african business review - march 2015

March 2015 • www.africanbusinessreview.co.za

2015Africa’s most POWERFUL businesswomen

TOP10AFRICAN APPS

BIG DATA: The foundation of successful online marketing

BUSINESSFRIEND One platform to connect Africa’s working professionals

Bridgette Radebe, The founder of Mmakau Mining

Big landscapes Inspire big thinking

visitaustralia.com/businessevents/associationsfor everything you need to plan your australian event.

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE AUSTRALIA FOR YOUR NEXT BUSINESS EVENT.

This year we chose Australia for our global congress. It was an easy choice, as Australia’s proximity to Asia gave us the opportunity to attract many new delegates. The program was one of the best in years. New Australian developments in our field attracted a lot of interest and strong international research partnerships were established.

Australia is on everyone’s list to visit, and it lured our highest number of delegates yet. There’s no doubt they’ll be talking about this convention for years to come.

Dr Louise Wong, International Board Member

http://www.australia.com/businessevents/associations

Abigal PhillipsAssociate Editor

[email protected]

W E L C O M E T O T H E M A R C H issue of African Business Review. Our cover story this month is about Africa’s powerful female business leaders in 2015. The coveted list includes the likes of Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita, Eva Muraya and Wendy Ackerman and we take a look at their path to success, their mentors and their drivers in a tough economy.

Also in this issue we reveal the top 10 business apps in Africa and see how they can change the lives of people in the region and further afield. Remaining on the topic of technology, we also uncover the next big thing in social media marketing – big data – and take a look at how businesses large and small can leverage its power for greater success.

Enjoy the issue!

Driving growth in 2015

E D I T O R ’ S C O M M E N T

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https://twitter.com/AfricaBizReview

More than ever before, the key to efficient production lies in implementing energy-saving measures. These range from the use of energy-efficient drives to the shutdown of complex pro-duction processes. In the past, this shutdown had to be done manually, making it very time-consuming. Today, a standard-ized data interface ensures that power consumers can be

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Answers for industry.

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Productive plants don’t have to run around the clock, they just have to run efficiently.Realize the potential of energy-efficient solutions more quicklyE2

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MARKETING

businessfriend: One Platform To Connect

Africa’s Working Professionals

Features CONTENTS

26 TECHNOLOGY

BIG DATA: The Foundation Of Successful Online Marketing

16TOP10

AFRICAN APPS

8

LEADERSHIP

2015 Africa’s Most Powerful Businesswomen

20

http://issuu.com/action/page?page=20



By now, we’ve all played with clouds. And now you want a real one, the kind you can run a business with. That’s when you come to BMC. —

It seems simple, really. Until you try it without us.

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By now, we’ve all played with clouds. And now you want a real one, the kind you can run a business with. That’s when you come to BMC. —

It seems simple, really. Until you try it without us.

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7

CONTENTS

Company ProfilesMANUFACTURING 36 Portland Paints &

Products Nigeria PLC

ENERGY 46 Comarco Group

CONSTRUCTION 64 El Alan Construction

Company

76 Hotel Partners Africa

SUPPLYCHAIN98 Shree

76

36

Hotel Partners Africa

Portland Paints & Products Nigeria PLC

El Alan Construction

Company

98 Shree Property Holdings

46

64

Comarco Group













African Business Review takes a look at the region’s strongest female business leaders in 2015 and discovers how they will help build the foundation

for a rich and prosperous African economyWritten by: Abigail Phillips

AFRICA IS ONE of the

world’s most exciting emerging

economies. In a time of growth and

development, strong leadership is

essential – in fact it is the difference

between success and failure.

African Business Review takes

a look at the region’s strongest

female business leaders in 2015

and discovers how they will help

build the foundation for a rich and

prosperous African economy. >

2015Africa’s most POWERFUL businesswomen

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LEADERSHIP

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Below Nonkululeko Nyembezi-HeitaNyembezi-Heita began her professional career as an engineer at the Research Triangle Park, IBM’s premier research and development facility in Raleigh, North Carolina. She served various technical, marketing and management roles at IBM in the United States, South Africa and Namibia. Following her tenure at IBM, Nyembezi-Heita then switched direction to head the financial services group, Alliance

Capital Management before joining Vodacom as head of its Mergers and Acquisition division. Since, she has served as the CEO at ArcelorMittal South Africa Limited and today is the Chief Executive Officer at IchorCoal N.V.

Nyembezi-Heita holds a BSc (Hons) in Electrical Engineering from University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, M.Sc (EE) from the California Institute of Technology and an MBA from the Open University Business School (UK).

LEADERSHIP

1 1

2 0 1 5 A F R I C A ’ S M O S T P O W E R F U L B U S I N E S S W O M E N

Above Eva MurayaEva Muraya is the CEO of Brand Strategy and Design Limited and boasts more than twenty years of diverse brand strategy development experience having managed the regional brand building programs for companies such as FedEx, The Standard Group, Block Hotels and Xerox.

Muraya is best known for her entrepreneurial success in building an award winning regional branded

merchandise business, Color Creations Limited, which she has championed since 2002. Her entrepreneurship saw her selected in 2006 by the US State Department to represent Kenya in a premier U.S. government-sponsored program dubbed the Fortune/State Department International Women Leaders Mentoring Partnership. She has been recognised in both her community and internationally for her business innovation and leadership.

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Below Wendy AckermanRetail tycoon Ackerman is worth $190.2 million, with the Ackerman Family Trust run by her and her husband owning about 50 percent of the major South African grocery chain Pick ‘n’ Pay. The $3 billion company owns outlets in Mozambique, Nigeria, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Australia, with Ackerman acting as Executive Director.

LEADERSHIP


1 3

Above Bridgette RadebeThe founder of Mmakau Mining, the successful mining firm with assets in gold, platinum, uranium, coal, chrome and exploration, Radebe started out by working in mines herself. Now the president of the South African Mining Development Association, she is the older sister of South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe and married to

South Africa Justice Minister Jeff Radebe. She was the first black woman in the country to found her own mining company, overcoming racial and gender prejudice. While her net worth is large, it is currently not published. Radebe received the International Businessperson of the Year Award in 2008 from the Global Foundation for Democracy.

1 4 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

Right Irene CharnleyCharnley is a former trade unionist who has amassed a net worth of $150 million. Currently the CEO of Smile Telecoms, a telecommunications products company working out of Mauritius, she first made a mark as a negotiator for the National Union of Mineworkers in South Africa. Later she became Executive Director at MTN, Africa’s largest teleco. There she led the company’s expansion across Africa and beyond, helping to acquire licenses from Nigeria to Iran. She was as a result rewarded with MTN stock worth $150 million, though she left the company under controversial circumstances in 2007. She has also been a director of FirstRand Bank, Johnnic and Johnnic Communications. Her current company, Smile Telecoms, helps lower-income individuals to have telecommunications and continues a line of anti-poverty programs Charnley began at MTN.

LEADERSHIP


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THE WORLD OF eCommerce and

online business is a highly pressurised

market. The need for 24/7 operations,

an environment of global competition,

and customers who are both price

sensitive and incredibly vocal, make

for a challenging business landscape.

Standing out from the crowd and

ensuring customers are attracted to

your website rather than the rivals

requires ‘top of mind’ recall and a better

customer experience. Achieving this

requires a fine balancing act, ensuring

your marketing mix is optimised across

channels to drive the conversion from

click through to sales. Furthermore,

it is important to leverage customer

data intelligently to target marketing

initiatives effectively across different

channels. Big data holds the key to

unlocking valuable customer insight

that can turbocharge online marketing

How to cut through the noise using Big Data and other online marketing techniques

BIG DATA: The foundation of successful

online marketing

TECHNOLOGY

1 7

efforts, improving sales, optimising

customer relationships, and obtaining

more bang for your marketing buck.

Marketing an online business can be

a complex process. Budget must be

carefully spread between ‘paid media’

such as search engines, banners and

so on; ‘earned media like social media

sites; and of course your company’s

own website. The website is a crucial

component as it is in effect your store

front and the face of your company

Juggling this combination of internal

and external forces requires sound

investment decisions, and getting the

right marketing mix across media,

channel and customer segments is a

challenging task.

This marketing challenge is made

all the more complex by the veritable

deluge of data that most online

businesses need to manage. Although

a website is the portal for online

business, customers interact with a

brand across multiple channels, from

click streams to social media, contact

centres, surveys, mobile devices and

more. Matching of the right offering

to the right customer through the

right channel is essential to marketing

success. However, a lack of actionable

insight can hinder marketing initiatives.

Without this, it is difficult to understand

whether marketing spend is invested

correctly or whether marketing efforts

are targeted accurately at high value or

high potential customer segments.

Traditional methods of segmenting

customers and executing campaigns

rely heavily on manual methods and

pre-determined rules that fail to take

into account the dynamic nature of

the online world. As a result of this

W r i t t e n b y : S H A I LE N D RA S I N G H , B u s i n e s s D i re c t o r o f A f r i c a R e g i o n , W i p ro

Lt d , S o u t h A f r i c a

1 8 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

cumbersome manual process, by the

time campaigns are built and targeted,

opportunities are often long gone.

Real-time analytics, effective customer

segmentation and advanced targeting

are essential in matching supply to

demand, boosting conversion rates

and improving marketing success.

In addition, tapping into the vast

resource through Big Data can help

online businesses to improve analytical

capability, optimise marketing spend

and drive more valuable customers

over their lifecycle.

Data generated from channels such

as email, social media, video, audio,

images, documents and records,

collectively referred to as ‘human

information’ in the context of Big

Data, holds enormous value for the

business that is able to unlock it. It

contains a vast amount of intelligence

that provides great potential for real-

time analytics in order to gain insights,

which can be then utilised for engaging

and improving online customer

experiences.

Obtaining contextually relevant

information from the analysis of

unstructured human information is

key in engaging the customer on their

terms, delivering the right offer at the

‘Obtaining contextually relevant information from the analysis of unstructured human information is key in engaging the customer on their terms, delivering the right offer at the right time through the right channel to drive improved sales’

TECHNOLOGY

B IG DATA

1 9

right time through the right channel

to drive improved sales. In addition,

insights gathered can be used to

enhance customer retention, customer

margins and new customer acquisition

processes, all of which can help to

boost customer profitability and value

over their lifetime.

