Africa

A relatively small company is playing a big part in facilitating trade in a country with a troubled past that is gradually getting back on its feet.

‘With God on our side’ is not the official slogan of Freight Mark Services—but it could be. It certainly underlines the guiding principles of how the business operates, as explained by Mandela Katsande, the logistics manager of this Zimbabwean company. “We are a Christian-based business,” he says, “and we conduct ourselves with complete transparency and strong ethics.”

Gold Fields aims to be the global leader in sustainable gold mining. That does not mean staying in business for ever; but rather leaving behind a viable economy, a clean environment and a thriving community.

Temporary power generation and temperature control services provider Aggreko has officially opened its new service centre in Walvis Bay, Namibia.

The new facility was formally inaugurated by Honorable Willem Isaak, Deputy Minister of Mines of Namibia and Martin Foster, head of local business, Aggreko Southern and East Africa. Cleophas Mutjavikua, the governor of the Erongo region, was also in attendance. 

The facility is Aggreko's sixth service centre in Southern and East Africa and is the first operation to be based in Namibia.

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.

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.

South Africa’s MWEB Business offers a range of affordable, tailored services for small and medium enterprises that address individual needs, improve efficiency and help realise cost savings.

During the first half of 2012, the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved US$800 million in loans to encourage private investment in Morocco’s growing wind and solar markets.

The bank’s support of Morocco’s plan to develop a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant at Ouarzazate and its Integrated Wind/Hydro and Rural Electrification Program is helping the country realise its goal of increasing its installed renewable energy capacity to 42 per cent by 2020.

Nobody's perfect. What quality or ability do you wish you had?

The ability to read minds! On a more serious note—wisdom. We acquire knowledge at a tremendous pace, and using it wisely is a real skill.

 What is the best business book you have ever read, and why?

Private power producers are set to increase Kenya’s electricity generation capacity by 285 megawatts to spur economic growth and improve competitiveness, the World Bank has announced.

Various agreements for the first project, Thika Power, were signed yesterday by Kenya’s government, Kenya Power, Citibank, and the World Bank. The project will add 87 megawatts of capacity and the electricity produced will be purchased and distributed by Kenya Power.