal efficiencies.

“Everyone in our business knows they make a difference and work accordingly, regardless of whether we are doing business inside or outside the client we serve, our recipe remains the same which is our key to success,” the Managing Director adds.

Not only does Broll Namibia constantly strive to exceed in its financial performances, but it also fully understands that without the excellent teamwork of its workforce nothing would be possible. Supporting this is the Deloitte award for Best Company to Work For (BCTWF), which Wenk says has been greatly beneficial for Broll Namibia: “This programme has

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

121

B R O L L

N A M I B I A

become a recognised benchmark for measuring how employees perceive and rate the company they work for.

“From a BCTWF perspective, Broll Namibia has achieved the number one spot within the O&L Group of Companies with a total of 13 subsidiaries, a staggering three times. We are extremely proud of this achievement, as well as to be part of a Group of Companies which has been rated the Best Company to Work For in both Namibia and the SADC region for the past three years,” Wenk states.

From a BCTWF perspective, Broll Namibia has achieved the number one spot within the O&L Group of Companies with a total of 13 subsidiaries, a staggering three times

About Marco Wenk, Managing Director Wenk was appointed General Manager of O&L’s property division in early 2002. Since the 2003 joint venture between O&L and Broll, Wenk worked his way up the ranks from the position of Portfolio Manager, eventually taking up the responsibilities of Managing Director in 2005.

122

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

C

O

N

S

T

R

U

C

T

I

O

N

Broll maximises asset value of any project under its management

Maximising potential

With a strategy to improve and grow its property portfolio under management as well as to become more active on the property development side at the forefront of the company goals, the future of Broll Namibia looks bright.

“In addition to this we are continuously looking to expand our service offerings with our ultimate aim being to maximise asset value of any property under our management,” says Wenk.

With a plan for continuous improvement clearly mapped out, Broll Namibia is determined to keep on growing and create an even more

Service Offerings Property management Shopping centre management Retail leasing and consulting Facilities management Asset management Corporate real estate services Commercial, industrial and investment broking Development management

sustainable business going forward.

Wenk concludes: “We will do this by constantly enhancing our high standards of services and enrich our employee’s welfare and their capabilities, expertise and experience.

“Our secret is to continuously improve and excel in whatever we do by way of breakthrough thinking and knowing that everyone working for us makes a difference. This will ensure we further cement our position as the market leader in the property services segment in Namibia while at the same time delivering on our promise to maximise each property’s potential under our management.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

123

B R I N K ’ S

A F R I C A

A Global Standard for

EXCELLENCE Brink’s Africa is following the successful international model of one of the world’s leading logistics companies through its commitment to customer satisfaction and reliable services Writer: Matthew Staff • Project Manager: Tom Cullum

124

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

L

O

G

I

S

T

I

C

S

rink’s is replicating its globally successful business model in Africa as it strives to compound a recent Group restructuring in every operating region.

The company’s international expansion began, in earnest, in 1991 and reached South African shores in 1996. Nearly a decade on, and Brink’s’ influence on the continent now comprises offices in Botswana, Namibia and Kenya also; forming an extensive platform from which to build the notoriety that Brink’s Global Services (BGS) now enjoys.

“The international line of business has grown steadily since its inception.

In recent years the focus has moved to understanding and working within BGS customers’ value chain to drive sustainable growth and maintain our strong and trusted global position,” explains the company’s Operations and Security Director, Richard Lewis.

However, while established as a huge worldwide organisation, Brink’s’ operations in Africa resembles that of an SME business model with the ability to make entrepreneurial, flexible and quick decisions to best suit customer needs.

All of this ensures that the business is able to deliver on a promise and ethos that has been synonymous with the Brink’s Group ever since its inception in Chicago in 1859.

“The wider Brink’s Group allows us to almost work like an SME in Africa, being quite small and flexible which is important in an industry where things can change very quickly,” Lewis states.

“This is one of our main messages synonymous with the Brink’s name.

When the company first started, it was called ‘Money and Valuables, Safety and Dispatch’.

