Archive: October 11, 2024

Dekra Industrial scores 10 out of 10 for safety with 10th consecutive NOSCAR Award

October 11, 2024

Dekra Industrial is proud to announce its 10th consecutive NOSCAR Award, reflecting the company’s dedicated and consistent commitment to safety excellence. The NOSCAR award is only conferred after an extremely rigorous verification audit. The annual NOSA audit took place against the requirements of the CMB150 protocol. Scores obtained need to be above95%, with a disabling accident frequency rate of less than 0.8%, no fatal accidents, no occupational health issues and no major environmental incidents.

This significant milestone for Dekra Industrial coincides with the highest score the company has ever attained in all the time it has been audited by NOSA, alongside the successful completion of the company’s 2024 ISO 45001:2018 surveillance audit.

Johan Gerber, Managing Director of Dekra Industrial, expresses pride in this achievement: “Winning our 10th consecutive NOSCAR award is not just a number; it signifies our relentless pursuit of safety in all aspects of our operations. This achievement distinguishes us as a leader in industrial safety – and highlights our commitment to creating a safe working environment for our valued employees, suppliers and clients,” he states.

This year, Gerber was also honoured with an Excellence Award from NOSA as the winning Managing Director of the Year for the NOSA Mpumalanga region.

“This award is not about me, rather it reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team,” Gerber points out. “I am very proud to be part of a company which prioritises safety and empowers its people to excel in their roles, growing in their careers and as individuals too! Dekra Industrial’s dynamic and ingrained safety culture provides an excellent foundation for this development,” he adds.

Six million serious-injury-free man-hours

Carina Kleinhans, Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Manager at Dekra Industrial elaborates on how the company’s safety culture has evolved over the years: “We started with a vision to unite our branches by means of a common safety ethos. Management commitment and leadership have played pivotal roles in this transformation,” Kleinhans enthuses.

“When our leaders really believe in safety, employees follow suit – creating a strongly cohesive, family-like culture which embraces Dekra’s Vision 2025 to be the ‘global partner for a safe, secure and sustainable world’.”

She emphasises the importance of the recent ISO 45001:2018 audit in enhancing Dekra Industrial’s health, safety and environmental goals. “ISO 45001:2018 is a global standard for occupational health and safety. As such, the audit not only confirms our compliance, but also provides us with recommendations for improvement, which we actively implement,” she notes.

The company’s impressive track record is further evidenced by the recent achievement of six million serious-injury-free man-hours, demonstrating the effectiveness of Dekra Industrial’s ingrained safety practices – even when working in space-constrained, challenging or dangerous industrial environments, which is often the case when doing non-destructive testing and inspection.

Dekra Industrial’s 0.00% Lost Time Injury Frequency Rates (LTIFR) and 0.00% Disabling Frequency Rate (DFR) further underscore its safety achievements. “You can never be complacent when it comes to safety: we continuously discuss and evaluate our performance to set new targets. Our ethos of continuous, incremental improvement ensures that we are always adapting to meet new challenges and achieve higher standards,” Kleinhans highlights.

Employee engagement

Gerber and Kleinhans both agree that individual employee engagement is crucial in fostering Dekra’s Industrial’s dynamic, ‘living’ safety culture. Initiatives such as the ‘#Why I Work Safe?’ internal campaign encourages employees to share their personal reasons for prioritising safety: “Employees develop their own slogans and posters for our walls,” Kleinhans explains. “When our people feel seen and valued, they are more likely to proactively and willingly engage in safety practices.”

Gerber echoes this sentiment: “Safety is not an ‘island’ or isolated department – it is an integral and integrated part of who we are as an organisation. By integrating safety into our daily discussions, we enhance morale and productivity.” He also compliments Kleinhans on her approach, noting that her daily, dedicated involvement alongside her team demonstrates true leadership.

Kleinhans shares a personal highlight from the 2024 NOSCAR Awards ceremony, noting the pride she felt as part of a diverse team, some members of which have been part of Dekra Industrial’s safety contingent since its first NOSCAR award ten years ago: “Being recognised by a respected external industry body for our achievements is a powerful demonstration that our commitment to safety truly pays off,” she says.

Focused and holistic

As Dekra Industrial celebrates these accolades, the company remains committed to and focused on its goals. The integration of health, safety and environmental practices is key to its future strategy. “We have digitised our safety systems, minimising time-consuming and wasteful paper trails, and allowing us to access information rapidly and improve efficiency,” Gerber explains. “This enhances our safety protocols and aligns with our environmental responsibilities.” This digitisation also assists Dekra Industrial with a holistic view of its employees, as safety and human resource information is integrated to provide a 360 degree picture, and creates on online repository of company culture and knowledge for the future.

Dekra Industrial’s commitment to safety and quality continues to set the standard for industry, ensuring that safety remains a core value and ‘golden thread’ underpinning and running through all its operations.