Improving a company’s Return

on Marketing Investment (RoMI) in

a digital world requires marketers to

leverage data, analytics and innovative

marketing methodologies to improve

click through to conversion, and in turn

enhance customer profitability.

The goal is to move from a

descriptive model, where historical

structured data is used to determine

what happened after the fact, to a

predictive model where data is used

to forecast what will happen, and

on to the next level of marketing

maturity: the adaptive stage.

Adaptive marketing utilises real-

time, large-scale data, both structured

and unstructured, to determine what

will happen not only in the near future,

but in the long run. This enables

enhanced product strategy and tactics,

better and more dynamic customer

segmentation, and an improved

customer experience.

‘Obtaining contextually relevant information from the analysis of unstructured human information is key in engaging the customer on their terms, delivering the right offer at the right time through the right channel to drive improved sales’

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Launched at CES, this new social media app and desktop site is designed to serve industrious businesspeople across the continent

W r i t t e n b y : TO M WA D LO W

BUSINESSFRIEND One platform to connect Africa’s working professionals

MARKETING

2 2 M a r c h 2 0 1 5

IS THE WAY we do business about

to change? The hectic schedules

of professionals across the whole

of Africa are being increasingly

congested by apps and software

functions designed to make the average

working day more manageable.

From catching up on news to

filtering through endless contacts,

there is an app for all occasions.

Since launching in 2008 to October

2014, Apple has seen 85 billion apps

downloaded from its App Store, and

the number of work-related entries

to the market is growing all the time.

Helping to remove the need for

an app to serve every function

is businessfriend, a platform

designed to host all professional

collaboration and social interaction

with a suite of features in one user

face available on all devices.

Grand launch Launched in January at CES, a

packed technology innovation event

in Las Vegas, founder and CEO Glen

White expressed his optimism both

in the reception received at the show

and for future uptake of the app.

He said: “We are super excited

with what we have created and have

MARKETING

http://vimeo.com/86734295

2 3

A platform designed to host all professional collaboration and social interaction with a suite of features in one user face available on all devices

had an amazing response to people

signing up to the site and downloading

the apps… it is growing fast and we

will use our social media to drive

more users to the application.”

White is also excited to incorporate

more brands into its newsfeed service,

which uses RSS feeds to keep users

up to date based on the sectors or

industries they choose to follow.

“We’ve tried with our content

feed to provide news from the

mainstream brands whether it be

sport or tech or entertainment…

it allows you to choose your area

and the specific brands within that

that you’d like to see,” He added.

“We will expand to around 120

brands in the next three months. That

will continue to allow businessfriend

users to be selective about the

information and news they want

to see in their social feed.”

Catch all Alongside the customised

newsfeed functions, businessfriend

enables its users to connect with

each other and share important

information while maintaining

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crucial elements of privacy, acting

as a personalised one-stop shop

for professional collaboration.

“We like to say businessfriend is

the channel for professionals that

are suffering from S.C.S. (scattered

communications syndrome),” said

Freddie Pierce, VP of Product

and co-creator of the app. “We’re

providing one place to consolidate

all of your current communications,

mediums and channels into one

easy to use application. You’ll never

have to say ‘I didn’t get that email’ or

‘where did that document go’ again.”

Instant communication features

include all the tools needed to

communicate with colleagues

and business partners, wherever

either party may be on whatever

device they have to hand. Instant

messaging, video chat and free

VoIP calls come as standard.

Keeping track of your expanding

network can also be a tricky

undertaking, with professionals

across all industries frequently

acquainting new contacts and friends.

Digidex is a virtual contact centre

designed to help manage what can

be a proliferating portfolio of useful

industry names and faces. Users can

store all important contact information

for hundreds of people, whether

they be past or present colleagues

or other business contacts.

The app also allows easy remote

access to crucial work documents

which may otherwise be stuck on a

hard drive in the office or at home.

Businessfriend is connected via cloud

which permits up to 2GB of storage

for each user, who can also share files

across their network to other contacts.

The days of having to print off

key documentation to distribute at

important meetings and other events

could be over if participants are

interconnected and sharing in their

businessfriend network, saving time,

“We offer one complete forum that enables constant connectivity for optimal business communications. One mobile app, one desktop, any device - no more juggling apps.”- Glen White CEO of Businessfriend

MARKETING

2 5

C O N N E C T I N G W O R K I N G P R O F E S S I O N A L S

BUSINESSFRIEND is built on a responsive platform

resources and, ultimately, money.

It is the ease at which busy

professionals can organise their

working lives without app congestion

that appeals most about this new

social media platform. White

concludes: “On any given day, the

typical young professional can have

as many as five platforms open

to get them through their day.

“We offer one complete forum that

enables constant connectivity for

optimal business communications.

One mobile app, one desktop, any

device - no more juggling apps.”

Want to see if businessfriend can

change the way you do business?

Download the app from Google Play or

the App Store and install the desktop

version via www.businessfriend.com

We take a look at 10 apps made in Africa that have established themselves over the past year, from news and courier services to banking and personal safety

W r i t t e n by: TH O M AS WA D LO W

African APPS

TOP 10

2 8 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

09 Safari Tales safaritales.mobi/about/app

Launched in Kenya around a year ago, Safari Tales is addressing the problem of book shortages through its mobile storytelling platform, which can tell tales in text, audio and video. The interactive app is available on Google Play and is adapted to local dialects, aimed at children aged between two and nine years old.

10 FNB Banking www.fnb.co.za

South Africa’s first banking app and a key step in the digitisation of finance in the country. The app is controlled by FNB and allows users to access important account information and balances wherever they are at any time on their smartphones. It also allows customers to make secure payments and contact their premier banker.

TOP 10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9h30NcVy4E

A F R I C A N M O B I L E A P P S

2 9

08 SA Phonebook (1023) www.appster.co.za

A virtual contact centre made in South Africa, SA Phonebook allows you to instantly find contact details for anybody you search for providing they also are signed up. The app also enables SMS and chat between different users for no extra cost, the app itself costing just $0.99 and available on smartphones.

http://vimeo.com/45838932

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9h30NcVy4E

3 0 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

07 2go www.2go.im

With more than 30 million users across South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, 2go is Africa’s answer to Whatsapp – a free texting, live messaging and photo sharing platform. It has the advantage over Whatsapp of being absolutely free, whereas the former incurs a small annual charge after a year of free use. It was started a few years ago by two South African computer science students.

06 Find-A-Med www.find-a-med.com

Developed in Nigeria, Find a Med allows its users to locate the nearest medical centre and offers turn-by-turn directions. The app also stores basic health information about the downloader if they so wish, while they can also add and review any of the 5,000-plus centres currently on the database. The app’s co-founder, Emeka Onyenwe, says that it was made so that Nigerians could see the choices of health centres in their area, which vary in quality.

TOP 10


3 1

05 WumDrop www.wumdrop.com

Available on the web, Google Play and App Store, WumDrop allows you to order a parcel courier in South Africa at the touch of a screen. Costing R7 per kilometre travelled, users can track and receive notifications of where their delivery is, with fees split between the drivers (a mixture of professionals and students) and the company.

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04 News24 www.news24.com/Mobile

South Africans’ way of digesting news on the move. Users subscribe to breaking news alerts straight from the News24 news room and share and comment on articles that matter to them, while they can also watch video clips from the News24 Live Studio and browse partner sites for the latest deals and offers. The app allows customisation, meaning only the news that matters to users will appear.

03 Voicemap www.voicemap.me

For explorers of South Africa this handy travel app is a perfect way to get to know your surroundings. Listen to immersive, intimate stories about the places you visit, with location-aware audio walks by journalists, playwrights, novelists, tour guides and passionate locals. Contributors simply upload their routes and narratives to the system, which then charges for users to download. Upon purchase, all audio files, maps and GPS data are downloaded to the phone, meaning there is no need for a mobile data connection on the walk.

TOP 10


03 Voicemap www.voicemap.me

For explorers of South Africa this handy travel app is a perfect way to get to know your surroundings. Listen to immersive, intimate stories about the places you visit, with location-aware audio walks by journalists, playwrights, novelists, tour guides and passionate locals. Contributors simply upload their routes and narratives to the system, which then charges for users to download. Upon purchase, all audio files, maps and GPS data are downloaded to the phone, meaning there is no need for a mobile data connection on the walk.

02 Suba www. subaapp.com

Suba is a Ghanaian-developed app generating Suba streams, group photo albums for friends to upload to. Users can invite other people to add their own photo memories and connect Suba streams to a specific location, meaning you can go beyond your immediate friend circle and collect photos from literally everyone at that place.

3 4 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

01 Unitehood www

Unitehood is a free to download safety application that could be the difference between life and death in emergency situations of all kinds.

Connecting friends and family at all times, the app allows those in distress to send emergency signals and calls for help when in need, with connections picking up the alarm if they are within five kilometres of the incident. There are three clear functions – crime, track me, track suspect, assistance and panic, which calls your pre-designated emergency number (e.g. emergency services) while sending out alerts to fellow Unitehood users within the five kilometre radius.

The rationale behind the app is that a safe neighbourhood is one where its residents look out for each other, with Unitehood facilitating this activity.

Once connected to a fellow user, the person responding can locate the scene and, if able, instant message, take photos and videos to use as evidence, and come to your aid if safe to do so.

TOP 10


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Portland Paints & Products Nigeriafinds strength from clever strategy

Written by: Sam Jermy and Produced by: Dennis Morales

As a leading paints company and marketer of quality sanitary ware products, the firm has contended with many changes but now stands in a healthy market position

3 7

Portland Paints & Products Nigeriafinds strength from clever strategyAs a leading paints company and marketer of quality sanitary ware products, the firm has contended with many changes but now stands in a healthy market position

3 8 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA

Newly improved and

repackaged Sandtex

paints brands were

unveiled during

September 2014

Portland Paints & Products sits in prime position to gain even more Nigerian market share, after clever strategic

planning has helped the company into a stronger state than previous years.