“Today it’s about end-to-end secured logistics worldwide, driven by people and information technology. What we need to do is differentiate ourselves in terms of what we can offer our customers.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

125

B R I N K ’ S

A F R I C A

Secure services

Working alongside customers across finance, retail, mining, jewellery, pharmaceutical, security and many more sectors; Brink’s’ core services range far beyond its primary international secure logistics offering.

Vaulting, customs clearance and brokerage, inventory management, trade show services, walk-in service centres, Free Trade Zones and bonded warehousing to cash management, CIT, ATM, card payments, and cash processing all complement the wider Brink’s portfolio.

As a consequence, a similarly diverse range of solutions is required in order to meet the needs of all; a balancing act with creating as standardised a system as possible to maintain core efficiencies.

“As we are involved in secure logistics, this takes many forms; road, sea and air – using not only commercial airlines but also chartered aircraft

126

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

We are an international logistics company so it’s not just about us moving valuables within South Africa but moving them internationally within our regions in Africa as well as outside of the continent

Operations and Security Director, Richard Lewis

and helicopters – where we use carefully selected and vetted partners; including the likes of FlyJetstream,” Lewis notes. This range becomes even more significant and necessary given the length of transportation often undertaken as part of its logistics services and its overall role as a global Group.

L

O

G

I

S

T

I

C

S

THE FREEDOM TO FLY ANYWHERE, ANYTIME

· Safe · Convenient · Cost Effective · Specialized Cargo · Dangerous Goods · Valuable Cargo · Throughout Africa T +27 12 543 0060 24h +27 83 279 7853 charter@flyjetstream.co.za www.flyjetstream.co.za

Preferred suppliers to Brinks Africa.

Lewis adds: “We are an international logistics company so it’s not just about us moving valuables within South Africa but moving them internationally within our regions in Africa as well as outside of the continent. It is a huge worldwide network that we move things within.

“We have seen so many different influencing factors that have changed market needs and requirements. These range from the emergence of the BRIC countries; huge geo-political changes and the associated risk impacts and need for a trusted partner; environmental challenges; accessibility to new cultures, markets, technologies; and the ease of global movements for both products and people.

“These have all been key contributors to how we approach markets and the services needed to support them.”

Brink’s is involved in secure logistics by road, sea and air

Liability

Maintaining these high levels of customer support and collaboration brings into play the company’s approach to capital investments also, with Brink’s putting the protection, skills provision and support to clients at the forefront of consideration.

To achieve this goal, as well as bringing the very best and quickest services, it is also of paramount

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

127

B R I N K ’ S

A F R I C A

importance that the business identifies optimum business partners to adopt the Brink’s way of operating.

“As part of our approach to provide solutions, given our reach and network, to put down operations and assets all over Africa would just accelerate cost for the customer, so we work with carefully selected partners,” Lewis confirms. “All of these are vetted to Brink’s’ risk standard, and are regularly audited, coached and directed.

“In terms of time, we look to minimise this through best and most cost effective route selection given that many commodities can change in

value overnight and cannot afford to be sitting idle, potentially adding to the customer cost.

“We live in a fast paced society that demands instant response and service delivery, and that is our target coupled with service satisfaction.”

Arguably Brink’s’ most telling differentiator when dealing with such valuable goods though is its promise to take liability throughout its service provision.

Lewis continues: “If the customer deems that the shipment is valuable, so do we, and we will take full liability for every shipment we handle.

“If we’re transporting goods for a

Our goal is to set the global standard for excellence in secure logistics and value chain risk management, through our commitment to innovation, quality, and investment in people

128

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

L

O

G

I

S

T

I

C

S

client across any country in the world, we take liability for that and that’s what stands us apart from a lot of other competitors.”

Global standard for excellence

The recent global restructuring led by our Chairman & CEO, Tom Schievelbein, will ensure that the future of Brink’s, and our ability to share best practices to provide agile solutions to our customers, will be realised

The philosophy to maintain this close relationship with customers and business partners ensure that Brink’s is not only ready to support their needs, but is also able to collaboratively anticipate and forecast future industry trends and cultural nuances.

The importance is then placed on engraining this entrepreneurial spirit throughout the Brink’s workforce which Lewis attributes as being the company’s core asset: “Our people are the key to everything we do. We operate strong staff engagement throughout the organisation with a key focus on learning and development needs, succession planning, and our ability to leverage and move key knowledge workers within our operations around the world.

