More than meeting demand
Long-term relationships, shrewd investments and an excellent reputation have enabled mining company Benicon to thrive even as others falter. Andrew Pelis talks to CEO Gideon van Heerden to find out more.
It is the nature of todayÔÇÖs business world that small, successful companies tend to get swallowed up by the bigger corporations. Outcomes can be mixed; but for one South African mining entity, being bought out gave it just the impetus it needed for astronomical growth.

The Port of Richards Bay, in KwaZulu Natal, is South Africa’s largest cargo port and a significant contributor to the country’s economy. Jimmy Hills talks to Gay Sutton about a vision for the port to become a global leader.   

Pet lovers are known to make sacrifices for their animals; but as Alan Swaby discovers, it is not always necessary to choose the product with the highest price tag.

Continental Airlines and United Airlines could announce a deal to merge as early as Monday, according to reports.  A merger between Houston-based Continental and Chicago-based United would form the worldÔÇÖs largest airline.

Banking giant Barclays has announced a big rise in its pre-tax profits for the first quarter of this year.

Pennsylvania-based PPL has agreed to buy the US electricity and natural gas unit of Germany's E.ON, the world's largest utility by sales, for $6.7 billion (Ôé¼5 billion) in cash.

Germany's E.ON, the world's largest utility by sales, has agreed to sell its US electricity and natural gas unit to the US company PPL for Ôé¼5 billion in cash.

General Motors has confirmed plans to invest more than $890 million in five North American plants to produce a new generation of fuel-efficient truck and car engines.  The company estimates that the investment will create or retain more than 1,600 jobs at the plants. Two plants will support the engine productionÔÇöTonawanda in New York, which will receive an investment of $400 million, resulting in more than 710 jobs; and St.

Royal Dutch Shell has achieved a quarterly profits rise of nearly 50 per cent on the back of higher oil prices.

Emerson Electric Co. plans to seek meetings with shareholders of the UKÔÇÖs Chloride Group to press the case for a takeover after Chloride rejected EmersonÔÇÖs recent bid.  London-based Chloride dismissed a $1.12 billion offer from Ferguson, Missouri-based Emerson, saying it was too low. ChlorideÔÇÖs shareholders rejected a $1 billion bid from Emerson back in 2008 for the same reason.