The organisation has grown to be a leading paints company with decades of experience in manufacturing, distributing, and marketing a wide range of decorative, automotive and industrial paints. This is as well as offering marine and protective coatings and sanitary ware that support the building, construction and oil and gas industries in Nigeria.

The firm started off as a small division of a larger manufacturing company, called West African Portland Cement (WAPCO), and it became a wholly-owned subsidiary of WAPCO in 1985. WAPCO went through an ownership change from part-ownership by a British company called Blue Circle Industries, to majority-ownership by the French firm Lafarge, who decided to concentrate on core business, which meant that this division had to close.

Olufemi Oguntade, CEO of Portland Paints & Products Nigeria, said: “We have improved our processes to gain on internal operational efficiency which has translated into much better profits for the shareholders. We grew the bottom line by 72 percent last year and now have over 200 staff.

“It is a great achievement considering the many changes with have overcome in the

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

www.por t landpa in tsng .com 3 9


“We have improved our processes to gain on internal operational efficiency which has translated

into much better profits for the shareholders. We grew the bottom line by 72 percent last year and

now have over 200 staff”– Olufemi Oguntade, CEO of Portland Paints & Products Nigeria

4 0 M a rc h 2 0 1 5


past decade. The company was disposed of through a Management buyout in 2004, and the immediate past Managing Director led the team of five management staff that took it over. The MBO Team had limited funds, but later secured the support of a British Private Equity company, Aureos West Africa Fund. They gave the financial support needed to fully take over the Company and together with local management, were able to further develop it, and build it to where we are today.

“We had our fair share of challenges along the way, going from having to borrow funds, through running a heavily-indebted business, to becoming a leader in the Nigerian paint industry. Since then we have continued to grow steady, and in 2009 we were listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. In 2013, the foremost Nigerian Conglomerate, UAC of Nigeria bought out Aureos and became a 51

Decorative paints known

as the Sandtex paints

Crown trade and Sandtex

Biocote anti-microbial paint

Unveiling of the

State-of-the-Art Paint

Technology: The POS

Tinting Machine




percent majority shareholder of Portland Paints.”

Diverse offeringPortland Paints flagship brand is the Sandtex range of high quality decorative paints which have been formulated after many extensive researches to provide protection and aesthetics for all types of residential and commercial buildings. They are made with high quality input under strict quality control and the product has a 5-year guarantee offer.

Oguntade said: “We represent Crown Paints, one of UK’s largest paints manufacturers, in Nigeria through our Sandtex Paints Colour Boutique, a recently introduced paints retail channel where a computerised colour delivery system can instantly produce more than 15,000 colours direct to big projects, architects, contractor’s, home

Hempel, renowned for their

marine and protective coatings

Portland bathrooms: stockists for

a wide range of sanitary wares

“We have continued to grow steadily, and in 2009 we were listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange”– Olufemi Oguntade


Sylmar Technology is dedicated to the supply of high quality solid surface products for domestic and commercial use. In addition to the supply of its key brands maia, minerva and

Avonite, Sylmar Technology also offers turnkey solutions for all your solid surface needs.

The range of work undertaken ranges from one-off individual retail projects to the full design and fabrication of components

delivered to your production line.

Whatever your requirements – we can help.

www.sylmarsolidsurfaces.com

Contact Sylmar or visit our website now for more [email protected] | 01773 521300

Pioneers in the Manufacture in Nigeria ofAlkyd Resins • Polyvinyl Acetate

Acrylic Resins & Emulsions • Melamine Resins Plasticizers • Additives and Binders

Manufacturer Oil & Gas Production Chemicals in Nigeria of

Corrosion Inhibitor (Water, Oil & Gas Lines) Pour Point Depressant • Scale Inhibitors

Demulsifiers • Water Clarifiers

[email protected][email protected]

+234 903 9504 447+234 816 3580 593+234 903 8425 953

P.O. Box No 1187, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria

www.nycilltd.com

Plot 5-8, Ogun State Housing Industrial Estate, Km 6, Idiroko Road, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria

Production facility

owners, painters and decorators. “The products in the Crown Trade and Sandtex

Trade range are import-quality brands for high-end residential and commercial projects. We are also the Agency in Nigeria for Armitage Shanks and Ideal Standard Brands of Sanitary Ware and Fittings. We also represent Jaquar brands of India.

“All our products are in great demand by state and federal governments, corporate organisations, building contractors & engineers, architects as well as private property developers and individual project owners.”

These brands provide a range of bathroom products to suit diverse needs for hotels,

http://www.sylmarsolidsurfaces.com

www.nycilltd.com


PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA M A N U F A C T U R I N G

The company has experienced extreme growth in recent months

hospitals, schools, hotels, homes and other public places. They are products designed for high, medium and low income housing projects, varying commercial and industrial uses and needs of the less-able individual.

Set for further growthCoupled with the recent increase in bottom line, Portland Paints has reorganised its route to the market by inviting partners to take ownership of sales depots through the depot franchising model, thus achieving greater efficiency.

Oguntade added: “We are working at strengthening our footprints in the marine/protective and auto/industrial lines to take advantage of the emerging opportunities in those sectors.

“To complement this, the quality of product offerings and service delivery have improved

“We are working at strengthening our footprints in the marine/protective and auto/industrial lines to take advantage of the emerging opportunities in those sectors”

– Olufemi Oguntade

4 4 M a rc h 2 0 1 5



considerably via the introduction of first of its kind ‘In-Plant & Point of Sale Tinting System’ of our conventional, locally manufactured paints. Since our majority shareholder, UAC of Nigeria, took a 51 percent stake in 2013 we have integrated our processes and a lot of seminars and staff training has taken place to ensure we retain highly skilled staff.

“We have a full-fledged Risk & Compliance Policy which we have continued to follow rigorously through periodic audit of our operations by both External Auditors and our full-fledged Risk & Compliance Unit. We are also ISO Certified.”

Portland Paints source input materials and merchandizing products both locally and abroad. For most of its locally sourced materials, it operates a Vendor Management Inventory (VMI). By this process, it warehouse suppliers’ goods and the goods are not invoiced until it has used them in production. This has assisted the firm a great deal in the management of its working capital.

The company has improved considerably in its product offerings in the decorative segment of the business. Aside from the marine and protective growth lines, it will also deepen the industrial and automotive segment by capitalising on recent government policy in the automotive industry. On accomplishment of this objective it hopes to have gained a substantial share of the Nigerian paints. industry; it looks well set to achieve this goal.

Company Information

I N D U S T RY

Paints and sanitary

ware

H E A D Q U A RT E R S

Lagos

F O U N D E D

1985

E M P L O Y E E S

200

R E V E N U E

Not disclosed

P R O D U C T S /

S E R V I C E S

Paints and sanitary

ware

https://www.facebook.com/SandtexPaints

https://twitter.com/sandtexpaints

Comarco Group: looks to maintain growth momentum with projects in East Africa and beyondWritten by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: Richard Deane

comarco

4 7

Comarco Group: looks to maintain growth momentum with projects in East Africa and beyondWritten by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: Richard Deane

COMARCO GROUP

4 8 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

The Comarco Group is expanding its industrial and geographical footprint as it looks to build on 44 years of experience in

the industry.Driven by work as far as Brazil, the company

has a series of exciting projects in line for 2015, which include a renewed venture in Myanmar, alongside several others outside of oil and gas, allowing it to remain flexible and active in a period of industry uncertainty.

This said, Comarco is in a prime position to supply its unique services to the huge LNG projects ramping up in Mozambique, and Tanzania

With continuing growth and corporate maturity, Managing Director Simon Phillips is expanding

This leading marine and specialised contractor is broadening its industry portfolio while continuing to deliver first-class turnkey and standalone services from its Mombasa heartland

www.comarcogroup .com 4 9

COMARCO GROUP A F R I C A

the group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity beyond the valuable community-driven work already underway in Kenya.

“We would like to develop and foster our current growth path over the next five years, and this will mean we can boost our HSE and CSR activities,” he said. “We aim to reach the highest working practices which will have a positive impact on our work force, our customers and the community in which we work.”

Mombasa HubKey to driving further growth is The Comarco Group’s flagship supply base adjacent to the Port of Mombasa, a crucial hub of activity for both the

Comarco Supply Base, Mombasa, Kenya

Comarco has grown from a 2 to 16 acre

mini port since 1975

www.comarcogroup.com

COMARCO GROUP

http://Shipmarcltd.com

http://Shipmarcltd.com

A F R I C A

www.comarcogroup .com 5 1

COMARCO GROUP COMARCO GROUP

company and clients, from small local operators to blue chip giants including British Gas (BG) and Anadarko.

Having started out as a two-acre site in 1975, it has now grown to a 16-acre facility with is own deep water quay for clients of all sizes, able to accommodate ships up to 130 metres long. The flexibility and control offered by this service hub is an important pull factor for customers.

“If, for example, a client such as BP or Anadarko have a drilling programme they will need a supply base with dedicated berthing, and we provide them with their own mini port so they can work independently of the main Port of Mombasa,” Phillips said.

“They rent the space and we provide the cranes, trucks, forklifts, people, open-air storage and jetty access, whatever they need”– Simon Phillips, Managing Director

Salvage tug

Comarco Base in 1974


5 2 M a r c h 2 0 1 5

Marine Construction, Kenya

Stanford Buzzard,

seen alongside the

Comarco Berth

“It is a private facility which means they have control over their operations and can maintain the highest HSE standards, which is critical for these companies”.

“They rent the space and we provide the cranes, trucks, forklifts, manpower, open-air storage, warehousing and jetty access, whatever they need, so they can control their shore based operations and ensure they do not encounter delays on their drilling. The cost of offshore drilling

COMARCO GROUP

w w w. comarcogroup .com 5 3

can be around $1 million a day so it is paramount that delays and problems do not occur.”

The Comarco Group has embraced the importance of diversifying business away from oil and gas, with Mombasa also being used as a general cargo and logistics springboard for projects in and outside of East Africa. For example, the company helped to supply the World Food Programme, The Red Cross and other international agencies through its port.



5 4 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 5

COMARCO GROUP

INFINITE SOLUTIONSFOR THEOFFSHOREINDUSTRY

Dan-Bunkering is one of the world’s leading offshore bunker suppliers with more than 30 years of experience servicing oil rigs, seismic vessels, construction vessels, cable layers, crew boats, and many other types of vessels across the world.