“Due to the nature of our business we have robust global screening programmes to ensure that, most importantly, our people are safe and protected to enable them to focus on looking after our customers’ valuable assets which they entrust to us.”

The sense of purpose, accountability and determination subsequently instilled into the Group has laid the foundations for the next stage of Brink’s’ international expansion and especially its ongoing prominence within Africa.

“Our goal is to set the global standard for excellence in secure logistics and value chain risk management, through our commitment to innovation, quality, and investment in people,” Lewis concludes.

“The recent global restructuring led by our Chairman & CEO, Tom Schievelbein, will ensure that the future of Brink’s, and our ability to share best practices to provide agile solutions to our customers, will be realised.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

129

M I N I S T R Y

130

O F

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

H E A L T H

S W A Z I L A N D

H

E

A

L

T

H

C

A

R

E

PREVENTATIVE AND

Curative Progress, Nationwide The Ministry of Health in Swaziland has been striving towards its 2015 targets, and has been rewarded with some key healthcare milestones which address some of the continent’s most pressing illnesses Writer: Matthew Staff • Project Manager: Eddie Clinton

he Ministry of Health in Swaziland has reached a series of pivotal milestones in the country over the years, as it continues to plan for and implement sector improvements for the benefit of the population.

Fitting under the Government of the Kingdom of eSwatini’s umbrella and working alongside stakeholders and partners, the aim of the Ministry of Health has, in recent years, been to meet its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); working in tandem with the wider communities to spread the influence of its health programmes to every corner of the country as soon as possible.

Incorporating ongoing research and development - not only of the situation within Swaziland, but of global healthcare trends and technologies to combat common illnesses - the Health Ministry has now brought the nation to as advanced a stage as it has enjoyed

Working hard to meet MDGs

in its history and is looking forward to even further progress in the future.

“This requires assessing the current situation, proper planning and budgeting, effective implementation,

monitoring and evaluation of all health sector activities,” the Ministry states.

“The Ministry of Health is surely on the move for positive initiatives and historic progress in its strides to building a healthier nation now, and in the future.”

To achieve these targets, and the overriding MDGs, the Ministry’s activities are based on its mission of “providing preventative, curative and rehabilitation services that are high quality, relevant, accessible, affordable, equitable and socially acceptable”.

This was done with 2015 in mind and the identified milestone of developing the sector into a more efficient process which would lead to longer life expectancy rates, and a generally healthier population.

“As such, the country’s health indicators shall compare favourably to those of countries with a similar level of human development,” its vision statement reads.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

131

Sitetech Supplies’ core focus is the supply and distribution of clinical diagnostic and blood transfusion products. The products range from point of care rapid tests to fully automated instruments with their dedicated reagents and consumables for a wide variety of diagnostic testing and analysis. These include: • Blood Grouping From Grifols

• Chemistry Analysis From I.S.E.

• Haematology Analysis • ELISA Analysis From Boule From Adaltis

• Coagulation Testing From Vital Diagnostics

• Rapid Tests From CTK Biotech

• DNA Analysis From Gordiz

• Veterinary Testing From ID Vet

I.S.E S.r.l.

Tel: +27 11 613 7263

Fax: +27 11 613 6235

info@sitetech.co.za

www.sitetech.co.za

M I N I S T R Y

O F

H E A L T H

S W A Z I L A N D

Ministry milestones

Across Swaziland, the key areas addressed by the Ministry of Health comprise emergency and ambulance services, healthcare development, laboratory-conducted research and development, blood transfusion services, radiology and medical imaging, renal and ICU services, oral healthcare, referral schemes and its own Phalala Medical Referral fund.

This remit combines to ensure it achieves the Government’s industry targets as emphasised by its executive summary: “The health sector is committed to providing quality health services that are aimed at reducing the diseases burden in the country, improving the health system capacity, and effective allocation of resources.