In closing, Gerber expresses gratitude to the entire Dekra Industrial team for their ongoing contributions to safety excellence: “Stringent safety, prudent financial management and meticulous quality control all make up the ‘glue’ and foundation that holds everything together in a successful business – and safety is certainly one of these essential foundational pillars at Dekra Industrial. I am incredibly proud of our team and look forward to continuing this journey together,” he concludes.

LTA Autecon celebrates 40 years of SMEIPP construction excellence

October 9, 2024

LTA Autecon, formerly known as Grinaker-LTA Mechanical & Electrical, has recently redefined its distinct identity and strategic positioning as a market leader in the structural, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, piping and plate work (SMEIPP) construction sectors. With over 40 years of experience, LTA Autecon specialises in delivering an array of construction solutions tailored to the oil and gas and mining sectors. The company’s comprehensive service offerings range from procurement and fabrication to construction, commissioning and maintenance – underscoring its commitment to over four decades of industrial excellence and innovation.

Led by well-known SMEIPP sector stalwart Managing Director Bheki Mdlalose, the company is not only drawing on its heavyweight industry experience and capabilities in the oil and gas and mining sectors, but casting its net wider, to make an impact in several key vertical sectors.

Stalwart SMEIPP track record

Mdlalose began his engineering career with Murray and Roberts, playing a central role in many flagship projects. When he joined Grinaker-LTA in 2006, this upward trajectory continued with iconic construction projects such as the Moses Mabhida, Soccer City and Cape Town stadiums for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Shortly afterwards, Mdlalose opened his own project management company focusing on the power and mining industries. In 2015, he returned to Grinaker-LTA to lead the Mechanical & Electrical business, before taking the helm as Group Operating Managing Director (responsible for Grinaker-LTA and its subsidiaries) just 18 months later.

In 2019, Mdlalose led the restructuring of the then R8-billion per annum Grinaker-LTA Group, retaining just the Civils, Building and Mechanical and Electrical business units.

Thereafter, he set about reshaping the Mechanical and Electrical business for its transition into a standalone entity, which was re-established in 2023 and rebranded as LTA Autecon.

“This is where my key expertise lies. The SMEIPP space is totally different and relies on cyclical commodities – which constantly change and therefore dictate when and where companies invest. Previously, we had focused on the petrochemicals sector – and now wanted to re-enter the mining space – so the business needed to operate differently,” he explains.

“LTA Autecon was known for many years in the mechanical and electrical sectors, and the relaunching and rebranding move has been a positive one, intended to allow us to re-establish our own strong SMEIPP identity in the market,” he adds.

The end result is a business with a proud heritage spanning over 40 years and ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certification, which is perfectly positioned to manage projects for oil and gas, mining and resources clients – including many ‘blue chip’ companies – throughout Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

Refocused for the future

Being too strongly weighted towards South Africa’s petrochemical sector – which is in the midst of its own metamorphosis with several key refineries mothballed – was not ideal, Mdlalose admits.

“It was not sustainable for us to have all of our eggs in one basket – and therefore we needed to re-enter the mining space, tap into renewable energy and restructure our electrical and instrumentation business,” he says.

LTA Autecon now comprises three distinct business units: Oil & Gas, Metals & Minerals and Electrical & Instrumentation, which includes a wholly-owned, but completely independent subsidiary, Grunwald Manufacturing, manufacturing electrical and instrumentation equipment for a host of vertical sectors which are typically not serviced by a SMEIPP business.

  • The Metals & Minerals division is focused on the mining sector, leveraging the extensive construction opportunities available within South Africa and across Africa. As such, this division aims to support the growing demand for infrastructure related to mining activities,   focusing on projects which enhance operational efficiency and sustainability in the mining sector.
  • The Oil & Gas division specialises in the petrochemical and oil and gas sector, and is tailored to deliver a wide array of capital projects. These include services for turnarounds, shutdowns, and maintenance work – ensuring that clients in this sector can optimise their operations and maintain their compliance with industry standards.

“As we are actively involved in all refineries in this country, we understand the industry. In the short- to medium-term, South Africa will build a new refinery to replace those which have closed, so we must be strategically and operationally geared up for that opportunity,” Mdlalose points out.

  • The Electrical and Instrumentation business unit supports the other two business units – while also working alongside Grunwald Manufacturing.

Mdlalose believes this reorganised and reinvigorated operational structure will enable LTA Autecon to handle SMEIPP-specific projects – while also providing turnkey solutions through an integrated capabilities and resource base.

A business built on people

Referring to skills shortages in South Africa, Mdlalose observes that in order to retain experienced people, they need to be developed and recognised for their achievements.

“Our business is based on people. Some have been with the company for over 30 years and have amassed valuable institutional knowledge. They understand the SMEIPP environment – as well as our company identity and culture – and are invested in what we do,” he says, pointing out that this experience also translates into strong relationships with suppliers and clients within the SMEIPP space.

Mdlalose intends further developing skills within LTA Autecon by teaming up experienced individuals with incoming young professionals, through the company’s graduate development programme and project work on-site. This will ensure that the company has skills to take it forward.

Throughout, he focuses on leading by example: “My management style is very direct and straight-forward. I always lead from the front to create a sense of direction and inclusivity. I am an open-door, participative manager – but I also know that, when we promise something, we must deliver!”