Even remote areas are within our reach

With oil exploration moving to more remote areas, the need for flexible supply infra-structure is significant. Thanks to our experience in the offshore industry combined with a fleet of more than 30 tankers and an in-house chartering department, we can offer you unprecedented supply and storage solutions at offshore or onshore locations worldwide.

www.dan-bunkering.com

Rokem, an IALA industrial member, is a professional manufacturer and supplier of various AtoN products in China including high-tech products like RMB, Racon, AIS, SSS and remote monitoring system etc.

Best quality together with best service is the creed of Rokem.

Address: 9D Double Dove Great Tower, 438 Pudian Road, Shanghai 200122, China Tel: +86-21-50810062, 50811396 Fax: +86-21-58818728, 58302954 E: [email protected] www.rokem.com/Aton.htm

http://danbunkering.com

http://rokem.com

A F R I C A



280T P&H Crane Salvage, Canda, Mozambique (2011)

From Mombasa and further afield, Comarco, through its several divisions (construction, marine projects, vessels and logistics), can offer clients any number of its varied marine services and is able to provide these on a full turnkey solution, or on a standalone basis with selected component parts to suit the client’s individual requirements.

Marine and general contracting services include supply base management, marine construction, commercial diving services, vessel chartering and cargo haulage.

However, it is The Group’s marine and specialised logistics services which differentiate it from other operators and forms the core brand of Comarco, with Instant Ports, Beach Landings,

Comarco can offer clients any number of its varied marine

services


COMARCO GROUP

5 6 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

Stevedoring at Sea, and the patented EBOS for Exposed Beaching Operations leading the service Comarco offers.

Instant Ports In the niche field of “Instant Ports”, Comarco and Copenhagen-based Thorco Shipping have established a dedicated subsidiary to provide turnkey solutions for transporting any size cargo to the remotest and most challenging areas accessible by sea.

Formed in September 2014, Instant Ports combines the expertise of both partners and can draw on a fleet of modern 5,000-20,000 DWT cargo vessels along with cargo barges, tugs, trucks, cranes, forklifts and an experienced workforce as well as the Industry Renowned EBOS.

An Instant Port is ideal for oil and gas, exploration and other project-related operations that require an environmentally-friendly, rapidly deployable and removable, beach landing site, especially at remote locations in marginal sea conditions.

Specific services include beach and site surveys, bathymetric and geotechnical surveys, project management and engineering, handling of local permissions and the delivery of heavy lift and out of gauge cargo.

Diversifying A number of other notable projects set for 2015

Comarco is developing an instant port for

the Palma project

‘Comarco and Copenhagen-based Thorco Shipping have established a dedicated subsidiary to provide turnkey solutions for transporting any size cargo to the remotest and most challenging areas accessible by sea.’

A F R I C ACOMARCO GROUP

showcases the scope of work the company is able to carry out, keeping the project book healthy through an uncertain period for oil and gas exploration and development.

A joint venture with multinational bunkering specialist Dan Bunkering has just been initiated, involving the purchase of an offshore bunkering vessel. The Comarco Pemba, 2,439 dwt, has been delivered to East Africa and is now in operation.

Phillips said: “Dan Bunkering is working in East Africa to help supply the growing number of offshore projects which need fuel, together with seismic and exploration work happening up and down the

Crown Paints

HERE’S TO A COLOURFUL PARTNERSHIP

www.crownpaints.co.ke

Crown Paints Kenya congratulates Comarco Group for over 40 years of hard work, dedication and extraordinary growth. We look forward to an even brighter future.

Comarco offshore

vessel

5 8 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 5

COMARCO GROUP

Thorco Shippingwww.thorcoshipping.com

With a versatile � eet of over 85 multipurpose vessels, Thorco Shipping is able to accommodate the diverse requirements of any project. In addition to a global presence, the size of our � eet o� ers our clients great � exibility, as we often have a variety of vessels to choose from for any cargo in a

particular area. On the shore side, Thorco Shipping o� ers full � exibility as well. With our highly-skilled personnel and 15 o� ces spread across the globe, we are available around the clock and always able to deliver fast and reliable transport solutions, to clients from any time zone in the world.

Size and �exibility

EuropeThorco Shipping A/STel. +45 6320 [email protected]

AsiaThorco Shipping Pte. Ltd.Tel. + 65 6922 8620 [email protected]

North AmericaThorco Shipping America Inc.Tel. +1 (281) 404 4250 [email protected]

South AmericaThorco Shipping Brazil Ltda.Tel. +55 213 388 [email protected]

In order to provide comprehensive solutions to multi-faceted financial services industry requirements, and to deliver a strong client-focused approach across a range of insurance products,

servicing corporates medium –size businesses and individuals in South Africa and the rest of Africa, the Pogir Group consists of four

separate companies: Short Term Insurance, Healthcare Solutions, Employee Benefits and Life & Advisory.

Visit us online to find out more:www.pogirgroup.co.za

Exceptional Service.Personal Attention.

St Andrews office park, Block A, Ground Floor

39 Wordsworth Avenue, St Andrews Bedfordview

Tel: (011) 879 7200 | Fax: (011) 454 - 0581

http://thorcoshipping.com

http://pogirgroup.co.za

http://sealite.com

A F R I C A


COMARCO GROUP

Offloading 235-ton portions, Mozambique

coastline, which this vessel can serve in addition to conventional shipping and fishing fleets.”

Comarco Group has also recently invested in a dedicated salvage tug, the CSC Nelson, which at 150t BP is currently the largest of its kind operating on the eastern coast of Africa The Nelson is currently in dry dock in Durban being prepared to be used for long distance towage and salvage. Nelson will be owned and operated by Consolidated Salvage Company, a Comarco Group company.

Geographically the company is also broadening its horizons, with Executive Chairman Peter Phillips, the founder of the Group, returning to Myanmar to establish a new fully incorporated unit of the business.

“We have spent a lot of time in Myanmar and believe there is great potential there,” the MD

Comarco Tug


6 0 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 5

COMARCO GROUP

http://www.comarcogroup.com/?utm_source=WDMGroup&utm_medium=magazine&utm_content=CSB&utm_campaign=ABR

http://www.comarcogroup.com/?utm_source=WDMGroup&utm_medium=magazine&utm_content=PalmaPemba&utm_campaign=ABR

A F R I C A



added. “While there is the challenge of limited infrastructure, it also represents opportunities for us to get involved with development of the country and offer our services and experience.”

Other markets the group has already reached include Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, and Malawi and West Africa are possible target destinations for this year.

Giving back As the group continues to grow and have a greater impact in the communities in which it operates, Phillips hopes it can expand its CSR reach and impact.

Comarco’s global footprint

“Our main CSR activities at the moment are in Kenya, sponsoring events, working with the community and neighbourhood to improve and upgrade the area...”

– Simon Phillips, Managing Director


COMARCO GROUP

6 2 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

“Our main CSR activities at the moment are in Kenya, sponsoring events, working with the community and neighbourhood to improve and upgrade the area, and developing schools and paying school fees for employees who qualify through a means test,” he said.

“The infrastructure and municipal resources in Kenya has been quite severely stretched in recent times due to urbanization and population growth.” Comarco teams help to remove litter and clean roads, and are also building a park so children can play safely. A pilot canteen scheme is another initiative that has been received well, providing food, water and sanitation in parts of Mombasa

Comarco Supply Base, Mombasa, Kenya

Comarco is working with

the communtiy in Kenya



Company Information

I N D U S T RY

Exploration World


Mombasa , Kenya

F O U N D E D

1971

E M P L O Y E E S

450

R E V E N U E

Not disclosed

P R O D U C T S /

S E R V I C E S

Offshore Marine;

Construction; Supply

Chain and Logistics

lacking these facilities. A new sponsoring initiative will see line

managers of the 450 workers nominate the brightest company prospects, who in return for at least three years of commitment to Comarco will receive added high-quality training.

Growth will be key both to Comacro Group’s commercial and social success, and Phillips is carrying positivity into the new year on the back of new lines of business being generated from Mombasa and elsewhere as in Myanmar.

He concluded: “I am optimistic and believe that much of the current hesitancy surrounding industry will disappear as 2015 progresses.”


The ETP

Plant

project

6 5

Written by: Abigail Phillips Produced by: Richard Deane

EL-ALAN Invests in Nigeria and beyond to deliver quality design, build solutions and EPC Contracting

6 6 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

EL-ALAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

EL-ALAN Construction Company was founded in April 1982 as a private limited liability company and today is one of the

fastest growing and most dynamic construction and civil engineering companies in Nigeria.

For over three decades El-ALAN has delivered high quality integrated construction solutions. Its initial focus was construction works in the private sector and the company quickly gained a name for itself as a quality contractor. Its success and reputation today is built on the consistent delivery of quality, speed, efficiency and overall client satisfaction.

“We have been in the industry for 30 years and during that time have always put the focus on our clients,” explains Andrea Geday, Managing Director. “We have perfected our craft over the years and our emphasis will always be on quality over quantity.”

Unlike so many of its competitors, EL-ALAN has weathered more than one economic recession and has come out the other side stronger than before. “We have survived all this time in part due to perseverance,” says Geday. “We tighten our belts and focus on

With a wealth of expertise and an emphasis on quality, EL-ALAN has built a solid foundation from which to springboard the company to its next phase of development

“We have perfected our craft over the years and our emphasis will always be on quality over quantity”– Andrea Geday, Managing Director

EL-ALAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY C O N S T R U C T I O N

www.e la lan .com 6 7

Marina Securities Limited

Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc.

Marina Securities Limited

Panther Investments Ltd

Bel Papyrus Limited

Location:

Omnia Nigeria Limited established in 1980 is specialized in wide range of Aluminium products such as Doors, Windows, Partitions, Skylight, Curtain Walls, Sunbreakers. We have a large share in the housing and commercial developments in Nigeria and are one of the top companies to offer high end products in this segment.