“A number of interventions were implemented to reach those objectives that are outlined in the National Health

The health sector is committed to providing quality health services that are aimed at reducing the diseases burden in the country, improving the health system capacity

Working in tandem with the wider communities to spread the influence of its health programmes

134

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Policy and operated by the National Health Sector Strategic Plan. Even though the financial challenges were still prevalent the sector was able to realise a number of milestones.”

These milestones include the finalisation of its Human Resources for Health Policy, a significant increase in both manpower and pharmacies, the adoption of more advanced technologies across the various healthcare facilities, a series of bills being passed through parliament to control substance submission, and the completion of the Lubombo hospital.

The success of the Ministry’s activities can only be measured in relative statistics though, which once again indicate a promising few years of development within Swaziland.

The total amount of people enrolled on active release treatment (ART) leading up to 2012 increased from

Sitetech Supplies

S

ince the inception of Sitetech Supplies (Pty) Ltd, our only focus has been the upliftment of Africa and its ailing health care infrastructure. We have set out to make sure that we not only sell products, but that we offer long term sustainable solutions.

“We pledge our commitment to being actively involved in assuring the sustainability of every solution we provide to our clients�

One of our success stories is that of Swaziland National Health Laboratories.

When we started our work there in 2007, all but one of their national laboratories was fully operational. We went from site to site throughout the country in order to establish the most suitable solution for each regional area based on their needs.

Some of our other successes include the automation of Botswana National Blood Transfusion Service for TTI testing, the automation of South Africa National Blood Service red cell serology laboratories, and the automation of the Western Province Blood Transfusion Service (WPBTS) reference laboratory.

In 2009 we started with the national installation and roll out project to equip each site with a fully functioning laboratory. We completed this project mid-2010.

And, as an African first, and only one of a hand full of systems in the world, the BloodChip blood group genotyping system was installed at WPBTS in 2013. This latest technology breakthrough will revolutionize blood transfusions in the future.

We are proud to say that every one of the laboratories is still running like a dream, 7 years later, with our full support and guidance.

To date we have installed and are supporting more than 80 individual instruments in the Swaziland National Health Laboratories and the Swaziland National Blood Transfusion Service.

These are but a few of our stories of hope and mutual success. Going forward, we will continue with our dream of African empowerment.

T +27 11 613 7263 E info@sitetech.co.za www.sitetech.co.za

M I N I S T R Y

O F

H E A L T H

S W A Z I L A N D

MYLAN

M

ylan is one of the world’s leading global pharmaceutical companies. Our medicines include generic and brand name products in a variety of dosage forms, such as difficult-to-manufacture injectables, transdermal patches and HIV/AIDS antiretroviral (ARV) therapies. Mylan has innovative research and development capabilities and is one of the world’s largest active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers. Every one of our medications meets our one global quality standard regardless of where it is produced.

Significant progress has been made in immunisation and associated treatments

72,000 to more than 83,000, with that figure rising even further in the years following, while there was also a dramatic increase in the amount of HIV positive pregnant women initiated in ART to reduce levels of mother-tochild-transmission (MTCT).

Additionally, HIV positive numbers had decreased to as little as three percent by 2013, while immunisation coverage for infants against measles had reached a previously unthinkable 85 percent.

The success of tuberculosis treatments has similarly risen by five percent to reach figures of nearly three quarters of patients, while significant progress has also been made in the diagnosis of Malaria; 100 percent of cases now done so via rapid diagnostic tests or through microscopy.

Healthcare structure

Despite the financial challenges facing Swaziland and the healthcare industry in particular, the advancements and investments into globally-

136

certified technologies have been extensive, with the Health Ministry at the forefront of their introduction throughout, before dispersing the new investments across both formal and informal domains.

“The informal sector consists of traditional health practitioners and other unregulated service providers,” the Ministry explains. “The health service that is based on western medicine is considered to be formal and consists of public and private health services.

“The formal health sector is based on the concepts of primary health care and decentralisation. Its infrastructure is made up of seven government hospitals, three regional hospitals, two specialised referral hospitals and two mission hospitals.”

