After twenty years of market creation in China, what will it look like as it reaches maturity, and what will this mean for western companies? Part one of a three-part series looks at the emergence of business-to-business markets.

Africa’s largest manufacturer of polyurethane foam products has been very busy extending its products, markets and technology—and supporting new businesses as part of its growth strategy.

A new product emerging onto the world market is setting the bar much higher for pipe construction. Alan Stothard, managing director of IQS International, explains how Huachuang steel reinforced HDPE pipe can deliver significant financial and environmental savings.

After a period of rapid expansion, Saxon Energy Services is developing a management framework to support its growing global footprint. Supply chain director Shaun Anderson talks about implementing the Saxon Management System, lean and six sigma, and a new Oracle ERP platform.

By world standards it might be a small operation but one new venture in Turkey is making a big contribution to the local community.

Nature has been very uneven in its distribution of bounties. Take gold, for example. Plenty has been found throughout North and South America. Africa and Australia are similarly blessed. China is by far the largest source of gold; but poor old Europe has been left holding all the low cards.

As the pressure intensifies on global industry to conserve water and hone efficiencies, solutions that reduce the need for water in dust control are in high demand. Rainstorm Dust Control is using its expertise, unique products and solid experience to lead a growing market.

Whitmore focuses on cutting down wear in industrial applications – the tougher the job, the better Whitmore likes it.

When we spoke to Jack Ellis he was a long way geographically from Rockwall, Texas, where the specialized lubrication company is based—though not so far semantically. The firm’s much traveled VP of sales found himself in Rockhampton, a small town on the coast of Queensland. Traveling with distributors in Australia is his favorite way of connecting with key coal mining customers in the Hunter and Bowen Valleys.

Cardero Resource Corp. plans to mine coal in Canada and iron ore in Ghana. Since acquiring the Carbon Creek asset in northeastern British Columbia its corporate focus is on being an owner-operated coal producer committed to responsible and sustainable mining, with strong and positive stakeholder relationships.

Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company; and its South African subsidiary is one of few able to supply and support the ultra large heavy-duty tyres suitable for underground and open pit mining.

Mining appears straightforward, but success depends on a host of different activities and disciplines, making it difficult to predict future performance and easy to hide uncomfortable facts. MICROMINE produces a software suite that draws an accurate picture to support sustainable business and sound investment decisions.