Plot 8, Adeyanju Daniel Street,Off Oshodi-Apapa Exp. Way,Near Mile 2, Vanguard,P.O. Box 1454Apapa - Lagos

Tel: 01-7738600, 7738686Email: [email protected] www.omnia-aluminium.com

http://www.omnia-aluminium.com

EL-ALAN CONSTRUCTION C O N S T R U C T I O N


delivering a quality product, no matter how tough the economy. This has paid dividend on a number of occasions, because when the market picks up again, we have less competition.”

EL-ALAN has also been incredibly smart when it comes to diversifying its product and service offering. “We have developed new complementary arms of the business including MEP building services, Property Development, Facility Management and Logistics,” says Geday.

“We provide complete construction solutions. The majority of our contracts are turnkey projects. We are involved in each stage of the project, from architectural design, planning approval and construction. We also provide building maintenance and facility management solutions. This holistic approach delivers cost

Bagco Nigeria

Limited


Plot 8, Adeyanju Daniel Street,Off Oshodi-Apapa Exp. Way,Near Mile 2, Vanguard,P.O. Box 1454Apapa - Lagos

Tel: 01-7738600, 7738686Email: [email protected] www.omnia-aluminium.com


Management: Mr. Amadio Bellini, Managing Director

Website: www.omnianig.com

SUPPLIER PROFILEOMNIA (NIG) LTD

http://www.omnia-aluminium.com

http://www.omnianig.com

[email protected]

We are a well established trading company with profound expertise in ceramic and porcelain tiles, sanitary-ware, faucet’s and bathroom fittings.

Ceilings out of the ordinary go to BSPCeilings • Water-proofing/insulations • Partitioning • Security fencing wire • Design fabrications of galvanized metal profiles

Tel: 01-7743818, 08023084901 | Fax: 01-5849730 | Email: [email protected]

http://www.westafco.net

mailto:bspnrcrng%40yahoo.co.uk?subject=

EL-ALAN CONSTRUCTION C O N S T R U C T I O N


effectiveness, streamlines project management and shortens construction timelines.

“We have truly developed a one-stop-shop service whereby we can take a building from inception to completion, even down to details such as bathroom design,” says Geday.

Not only does the company offer a complete turnkey solution, but it also has all the required core competencies in-house. EL-ALAN has a small database of trusted contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers with whom it has worked with for a long time. “This is extremely attractive to our clients,” says Geday. “Everything is managed by us and us alone, which means there is nobody else to hide behind, no excuses. Every element of the project is controlled by us, which makes completion much easier.”

Getting noticedEL-ALAN clearly has the skill set required to build high-quality structures, however as Geday concedes getting the project in the first place is often the hardest part. In recent years this has been less of a hurdle for the business, which successfully completed a

“We have built our own vocational school to improve the skills of our employees and thus the quality of our work as a company”

– Andrea Geday

Key Personnel Andrea GedayManaging Director Academic Qualifications:A. BSc. Nottingham University- UK, 1979.

B. MSc. Loughborough University- UK, 1980.

Work Experience:Joined Nicoho Limited as a site supervisor (2000 student hostel, unilag).

Promoted to the position of project manager, Nicoho Limited in 1981 promoted to the position of operations manager, Nicoho Limited in 1982.

Entrepreneurship:Co-founded El-Alan Construction Company Nigeria Limited, a fast and dynamic construction and civil engineering company in Nigeria in 1984 (www.elalan.com).

Co-founded Panther Investments Limited in 1989, a parent company with a teaming number of successful subsidiaries.

Co-founded Soft Solutions Limited(SSL), in 1995, an IT solutions and consulting company (www.ss-limited.com).

Co-founded Provast Limited in 1997, a foremost facility management and maintenance company with branches across Nigeria and Ghana. A joint venture with Shell Nigeria Closed Pension Fund Administrator, SNCPFA (www.provastltd.com).

Co-founded VACC Technical Limited in 2002, a renowned building services company with offices in Nigeria and Ghana (www.vacctechnical.com).

Co-founded Alan Caray Technical and Logistics Limited, distributors of various high quality brands of bathroom and piping solutions in 2004 (www.alancaray.com).

Co-founded Etiwa Limited, a vocational technical training school in 2013.

Co-founded Woodstyles Limited, woodworks and joinery manufacturing 2014.

EL-ALAN

[email protected]

The essential building blocks for your

construction needs

Port Harcourt Office: Golf Estate, Abuloma, Rivers State or Road 8, Flat 1A, Agip Estate, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

FOR QUALITY CONCRETE BLOCKS & INTERLOCKING STONES/PAVERSWe manufacuture & supply:• Blocks (various shapes/sizes)• Interlocking/Paving stones• Cement (retail/bulk purchase)• Chippings• Sharp Sand

WE ALSO LEASE/SELL THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT:

Block MachineCement/Concrete MixersForklift & Loaders

Factory Address:

Plot No. CP/12 Cadastral Zone, 07-05 Dutse Alhaji, Abuja. Tel: 0700blockworks / 23480370913982348033159323 / 2348036644654

Our block features:• Aesthetic appearance• Durability• Resistance to rain penetration• Fire Resistance• Sound Insulation• Versatility in application• Low maintenance• Economical

Universal Furniture Limited furnishes Towers, Hotels, Offices, Residences, Hospitals, Schools, Laboratories, Banks, Oil & Gas companies ... Our customers are pioneers in their businesses all over the country.

Head Office-LagosE: [email protected]

T:+234 8034935183

www.ufl-nigeria.com

number of high-profile builds in the country. “Landowners and developers have started to sit up and take notice of EL-ALAN,” he says.

“They recognise the fact that we have in-depth market understanding, good knowledge of the Nigerian economy and respect from the local business community. That counts for an awful lot.”

Investing in NigeriaBut the company goes much further than supporting Nigeria and Nigerian business - it’s investing in the long-term growth of the region too. “We have built our own vocational

“We want to be the Bentley or Porsche of the construction world – we want to be a company where people don’t come to negotiate on price, the come because they know what they want”

– Andrea Geday

http://www.ufl-nigeria.com

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


EL-ALAN

school to improve the skills of our employees and thus the quality of our work as a company. In Nigeria vocational schools are few and far between so next year we are opening our doors to the public and giving more people the opportunity to learn new skills,” says Geday.

EL-ALAN is a proud advocate of Nigeria as a region and believes it has a very bright future ahead of it. “Nigeria has a lot of potential, the world is focusing on us. We have a young and dynamic population as well as a wealth of natural resources. Nigeria is a great place to do business, the market is growing and the future looks very promising,” says Geday.

That being said, the company is not going Construction projects

Abuja Hotel

Head office -

Wapic building

Luxury residential

buidling - No 4

Residential Mulistoyried

Building - Tango Towers



Company Information

I N D U S T RY

Construction


Lagos, Nigeria

F O U N D E D

1982

E M P L O Y E E S

Not disclosed

R E V E N U E

Not disclosed

P R O D U C T S /

S E R V I C E S

Construction services

to halt at the countries boundaries. “We are looking to expand into Ghana and Kenya and possibly into Nairobi too in the next couple of years. We will replicate the Nigerian model, it has been very successful to date.”

Looking to the future The future outlook at EL-ALAN is robust. As a company there is passion running through its veins and every employee is dedicated to perfecting the craft of the business. Over the years, the company has invested heavily in its future by setting up schools, fine-tuning its supply chain and logistics, developing its core competencies and focusing on quality.

“We thrive on challenges that actively pave the way of progress. We operate on a ‘can do’ basis and have gained a reputation for creativity and innovation in devising solutions to problems that other contractors may dismiss as being too difficult. We always strive for progressive and competitive project solutions,” says Geday.

The foundation is there, the company is now channeling its energy into becoming the best construction company in the region.

“We want people to come to EL-ALAN because they want the best service and end-result. We want to be the Bentley or Porsche of the construction world – we want to be a company where people don’t come to negotiate on price, they come because they know what they want,” concludes Geday.

Hotel Partners AfricaAchieves Global Standards of Excellence Written by: Abigail Phillips Produced by: Richard Dean

7 8 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

HOTEL PARTNERS AFRICA

Founded in 2013, Hotel Partners Africa is an alliance of three leading hospitality consultancies - W Hospitality Group, Hotel

Spec and Leisure Property Services – each with considerable expertise throughout Africa. With a particular focus on the Sub-Saharan territory, the company has a diverse portfolio of service offerings in the hotel development sector.

Hotel Partners Africa guides its clients through the development lifecycle of a hotel from conception to feasibility, development management to asset management. “We are a turnkey provider of services for hotel investment,” says Vernon Page, Chief Executive Officer, Hotel Partners Africa. “The only thing we don’t do is manage the hotels once they are in operation.”

Under its umbrella of expertise Hotel Partners

Based in Sub-Saharan Africa, HPA has built a reputation for offering a quality turnkey solution for hoteliers


www.hote lpar tnersaf r ica .com 7 9


ICL Club Lounge shows the quality of product offered by the company

Africa offers a raft of services to hotel developers and operating companies, providing crucial input and hands-on management throughout the planning, design, construction, renovation and refurbishment stages of new and existing hotels.

Despite being a fairly young business, HPA has been well received by the hotelier sector both in the region and on a global scale. The African hotel industry is one fraught with challenges, and as such industry professionals have welcomed the combined experience bought to the table by HPA. “We offer our clients stability and a pool of knowledge not found anywhere else,” says Page. “One of the biggest advantages for our clients is that they have a single point of contact throughout the lifecycle of a hotel development, meaning they do not have to search for various advisors and

Hotel Partners Africa is an alliance of

three leading hospitality

consultancies

2013

Economic Growth Driving DemandThe case for Africa is not news. The continent has recorded strong economic growth in the last decade and its share of the world’s GDP is expected to triple to 12% by 2050. This massive growth has attracted an increasing amount of international capital, which is perfectly positioned to support Africa’s long-term growth.

Strong growth has also triggered an urbanization trend across sub-Saharan Africa. With higher household incomes and thus purchasing power, Africa’s young and growing population is shaping a new middle class that is fueling internal demand for consumer goods, infrastructure, education, health and other services. It will help secure an unrivalled pool of human capital to support African growth into the future.