Eight public health units, five health centres, 76 clinics and 187 outreach sites – and rising – complete the current complement of facilities treating the country’s population at present, all existing under the concept

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

At Mylan, we are committed to setting new standards in healthcare. Working together around the world to provide 7 billion people access to high quality medicine, we: • Innovate to satisfy unmet needs • Make reliability and service excellence a habit • Do what’s right, not what’s easy • Impact the future through passionate global leadership Creating better health for a better world. That’s what inspires Mylan in our mission to provide quality healthcare, one person at a time Our Key Access Initiatives: • Increase generic utilization • Establish an effective generic biologics pathway • Advance one global quality standard • Enhance anaphylaxis awareness and expand access to epinephrine auto-injectors • Stem the tide of HIV/AIDS

T 91 40 3086 6206 E arvind.kanda@mylan.in

www.mylan.com

M I N I S T R Y

O F

H E A L T H

S W A Z I L A N D

AUROBINDO PHARMA

A

urobindo Pharma Limited is one of the largest generic pharmaceutical companies with a global presence. We are one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of antiretrovirals, enabling 3.5 million people living with HIV lead a healthier life. We are an organization with technological capabilities like vertically integrated manufacturing, strong R&D and wide product portfolio in various therapeutic areas.

The tertiary healthcare level comprises specialised and national referral hospitals

of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare levels.

The Health Ministry continues: “At primary level there are communitybased healthcare workers, clinics, and outreach services. At secondary level, there are health centres that also serve as referral points for primary levels.

The tertiary level comprises hospitals, specialised hospitals and national referral hospitals.”

Nationwide progression

Reducing morbidity, mortality, disability and the rates of illness and disease leading to these facets is inevitably the core function of a body such as the Ministry of Health, but this exists upon a bedrock of peripheral functions that have also had to be optimised over the years.

The careful distribution and allocation of social welfare, as well as sector resources aids in reducing the risk and vulnerability that the country still has at the hands of some of Africa’s most widespread health challenges.

This extensive effort therefore simultaneously requires business and charity partnerships to be formed in order to identify the very best in global practice and to implement the very latest in illness prevention.

138

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

The careful distribution and allocation of social welfare, as well as sector resources aids in reducing the risk and vulnerability that the country still has at the hands of some of Africa’s most widespread health challenges

We take pride in our association with various organizations and institutions which are providing support to the HIV patients and have pleasure in working closely with Ministry of Health, Swaziland in this pursuit.

For any queries please contact us at

arv@aurobindo.com

Actively participating in events such as the World AIDS Campaign launch in 2014 is one such initiative that the Health Ministry was instrumental within, as well as the Cervical Cancer Equipment Handover by the United Nations Population Fund.

The Ministry’s work with the United Nations in general has been an ongoing process indicative of the international standards now being infiltrated into Swaziland’s healthcare sector as it now looks to the next sustained period of nationwide progression.

H

E

A

L

T

H

C

A

R

E

Swazipharm are Sziland’s largest distributor of pharmaceutical products and medical equipment to the healthcare system of Swaziland.

Swaziland’s leading medical supplier

www.swazipharm.co.sz 00268 2518 5444/5940 info@swazipharm.co.sz

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

139

A F R I C A’ S

B I G

S E V E N

E V E N T

F O C U S

AB7 - Bigger and Better Every Year AFRICA’S BIG SEVEN (AB7), the continent’s biggest food and beverage expo, just gets bigger every year and 2015 is no exception. AB7’s famous venue is completely booked out, with more exhibitors, including many new first-timers, more participating countries, more visitors and more products and events on show over three action-packed days this June.

AB7 takes place from 21-23 June, 2015 at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand A world of products on show

Last year AB7 had over 220 exhibitors from 35 countries and 8,624 visitors from 44 countries – including 20 African nations – with a wide variety of both usual and unusual products in over 3,000 categories. This year, AB7 features first-time national pavilions for Italy, Belgium, France, Poland, Denmark and Eastern Europe, all showcasing their unique products.

China and India return to AB7 once again with their well established and hugely-popular pavilions.

“You don’t need to travel all over Africa to do business across the continent, the market comes to you right here in South Africa,” says John Thomson of Exhibition Management

140

Services, the organisers of the show.

“Times are tough and companies are cutting budgets. If any company can only spend money on one thing, AB7 should be that one thing,” he adds.