Mdlalose’s people development ethos extends not only to his own workforce, but to the communities in which LTA Autecon works.

Although LTA Autecon profiles and promotes its impressive legacy over the past four decades, he says the company is also excited about the future and moving with the times: “As our people have worked in this space for a long time, they can innovate and do things differently. We think outside the box when it comes to SMEIPP project delivery – and will look at new construction methodologies and approaches which ensure that we stand out head and shoulders above our competitors – ensuring that our clients are happy, rewarding us with repeat business,” Mdlalose concludes.

Dekra’s heroes of safety: better than ever and better together! Co-located and closer to clients in Vaal Triangle and Secunda

October 1, 2024

Dekra Industrial and its training division, the Dekra Institute of Learning (IOL) are pleased to announce their move into impressive new premises in Naledi industrial park outside Sasolburg – and the expansion of their existing premises in Secunda – with a dynamic ‘one-stop’ shop offering encompassing non-destructive testing (NDT), inspection, lifting inspections, vendor certification and adult-based occupational training.

As such, the new and upgraded premises reflect Dekra Industrial’s focus on growth, as well as the company’s ongoing commitment to enhancing client relationships, operational efficiency and community engagement.

The expanded premises also mark a strategic shift away from DEKRA Industrial and the IOL operating as two separate entities, says Johan Gerber, Managing Director of Dekra Industrial.

“By co-locating under one roof and consolidating NDT, inspection services and training, the company can now offer a holistic, safe and seamless service to clients, as the ‘heroes of safety’ which we strive to be – in line with our parent company Dekra’s commitment to be a global partner for a safe and sustainable world by 2025,” Gerber explains.

This strategy has already proven successful, as the company is attracting new business and also further strengthening its relationships with longstanding clients in key target sectors.

Enhanced efficiency and proximity

Gerber furthermore highlights the operational benefits of the expansion, explaining that the move was essential to accommodate the company’s growing footprint and offerings: “The new premises in Sasolburg and expanded premises in Secunda have brought us physically closer to our clients, reducing our response time from 45 minutes to just 15 minutes. This leads to significant improvements in operational efficiency for Dekra Industrial and our clients.”

The new Sasolburg premises in the well-known Naledi industrial park positions both Dekra Industrial and the IOL within close proximity to key clients in the petrochemical and other sectors, offering enhanced accessibility and operational efficiency.

Gerber also notes that the consolidation of DEKRA Industrial and the IOL under one roof allows for the delivery of a stronger, all-encompassing service offering: “By combining our services, we can now offer a unified, comprehensive solution to our clients, which was previously not possible due to space constraints,” he adds.

The Secunda branch has also expanded its offerings and capabilities, particularly in the area of NDT replica services, which are crucial for assessing the structural integrity of components under stress.

A stronger community focus

Christopher Mörsner, Head of Training and Consulting at the Dekra IOL, explains that the move supports the IOL’s Vision 2028, which is centered on making a difference – and a sustainable impact – through adult-based occupational training and skills development. He points out that the consolidated services in Sasolburg will help to meet the needs of the local industry by bringing training services directly to clients in the Vaal Triangle region:

“Our ability to offer QCTO-accredited safety and occupational training, combined with a flexible, hybrid approach, allows us to provide tailored solutions which cater to our clients’ specific requirements,” says Mörsner.

He emphasises that this model not only supports local businesses: “It also fosters employment opportunities for the community by providing affordable, accessible training​ for those already in industry seeking to grow, and for school-leavers who cannot go to university,” he advises.

Excellent client engagement

The initiative to expand the premises is the brainchild of Donovan Vermeulen, Dekra Industrial Vaal Triangle Branch Manager, who recognised the strategic benefits of moving closer to key clients in the region.

Vermeulen is very enthusiastic about the positive impact the expanded premises will have on client engagement: “Being closer to our clients, especially those in Sasolburg and Secunda, allows us to provide faster response times and more efficient services, which ultimately saves them both time and money.”

Vermeulen also notes that the enhanced proximity means Dekra Industrial can respond to client requirements far more swiftly, particularly during critical situations such as breakdowns.

He points out the beneficial effect that the new premises in Sasolburg and expansion in Secunda has had on the company’s employees, stating that the move to larger premises has boosted morale and productivity. “The team is now more motivated, and the improved working environment has led to better service delivery, as happy employees work better! As the business grows, we also anticipate creating more local employment opportunities, further contributing to the community,” he enthuses.

Holistic industrial solutions 

Gerber explains that clients increasingly prefer working with a single provider that can meet all of their needs: “The new and expanded premises are a tangible demonstration of our serious commitment to offering a comprehensive, integrated NDT, inspections and training ‘one-stop shop’ service to our valued client base in the Vaal Triangle and in Secunda.

We remain dedicated to providing innovative solutions to the petrochemical and other high-risk industries – as well as to local industrial clients – while simultaneously fostering sustainable community development and employment opportunities,” he concludes​.