Undeniably African economies are flourishing. With a more transparent and relatively stable political climate, business interests are starting to proliferate across the continent. And so are the number of domestic, regional and international business travelers: as they travel across Africa to attend to their widespread business interests, they are driving up steady demand for increased and better business hotel accommodation across sub-Saharan Africa.

Addressing the ChallengesNo economic growth is devoid of challenges. In Africa, meeting basic infrastructure needs is undoubtedly the main barrier in securing continued growth. Increased funding and the achievement of operational efficiencies are the cornerstones in addressing such challenges (read our article ‘The catalyst must come from within’ by Ulrich Otto and Minesh Mashru at www.quantumglobal.ch).

On another front, steadfast progress is being made against the common perception of Africa as a challenging place to do business, plagued by inefficiencies, political instability and health concerns. The increased political stability and enhanced business environment in sub-Saharan Africa are reflected in the considerable progress made in the region’s Transparency Index ratings from 2012 to 2014.

A Hospitable Future AheadQuantum Global Alternative Investments advises the investment manager of a USD 500 million investment vehicle, which aims to capitalize on the emerging opportunities in the hospitality sector. As a long-term direct equity investor in hotel projects across sub-Saharan Africa, the investment structure targets real estate and real estate-related investments in superior three, four and five-star business hotels. These are built to high quality international standards, with modern construction and design, and aim to respond to the growing need for hotel accommodation in sub-Saharan Africa. The investment structure seeks investment opportunities in established growth markets, with a particular emphasis on prime locations in selected cities of resource-rich countries.

About Quantum GlobalQuantum Global is an independent and client-focused investment partner which delivers unbiased investment advice and services of the highest quality. With African roots and global reach, Quantum Global has the expertiseto identify and execute unique investment opportunities in Africa.

About Quantum Global Alternative InvestmentsQuantum Global Alternative Investments (QGAI) is Quantum Global’s Real Estate, Private Equity and Infrastructure arm. We serve governmental institutions, such as Central Banks and Sovereign Wealth Funds, and advise a family of investment vehicles that targets direct investment into Africa’s growth sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, hotels, infrastructure, mining and timber. QGAI also advises an investment structure that targets prime real estate in developed markets. With Quantum Global’s experience of investment in complex environments, QGAI works in close partnership with key stakeholders and advises them on how to maximize investment value and returns through active management and value creation.

www.quantumglobal.ch [email protected]

www.quantumglobal.ch [email protected]

Meet the Quantum Global

team at MIPIM 2015, 10-13 March 2015,

Cannes, France.

You are cordially invited to Quantum Global’s cocktail event on 11 March 2015 on board

the Mabruck III berthed in the port of Cannes, France. Please contact Franck Behiblo, Quantum

Global Head of Corporate Development, at [email protected]

for more details.

Quantum Global. Taking African hospitality to the next level.

http://www.quantumglobal.ch

S t a u c h V o r s t e r A r c h i t e c t s I n t e r n a t i o n a l i s c o m m i t t e d t o q u a l i t y d e s i g n , e v o l v e d o u t o f a n e s t a b l i s h e d , m u t u a l l y b e n e f i c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h e a c h o f o u r c l i e n t s . C o n t i n u o u s c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e i m p a c t o f n e w p r o j e c t s o n t h e e n d - u s e r a n d t h e p u b l i c , t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e f o r m , f u n c t i o n , a n d a r c h i t e c t u r a l l a n g u a g e o f t h e p r o j e c t , a r e i n t e g r a l t o o u r d e s i g n p r o c e s s . I t i s S t a u c h V o r s t e r A r c h i t e c t s I n t e r n a t i o n a l ’ s m i s s i o n t o p r o d u c e v a l u e , q u a l i t y , a n d d e s i g n e x c e l l e n c e , u n d e r s t a n d i n g d e s i g n a s a p e o p l e - f o c u s e d e n d e a v o u r .

I N N O V A T I O N B Y D E S I G N

: +27 21 421 4276: +27 31 263 8200: +27 11 268 6090: +27 41 581 6362

Cape TownDurbanJohannesburgPort Elizabeth

w w w . s v a r c h i t e c t s . c o m

http://www.tophousing.com

http://www.svarchitects.com

HOTEL PARTNERS AFRICA C O N S T R U C T I O N


consultants. We provide a one-stop-shop service to developers and owners,” he says.

With close to 100 years of global hospitality knowledge between its partners, the company prides itself in offering a market-leading service. “A defining point for us is that in sub-Saharan Africa we are the only company to provide all these services,” says Page. “In five years we would have consolidated our position as the leading hospitality consultancy in the region. We know the competition is growing, as business in Africa continues on an upward trajectory, but we have an advantage by being on the ground. Added to that is our unfailing desire to advise our clients in their best interests.”

The impressive list of clients making up HPA’s portfolio is testament to its level of service and expertise. The consultancy has worked with the likes of Hilton, Holiday Inn, Radisson, Sheraton and InterContinental to name just a few and has earned industry wide respect for its proficiency in the planning, management and advisory of hotel developments.

A broad service offeringHotel Partners Africa offers its clients a broad service offering – in fact, its impressive portfolio is one of its many unique selling points. Services offered include:

Market and Financial Feasibility Studies: This is the very first step in the process, after securing the site. There are five main reasons to carry out a

“A defining point for us is that in sub-Saharan Africa we are the only company to provide all these services”– Vernon Page, Chief Executive Officer

Elevating Recruitment to Excellence

www.elevationpersonnel.co.za

Elevation Personnel views you as an individual. We invest time understanding your skills, experience and qualifications, together with, your goals and dreams.We then do our very best to connect you with an opportunity best aligned with your talents and aspirations.

A critical aspect of being the bestbusiness you can be is recruiting andretaining the strongest talent to join your team. Elevation Personnel makes your business our business, we ensure we understand your company cultureand requirements in order to provide competent and reliable personnel.

In proud association with:

Johannesburg - Cape Town - South Africa - Africa - Global

Project Managers - Engineers - Senior Management

Hospitality - Senior and Executive positions in all sectors

For complete peace of mind recruiting services e-mailPetra Devereux.

[email protected]

[email protected] • www.hotelspec.com

Talk to us and get it right the first time!

Development Management • Project Co-Ordination • Design Reviews • Development & Technical Services

• Procurement • Warehousing & Logistics • Installations & Hand-Over

http://www.elevationpersonnel.co.za

http://www.hotelspec.com

http://www.africa-conference.com

HOTEL PARTNERS AFRICA C O N S T R U C T I O N


feasibility study. First, to ensure full understanding of the risks and rewards of the project; second, to determine the most appropriate facility provision for a given site and market; third, to brief the architect as to what the market requires in terms of facilities; fourth, to attract the attention of an operator and form the basis for contract registration and fifth, to support submissions to debt and equity providers.

Operator Selection and Negotiation: The hotel operator should be engaged early on in the development process to have input in regards to the concept and detailed design of the project. In addition, sources of funding will want to know who is to operate the proposed hotel – some will not lend or invest unless an international operator has been engaged. The appointment of the correct operator to your project can enhance your financial returns and thus the value of your hotel. The owner / operator relationship is a long term one and needs to be effective and mutually beneficial. HPA have excellent relationships with all of the international and regional (African) hotel operators, and have worked with all of them on projects across the continent.

Raising of Funding: It is virtually impossible to fund a development opportunity or hotel without suitable funding. HPA have unrivalled access to various sources of funding to buy or develop hotels, including:

Key Personnel Vernon PageCEOVernon has over 15 years’ experience of funding hotel developments, sourcing equity and debt for various projects, building hospitality investment funds, and managing their returns. In creating this ‘one-stop shop’, Hotel Partners Africa has established a highly proactive team to build long-standing relationships with major players, particularly hotel operators and developers, fund managers, property owners and all others involved in the hotel development process.

Best Western hoteliers enjoy the unique advantage of retaining their independence while benefiting from Best Western’s full-service, well-known, lodging affiliation which offers a global reservations system and distribution along with loyalty club (Best Western Rewards®), revenue management and Customer Care training.

Vīb (pronounced Vibe) is a stylish and technology-centric hotel concept created to meet the needs of today’s connected traveler. Vīb’s high-density concept will be cost-effective to build and operate, making it an attractive option for owners and developers.

bestwesterndevelopers.com +353 1 460 [email protected]

Each Best Western® branded hotel is independently owned & operated

Best Western welcomes hundreds of thousands of guests nightly, ready for your share?

SM

Leisure Property Services

At LPS we undertake a wide range of hotel related services including acquisitions, disposals, valuations, rent reviews, operation selection & management contract negotiations.

Our geographic knowledge covers the UK, Europe, the Americas and Africa.

Call our team based in Londonon +44 203 754 9174.

The W Hospitality Group are specialist consultants to the hotel, tourism and leisure industries in Africa, providing a full range of advisory services to our clients who have investments in the sector, or who are looking to enter them, through development, acquisition or other means. Our team has experience of more than 90 countries worldwide, and over 30 in Africa, and has worked at all market levels, from deluxe hotels to roadside lodges, exclusive health clubs to public recreation facilities, and from the master planning of thousand hectare sites to the best use of city blocks.

Our main activities include market and financial appraisals, operator selection and contract negotiation, and asset management.

www.w-hospitalitygroup.comtrevor.ward@w-hospitalitygroup.com01-791 4165

For more than three decades VingCard Elsafe has been the leader in hotel security solutions. Today, over 40,000 properties around the world trust us to provide the most advanced, secure and reliable solutions for electronic locking, energy management, in-room safes and minibars. Our products are designed to meet your needs for efficiency, convenience and peace of mind, with industry-leading technology, sleek designs and user-friendly features for both your staff and guests. With a customer service network that spans the globe, we’re here to help… and here to stay. So stay with the leader – VingCard Elsafe.

Stay with the leader

Leading the world for over 30 years in hotel security and technology solutions.

VingCard Elsafe Phone: +47 69 24 50 00 | [email protected] | www.vingcardelsafe.comProvider of: VingCard Locks and Systems | Elsafe Safes | Orion EMS | PolarBar Minibars

Xtra II by ElsafeSentinel II by Elsafe Signature by VingCard Essence by VingCard

http://www.bestwesterndevelopers.com

http://www.leisureproperty.com

http://www.w-hospitalitygroup.com




“We work with the best architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and content managers. A hotel is a complex animal”– Vernon Page

Equity: - Both minority or majority equity for development projects, new or partially completed;

- Additional equity for operational assets.