About AB7 AB7 incorporates seven sector-focused shows covering all aspects of the food and beverage industry, including the Pan Africa Retail Trade Exhibition, AgriFood, FoodTech Africa, DrinkTech Africa, Interbake Africa, Retail Solutions Africa and FoodBiz Africa.

The Halaal pavilion will again form a major attraction at the expo for companies interested in the latest Halaal products and trends

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

Explore business in Africa

AB7 is a versatile, cost-effective networking and deal-making platform where any company can find lucrative new markets, new suppliers, thousands of potential customers and tens of thousands of exciting food and beverage products, all at the same time and place.

“Manufacturers and suppliers in Africa have an ongoing need to upgrade equipment, technology and expertise for processing, production, packaging and storage of food and beverage products, and all this is on show at Africa’s Big Seven,” explains Thomson.

AB7 is collocated with SAITEX (the Southern African International Trade Exhibition), Africa’s biggest consumer show, and the combined events present the greatest variety of international business opportunities on the African continent.

Online business matchmaking

AB7 will once again provide its online business matchmaking facility, via the web and a recently-introduced mobile app, enabling visitors and exhibitors to pre-arrange meetings online, so everyone can devote more time to meetings on each day of the show.

Scheduled conferences

The FoodTech Conference, which takes place at Gallagher Convention Centre on 22 June, 2015, focuses on the development and growth of Africa’s food industry. “Delegates will learn more about current trends and developments in the food value chain such as ingredients, additives and flavouring, manufacturing, marketing, production, processing, packaging and end usage,” says Jolanda van de Spreng of VDS Media, organisers of the Food Tech and DrinkTech conference.

The DrinkTech conference focuses

E V E N T

D E T A I L S

WHEN: 21-23 June, 2015 WHERE: Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, SA CONTACT: Lineke van der Brugghen, Exhibition Management Services T: +27 11 783 7250 E: admin@exhibitionsafrica.com WEBSITE: www.exhibitionsafrica.com on the growth of Africa’s beverage industry and will take place at Gallagher Convention Centre on 23 June, 2015. “Developments in the beverage value chain that the conference will highlight include

raw materials, filling, flavouring, manufacturing, marketing, packaging, machinery and end-usage,” adds van de Spreng. “The beverage sector is volatile and operators need to stay up to date on competitors and trends.”

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

141

E V E N T AVIATION AFRICA will make its debut this year at Le Meridien Hotel, Dubai, UAE on 10-11 May, 2015.

From open skies policies to airport expansions, the event will tackle key industry issues and offer solutions and ways forward.

African aviation is now a burgeoning business and this event creates opportunities for the industry to network and maximise these. Forecast to be one of the world’s fastest growing economic areas, Africa will see a rise in air traffic, with flows between Europe and Africa growing at an annual average rate of more than five percent for the next 15 years.

The Summit will be headed up by the Editor in Chief of African and Arabian Aerospace magazines, Alan Peaford. Speakers confirmed from African and Middle East airlines already include Girma Wake, Chairman, Rwandair (former CEO, Ethiopian Airlines), Adel Ali, Board Member & Group Chief Executive, Air Arabia, and Dr Nicklas Dahlstrom,

142

F O C U S

Human Factors Manager, Emirates Airline.

The programme will be made up of a panel of experts from the region as well as global players sharing case studies and lessons learnt. Sessions will address airports, airlines, low cost carriers, business aviation, human factors, training, open skies, new technologies and investment opportunities.

“We are delighted that our panel sessions at the summit will include these high level speakers as their participation ensures the debates will benefit from their leadership experience and help to encourage not just discussion but decisions and real progress,” said Peaford, the Summit Chairman and show organiser.

Aviation Africa 2015 has been launched to change the perception of African aviation. Taking place in the home of ‘open skies’, with more international routes to Africa than African carriers themselves, Dubai is the ideal city to host the event.

WWW.AFRICAOUTLOOKMAG.COM

E V E N T

D E T A I L S

WHEN: 10-11 May, 2015 WHERE: Le Meridien Hotel, Dubai, UAE REGISTER: alan.peaford@aerocomm.aero WEBSITE: www.aviationafrica.aero

‘