Construction World October 2018

BENEFITTING FROM LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Language barriers, different cultural expectations and a whole new set of engineering standards

Maintaining your standards It’s important that you invest time in the local team you put together to train them to work to your expectations. For instance, at Boulting we train all engineers we work with around the world to maintain British standards, such as electrical installation standard BS 7671, as well as various health and safety standards. Not only does this make sure your facility is built to the highest standard, and in keeping with any other facility you have around the world, you’re also building a base of local support for the future. No matter how well the initial commission, development and deployment goes, you can’t predict what may go wrong in the future. Should something break down or require servicing further down the line you know there is reliable, local support. For example, we hold familiarisation training with our client’s competent engineers, so that they fully understand the functionality and any unique features or requirements of our equipment installed. Giving back to the global community Investing time to train engineers in all these different aspects of working on a UK-led project builds the skills base in that region, contributing to closing the international engineering skills gap. Knowledge sharing is vital to proliferate best practice and advanced learning, particularly in developing parts of the world that are growing their standing on the international engineering stage. At Boulting, one of our health and safety advisors runs a course for competent engineers that grants them a Boulting certification in best workplace safety practice. This is something that these individuals can use to gain further employment on higher profile projects, supporting local employment and the regional economy. According to Odi.org, sub-Saharan Africa’s manufacturing sector has grown over the last decade, seeing increased production, employment, trade and foreign direct investment (FDI). Much of this FDI is from developed countries, such as the UK and America, which see the potential in the African market. In regions like this, being able to prove that they can work to UK standards will help engineers find more work. Something that both benefits the region and the international manufacturing sector. So, as you can see, finding local engineers can be a massive benefit to your international projects as well as building an engineer- ing presence you can rely on, where ever you are in the world. 

M - ing standards, cultural expectations and languages. However, if you engage with local engineers as early as possible and work closely with them to share knowledge you’ll find that things run a lot smoother. Knowledge sharing The most obvious benefit from employing local engineers is gaining their insight and knowledge. Not only can they help you navigate cultur- al expectations of local organisations and potential future employees at the site, they can also support you in selecting the right local suppliers. In addition, they will obviously speak the local language. This is a great help as it means you don’t have to staff your own teams with an array of translators. Local staff can also support you in translat- ing necessary forms or induction documents. – managing an international project can be daunting. Here, Dave Friar, operations director at engineering solutions provider, Boulting Ltd explains why working closely with local engineers when managing construction and commissioning of international facilities can lessen the headache.

ICON OF SA ENGINEERING PASSES AWAY AT 97

S outh Africa’s ‘grating man’ Andrew Men- tis, founder of steel floor grating special- ist Andrew Mentis, passed away on 17 June 2018 in Johannesburg at the age of 97. The son of a Greek immigrant, Mentis grew up in Johannesburg in a house behind his father’s general dealer shop in Kerk Street. He became an apprentice fitter and turner in 1938, having completed his Advanced Tech- nical Certificate at Witwatersrand Technical College, taking his first job at SCAWMetals. He started his first business after the war at age 25, partnering with his brother-in- law to produce equipment that varied from vegetable-oil expellers, sweet manufactur-

ing machinery and bakery equipment, to gas producers, lawnmower components and brass window and door fittings. His big break came in 1952 when the US’s Kellogg Corporation needed to source a suitable floor grating for the mammoth Sasol contract they were managing in the Vaal triangle. The product was not available locally, and the grating imported from Europe was too light for this application. In the late 1950s, he designed and patent- ed ‘Rectagrid’, a completely new type of grating – along with a complete manu- facturing plant to allow mass production on a cost-effective basis. So successful

was this facility that a similar plant was later produced and exported to the United Kingdom. This was one of several Andrew Mentis’ exports that earned the company the prestigious State President’s Award for Export Achievement. His contribution to the engineering industry was recognised by his position as a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering Tech- nology, the Institute of Production Engineers and the SA Institute of Industrial Engineers. He was a Life Member of the SA Society for Professional Engineers, as well as a member of the SA Institute of Mechanical Engineers and the Engineers Association of SA. 

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD OCTOBER 2018