Debt: - Construction debt; - Operational debt; - Refinancing of existing debt; - Mezzanine instruments.

Development management: Complete hotel development management services, which includes advice, recommendations and negotiations with nominated professional teams; project coordination; budget management; programme and quality assessment reporting; overall project monitoring to ensure coordination between operator requirements and all services; design and finishes; contractual conditions; budget evaluation to completion, and hand over of operation. Working closely with the client’s architects, engineers and interior designers to ensure all the client’s and brand specific requirements are met.

With the company’s experience of advising owners on developing and refurbishing hotels around the African continent and specific specialised knowledge of the workings and requirements of hotels it will ensure that all integrated systems such as IT, AV, MATV, PBX,

8 8 M a rc h 2 0 1 5


security, life safety etc. are seamlessly integrated in order to create a cost efficient and correctly specified hotel operation. All back of house areas from receiving to waste management, housekeeping, stores, administration and kitchen operations are correctly specified and provided to ensure a smooth operating environment, compliant with all local building, fire and safety regulations.

Procurement: HPA manages its clients procureent needs from sourcing products at the most competitive prices globally to ongoing co-ordination with the interior designer at all stages of the development. It will even help its clients manage budget. Furniture, fixtures and equipment is all custom-made to the specification of the design consultant in terms of material, colour, fabric, foam, size and design and ongoing inspections and quality control management ensures quality and suitably specified furniture is manufactured and delivered to the project. Kitchen, laundry, technical and back of house areas are all coordinated closely with the operator.

Warehousing and logistics: Consolidation services and co-ordination of all logistical services from import/export, customs clearing, insurance and forwarding. With an average turnaround of between 60 to 80, 40 foot containers annually spanning across Africa and the world, its automated tracking, inventory, warehouse and

LBH, Cape Town,

South Africa

Lagoon Beach Hotel,

sea-view room




freight management systems will ensure that all shipments arrive on site and in line with the project program.

Installation Services: The company’s on site Project Team receive all items of FF&E, OS&E and other equipment and position and install items of FF&E in in the correct location as per approved drawing specifications. Project Team services include:• Inventory control and reporting of all goods

received on site and reconciled to approved budget and official orders.

•The correct positioning of all FF&E items within the property according to the interior furniture lay-out drawings as issued.

•Hanging of all artworks and mirrors to the specification issued on the Interior Designers’ layout and elevation plans.

•Perform any minor repair work to FF&E, which after positioning in the property is found to be damaged or to return such goods to the manufacturer.

•Where applicable, to commission all kitchens, IT, telephone, television and AV equipment, including the tuning and “burning-in” of all such equipment as required, and to ensure sufficient training is provided to the hotel’s staff on its safe operation.

• Individually bar code all items of FF&E once in place within the property and to build a detailed asset register of all FF&E items.

Average number of forty foot containers moved annually using its auto-mated tracking

systems

70

9 0 M a rc h 2 0 1 5


The asset register shall include the following information:

1. Item description2. Location within the property 3. Value at date of purchase

Valuations: To secure finance it is essential to ensure that the project is sound and that is where a valuation becomes vital. Bank funding is usually predicated upon loan to value ratios and the ability to make scheduled repayments. At HPA we can provide formal secured lending valuations, stock market valuations and more informal internal valuations. Our team has carried out valuations for most banks who are active in funding hotels. We even provide advice to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (the

‘We even provide advice to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (the valuers governing body) on how hotel valuations should be carried out.’

SHL suite




valuers governing body) on how hotel valuations should be carried out.

Asset Management: The primary objectives of an asset manager is to act as an expert interface between the owner and the operator, while assisting hotel owners to realize the full value of their assets through a continuous process of value creation and enhancement.

Talent Acquisition: The importance of sourcing suitable, passionate, talented and experienced staff from executive and management level down who can add the most value to the business and its guests, forms the basis upon which the company approaches its talent acquisition process. Culture and attitude play a key role

Location management

is an integral part of

HPA services

Mark Martinovic, Head

of Design & Construction



in the identification of these individuals. This coupled with working very closely with clients to understand their objectives, company culture and environment to ensure a good staff morale, high level of service and low staff turnover makes the service a success.

Brokerage: At some stage, it is likely every owner will consider disposing of even the finest hotel. HPA recommends early in the ownership process considering the likely program for disposal, to ensure the right strategies are put into place. HPA can provide comprehensive and strategic ownership advice, and, at the right moment, will help to dispose of the asset in the most productive way, to suit its client’s particular investment goals. The team has an unrivalled track record of hotel disposals in Africa, generating exceptional sales prices from its comprehensive network of hotel investors from around the world.

Overcoming challenges Despite making strides in the industry, not all has been plain sailing for HPA. Doing business in Africa comes with a unique set of challenges including a lack of funding, the threat of terrorism and additional concerns such as the recent Ebola crisis. “It can be hard to attract investors being a fairly volatile economy. That being said, business is moving to Africa, so even with the challenges, it is a fertile ground for hotel development. From our perspective, for the next 20 years there will be

The company

specializes in talent

acquisition and

recruitment services

to clients throughout

Africa

9 4 M a rc h 2 0 1 5


compounded growth in the industry,” says Page. That growth is due to a number of factors. In

the last decade Africa has discovered additional resources in the oil and gas sector, it is also an emerging economy, meaning investors and business people need hotels to stay in, which ultimately leads to a spike in development. Furthermore, tourism is constantly on the rise.

“A lot of the African hotels are achieving much higher room rates compared with anywhere else in the world. The Hilton in Abuja for example, is the most profitable Hilton worldwide and you pay more to stay there than you would in London or Paris. A good service provider with good security, high-end rooms, facilities and catering can charge what they want. Return on investment in Africa can be seen in three to five years, where as the global average is seven to 10 years,” explains Page.

Procurement and logistics also presents a challenge for the company. “Logistics in Africa is unreliable at best,” says Page. “Ports, rail and roads are almost non-existent so supply chain management and sourcing commodities can be tough.” In the hotel sector there are a lot of requirements from a goods perspective – from furniture to kitchenware, linen to lighting there are a lot of moving parts to consider.

So as Page explains, business in the region can be a “hard slog” at times, but the investment can pay dividends. “The challenges are all part of the fun,” he says.

The Hilton in Abuja




The company works with the best interior designers

Focusing on qualityHPA doesn’t only offer its clients logistics support, funding advice and project management expertise but also helps achieve standards of excellence from a quality perspective. “We advise developers to develop hotels in line with international standards,” says Page. “We work with the best architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, content managers, and other consultants from landscape architects, interior designers, acoustic specialists and fire and safety experts. A hotel is a complex animal.”

“Imagine a hotel with 250 rooms and how much water, electricity and heating you use, how much sewerage, and air conditioning - you cannot just open the yellow pages, you need specialists.”

“We work with our clients from day one,

“Imagine a hotel with 250 rooms and how much water, electricity and heating you use - you cannot just open the yellow pages, you need specialists”– Vernon Page

9 6 M a rc h 2 0 1 5


throughout the design and build process through to completion. We manage everything from air quality and temperature to fire and security. We also manage branding and maintain global standards of excellence,” he says.

Creating local opportunitiesQuality is king at HPA, but its directors recognise that high standards will not be met without a good team of people behind the business. With this in mind, the company is dedicated to building quality relationships with global and local suppliers.

“We want to support local suppliers and develop local communities, which are very important to us. Where we can we source local

“We want to support local suppliers and develop local communities, which are very important to us. Where we can we source local artwork, furniture and employment to support community development”– Vernon Page

Quality is king at HPA




artwork, furniture and employment to support community development,” says Page.

Marketing and growthIn its short lifetime, HPA has earned a reputation in the sector synonymous with quality and excellence and that is in part due to the combined experience of its founders. “We are all well respected and experienced consultants in the region, plus we all live and work here, which adds to our credibility. We speak at various conferences and events, and are recognised as experts in the field. In the next five years our goal is to be the first choice hotel service provider for developments throughout the continent,” Page concludes.

Company Information

I N D U S T RY

Construction


Lagos, Nigeria

F O U N D E D

2013

E M P L O Y E E S

20 in 3 member

companies

R E V E N U E

Not disclosed

P R O D U C T S /

S E R V I C E S

Consultancy service

offerings in the hotel

development and

operational sector

https://www.linkedin.com/company/2990610?trk=tyah&trkInfo=tarId%3A1415962938548%2Ctas%3Ahotel%20partners%20africa%2Cidx%3A1-1-1

Shree Property Holdings Building on a strong foundation of family valuesWritten by: Abigail Phillips Produced by: Dennis Morales

1 0 0 M a rc h 2 0 1 5

SHREE PROPERTY HOLDINGS

Founded in 1980 by husband and wife duo Pran and Annisha Shree, Shree Property Holdings is a family owned and operated

business. The family owned business was born out of a retail butchery and evolved into a distributor of local and imported meat products in the region, however in 1999 the family recognised an opportunity in the market and diversified into the cold storage of citrus products.

The citrus division of the business was successfully able to secure the two largest clients in the industry - Dole SA and Capespan - and these relationships catapulted the company into the spotlight. That being said the cyclical nature of the citrus season meant that for six months of

Unilever’s new storage facility located next

to their indonsa plant in riverhorse valley

Technology, continuous improvement and a family orientated culture sets Shree Property Holdings in good stead for future growth

S U P P LY C H A I N

www.shreeproper tyho ld ings .com 1 0 1


the year, the company’s warehouses were vacant, which steered it towards the option of letting its facilities to short-term clientele.

“The clientele we attracted included large food and beverage brands like Tiger Brands and Brandhouse as well as bulk storage of sugar and grain products with the likes of Tongaat Hullet Sugar. This was possible because our citrus facilities were designed to store food graded products under the EU, EuroGAP and PPECB, HACCP and ISO 22000 approved standards. This in essence fueled our passion and drove us directly into the property development space. We purchased buildings, demolished and custom built them to food graded warehouse standards,”

“We are constantly striving for excellence in terms of methodology, technique and efficiency”– Pran Shree, Co-Founder & CEO of Shree Property Holdings

Cousins Steel International (Pty) Ltd (CSI) is a Durban-based company, specialising in the design, supply and erection of high quality steel structures.

