Mechanical Technology February 2015

⎪ Local manufacturing and beneficiation ⎪

World-class on the West Coast EBH Namibia, the ship repair specialist and a member of the South Africa-based DCD Group, has achieved ISO 9001 certification for quality management, placing it in an even better position to attract global business.

S hip repair company, Elgin Brown & Hamer (EBH) Namibia, has gained global recognition as a ship repair yard with an exten- sive and growing client base since being established in 2006 and believes one of the reasons for its success in a highly competitive, global market is that the company places “a heavy emphasis on quality, service excellence and a sound safety record”. “EBH Namibia’s reputation is founded on high ethical standards, sound busi- ness practices and a client-centric approach that enables us to better understand external perceptions of the issues critical to society and our business. Our safety standards are non-negotiable and underpin the success rate of all our projects concluded to date,” says Hannes Uys, chief executive officer at EBH Namibia. “EBH Namibia is located on a strate- gic international shipping route along the west coast of Africa. In order to compete in this global industry, it is imperative to be able to assure our clients of a world- class service and the highest possible standards in safety and quality,” he adds. “The company has worked tirelessly to achieve its ISO 9001:2008 accredita- tion and we were very pleased when, in November 2014, the official certification was awarded, after just eight months. “This achievement would not have been possible in such a short space of time without the perseverance and determination of the EBH Namibia team and our external auditors. I am proud that the team has consistently led by example when it comes to living the ‘ISO values’ – ultimately ensuring that we continue to build a better company. It is now of fun- damental importance that we ‘live’ and practise our quality management system across the entire organisation,” says Uys. He explains that the internationally recognised ISO 9001: 2008 accredita- tion means having a sound quality man- agement system (QMS) in place, which translates into efficient operations and work processes across all disciplines. “The eight quality management

steel giant ArcelorMittal’s Newcastle Works facility in KwaZulu-Natal when a new 45 m long, 82 t furnace downcomer was entirely remanufactured within 14 days. The Newcastle Works operation is consid- ered as the country’s top supplier of profile products, and is rated among the lowest bil- let cash/cost producers in the world. During a scheduled installation project that formed part of the furnace re-line during September 2014, the downcomer was damaged. ArcelorMittal South Africa area project manager, Bez Bezuidenhout, says such a high-profile operation cannot afford any principles of ISO 9001 include client focus, leadership, a systems approach to management, continual improve- ment and mutually beneficial supplier relations. The benefits of a QMS within the framework of ISO standards and procedures are felt by both employees and clients,” Uys says. “The ISO 9001: 2008 certification provides senior management with an ef- ficient management methodology, which clearly sets out areas of responsibility across the organisation. It communicates a positive message to staff and clients, identifies and encourages more efficient and time-saving processes, highlights deficiencies and helps to reduce costs, thereby providing for continuous assess- ment and improvement. “Benefits to the client include im- proved quality and service, on-time de- livery, and a ‘right the first time’ attitude.” Uys emphasises the importance of company-wide involvement and em- ployee empowerment when it comes to quality systems and entrenching a culture of continuous improvement. “Ensuring and maintaining the effec- tiveness of the ISO system will depend on ongoing employee development and training, campaigns around quality awareness, internal audits, management reviews and non-conformance reports and analyses.”

Members of the EBH Namibia safety team: from left: Cornelius Isaaks, Fillipus Shixwandu, Jonas Kavitju, Aaron Johannes.

All managers are accordingly urged to continually reference ISO policies and procedures affecting their work functions and, where necessary, to make revisions towards the continual improvement of EBH Namibia. “Obtaining the ISO: 9001 accredita- tion is a massive achievement for EBH Namibia. It demonstrates that we are a world-class organisation living our values of client commitment and continual im- provement. This supports our reputation in the industry and long-term sustain- ability, and gives our clients renewed confidence in our service levels and our commitment to quality and safety through open and honest communica- tion,” says Uys. “This is not the ‘end of the story’, however: it is the start of the next exciting phase in our growth and development as an internationally competitive maritime service provider. Our cohesive strategies will now ensure collective responsibility for ongoing improvements, increased cli- ent satisfaction and ultimately, a stronger, better EBH Namibia for the benefit of all stakeholders,” Uys concludes. q

Downcomer manufacture prevents considerable losses A n exceptional performance by DCD Venco prevented further delays on the blast furnace N5 re-line project at

downtime, and DCD Venco was com- missioned to urgently fabricate a new downcomer at Blast Furnace five within a fortnight. DCD Venco’s general manager, Willem Mare, says that DCD Venco worked around the clock to ensure that the urgent deadlines were successfully met. “By working closely with our sister com- panies based in Vereeniging and Boksburg, we were able to source all the relevant machinery, capacity and skill sets in highly competitive times, and I am exceptionally proud of the teams that achieved this out- standing result. This is proof that DCD is able to pool resources in order to meet customer expectations,” he concludes.

Mechanical Technology — February 2015

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