Current work ranges across a variety of industrial applications, including warehouses, factories, and cold storage facilities.

[email protected]

Cousins Steel International (Pty) Ltd (CSI) is a Durban-based company, specialising in the design, supply and erection of high quality steel structures.

Current work ranges across a variety of industrial applications, including warehouses, factories, and cold storage facilities.

[email protected]

SUPPLIER PROFILE

COUSINS STEEL INTERNATIONAL

One of the latest completed projects by Cousins Steel International (CSI) is situated at King Shaka International, in the Dube Tradeport. Designed in its entirety by the team of in-house engineers, the steel frame spans 96m with two internal columns, whilst the roof covers just over 12,000m2, making this a highly functional facility in prime location.

With internals at just over 13m, the warehouse has areas over 1,200m2 without any obstructions. An interesting aspect of the construction phase was the use of Voidcon composite decking in the office slab, significantly reducing construction time, whilst keeping within the design, and architectural parameters.

With the previously mentioned in-house team, CSI undertakes to design, detail, fabricate, supply and erect the super structure as well as all cladding, doors, louvres and associated items. Along with the stated scope of work, all concrete, stormwater and required design is handled by the CSI team as an added benefit to the client.

The client has recently tenanted the warehouse out to global industry giant Samsung, who have subsequently taken beneficial occupation, and started production in the port.

Structural Steel Supplier: Cousins Steel International

Design Engineers: Cousins Steel International

Developer: Shree Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd

Building Contractor: Various

Tenant: Samsung

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

> Corporate and Investment Banking

STRONG RELATIONSHIPS ARE BUILT ON SOLID FOUNDATIONS

We know the importance of relationships.Working together allows us to understandyour needs so we can off er the best realestate solutions for you. With over 152 yearsof banking experience, this is how we’re moving real estate forward.

They call it Africa. We call it home.

www.standardbank.com/cib

Authorised financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP15).The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (Reg. No. 1962/000738/06). SBSA 174809 – 10/14Moving Forward is a trademark of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited

http://corporateandinvestment.standardbank.com/CIBGlobal/products/property-group .

SHREE PROPERTY HOLDINGS C O N S T R U C T I O N


explains Pavan Shree, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Shree Property Holdings.

In 2007, the company was officially established as a property development company and today, has an extensive property portfolio in Durban comprising of 56 properties. Shree Property Holdings industrial portfolio extends across Durban and the company is currently headquartered at Dube TradePort, in the vicinity of King Shaka International Airport. The majority of its industrial properties are densely concentrated alongside the Durban Harbour and the newly proposed Dig out Port.

Since becoming a property development company, Shree Property Holdings has diversified its client portfolio to include blue chip companies, automotive manufacturers and logistics providers

Inside the cold room

storage of Beacon’s

Chocolates

> Corporate and Investment Banking

STRONG RELATIONSHIPS ARE BUILT ON SOLID FOUNDATIONS

We know the importance of relationships.Working together allows us to understandyour needs so we can off er the best realestate solutions for you. With over 152 yearsof banking experience, this is how we’re moving real estate forward.

They call it Africa. We call it home.

www.standardbank.com/cib

Authorised financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP15).The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (Reg. No. 1962/000738/06). SBSA 174809 – 10/14Moving Forward is a trademark of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited

Standard Bank Real Estate Finance, a division of Investment Banking, has the largest dedicated real estate platform of any financier in sub-Saharan Africa. We provide financing in all areas of the real estate sector and are committed to providing funding via a variety of solutions specific to the needs of our clients putting them at the forefront of their real estate initiatives.

Gary Garrett, Head: Real Estate Finance

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.standardbank.co.za/cib

SUPPLIER PROFILESTANDARD BANK

http://corporateandinvestment.standardbank.com/CIBGlobal/products/property-group .

1 0 6 M a rc h 2 0 1 5


as well as food and beverage clients. This vibrant tenant profile includes the likes of Unilever, Volvo, Samsung, DHL, Tongaat Hulets Sugar and Katoe Natie just to list a few.

Providing world-class storage solutionsShree Property Holdings has a reputation in the region for developing and maintaining AAA grade, new generation warehouses. The company prides itself in providing its clients with complete turnkey storage and logistics solutions, including customisation of facilities for individual tenants. Shree Property Holdings has undergone intensive research and development studies in order

‘Shree Property Holdings has a reputation in the region for developing and maintaining AAA grade, new generation warehouses’

UTI logistics facility


S U P P LY C H A I NSHREE PROPERTY HOLDINGS

Large overhang

constructed to allow

for a covered loading

space

to develop spaces built for maximum storage flexibility and efficiency – for example, each layout incorporates open span design and ideal flow within the warehouse to enable maximum usage of the floor area, which in turn assists and creates greater efficiencies in the operation of their client’s business.

Furthermore, the company has its own bespoke in-house construction division – Shreeprop – which helps ensure that all new developments are built to plan in a cost effective and timeous manner, further guaranteeing that the quality of materials and workmanship is at its finest. It is this factor that enhances the reputation and the ability

1 0 8 M a rc h 2 0 1 5


for Shree Property Holdings to build AAA grade warehouses quicker than most.

Continuous improvementQuality and meticulous planning sets Shree Property Holdings aside from the competition and this underpinned by a culture of continuous improvement. “We are constantly striving for excellence in terms of methodology, technique and efficiency,” says Pran Shree, CEO and Co-Founder. “We work hard to create productive environments for our tenants using the latest technology.”

Shree Property Holdings is a firm believer in technology, as well as deriving benefits from adopting the first user advantages of it, therefore strategically continuing to invest in such to ensure its systems are up to date. “In the citrus business

We put our logo’s on all

our properties to show

ownership and quality

of our products which

our company prides on

The Shree Property Holdings development & construction team




we have been using a wireless, handheld based warehouse management system that has enabled us to load the correct pallet out and at the right time based on all the different variables like FIFO, Count, Grade and Target Market. This system has had many revisions over the years and has also been replaced and reengineered a few times as our business grew,” says Mayur Shree.

“On the property side we are constantly reengineering our intranet and Microsoft SharePoint Services as connectivity and different platforms evolve. This ensures that all our staff members are constantly connected and informed on the different sites and scope of work that we are busy with. We employ Microsoft Project Professional and Autodesk’s Building Design Suite which has increased our turnaround times and improved our accuracy in all projects from planning to completion,” he continues.

The company has also developed its own Shreeprop app, which allows tenants to log enquires instantly with the property management team and expect responses immediately in real time.

Corporate social responsibilityTechnology is not the only driving force behind Shree Property Holdings as an organisation. It is also dedicated to implementing world-class CRS initiatives. “Corporate social responsibility is very important to our company and resonate directly with our core values,” explains Sanam

Key Personnel Pran ShreeCo-founder & CEO

30 years of experience in the Cold Storage and Food Industry

10 years of experience in the Property Development Industry

SAPOA member

Durban Chamber of Commerce Member

“We work hard to create productive environments for our tenants using the latest technology”– Pran Shree

1 1 0 M a rc h 2 0 1 5


Shree, Chief Strategy and Investment Officer. “The company has always supported various charitable organisations, and has a large involvement with Soroptimist International, Durban Club because of the affiliation of our CFO, Annisha, who was the club’s Immediate Past President. Shree Property Holdings and Soroptimist International, Durban Club have formed a partnership in The ‘Adventure into Adulthood’ project and it was this integration that

“The origin of the Shree Future Foundation relays back to Shree Property Holdings core values”– Sanam Shree, Chief Strategy and Investment Officer

Our plant and transportation equipment owned and

managed by our construction and development team




brought about ‘The Shree Future Foundation.’“The origin of the Shree Future Foundation

relays back to Shree Property Holdings core values of empowerment, innovation and creating a sustainable and better future for our children of tomorrow and the less fortunate.

The organisation wishes to educate a university student by providing the potential candidate with the opportunity and funding to study and educate her/himself further. One hundred Grade

1 1 2 M a rc h 2 0 1 5


11 students from disadvantaged backgrounds undergo stringent written and oral tests in order to qualify for the grant. The successful student will then be awarded a bursary to study at a tertiary institution. Voluntary educators will provide arms of support and mentorship from both the Soroptimist Club and the Shree Family.”

The company aims to grow this foundation to a larger scale over the next few years and truly values corporate social responsibility and believes in giving back to the communities in which it operates.

Family values rule the dayThe company isn’t only dedicated to helping those external of the company. Being a family run business, Shree Property Holdings views its staff compliment as being part of their greater family, whilst firmly adopting the ethos of a corporate structure. It is also important to note

The warehouse has

a 20,000 m2 storage

capacity

Warehouse facility occupied by S.A. Landside Logistics




that it is passion and dedication that largely fuels the business. All five family members oversee different arenas of the business and work largely to complement each other with their talents and skills. This display of their complimentary skills will be well executed in the roll out of Shree Property Holdings Africa. Whereby Shree Property Holdings is internationalizing the business and increasing its African footprint in the SADC regions. The first step in the Company’s global movement will be via Mauritius. This has also been an easy process due to the fact that their Blue Chip tenants are requesting space in these SADC countries.

“We put our family name to our brand,” says Pran Shree. “A constant goal that we strive to achieve is to add value to our clients and their business. Being a young player in the property market, it is worthy to note that for the Shree Family this is just the beginning,” he concludes.

Company Information

I N D U S T RY

Construction


La Mercy, South Africa

F O U N D E D

2007

E M P L O Y E E S

250

R E V E N U E

Not disclosed

P R O D U C T S /

S E R V I C E S

Property Development,

and Warehousing

Warehouse facility occupied by S.A. Landside Logistics

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRrzD7MTmHUP_0Dr2ZEAv4w?feature=guide

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shree-Property-Holdings/286872661355596

https://twitter.com/Shree_Property

https://www.linkedin.com/company/shree-property-holdings

https://plus.google.com/106304565686956058178/posts

http://www.businessfriend.com

african business review - march 2015

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