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MSA ‘performing well’ despite global mining-sector labour strife

25th October 2013

By: Sashnee Moodley

Senior Deputy Editor Polity and Multimedia

  

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Despite labour strife in the global mining industry, particularly in South Africa, safety equipment manufacturer MSA Africa MD Colin Oliver believes that the company has been performing well and has identified growth potential in the sector.

MSA Africa sales and marketing manager Paul Gibbon agrees, but notes that the mining industry has been facing ongoing work stoppages and shaft closures, as well as a mining drive for cost improvement owing to increased cost pressures.

However, he agrees that there are opportunities for MSA in the development of new products to offer mines improved life-cycle costs and efficiency in safety.

“I see a significant opportunity for growth. We recently launched several innovative products, particularly in gas detection, which are focused on exploiting the opportunities in the mining industry. Therefore, we are working on several projects that we believe will lead to significant growth for us in the next 12 months. Our business has proven to be robust and has been able to weather the storm,” Oliver says.

MSA offers products to the oil and gas and general industries, such as gas detection and fall protection, as well as respiratory, head, eye and face protection.

The company has launched its gas detection Altair range, integrated with downloadable software to record miner exposure. It has also conducted an industry trial programme that is currently “being converted into installations”.

With the introduction of new strict safety specifications for CapLamps in South Africa, the company is conducting an extensive trial programme, comprising 70 000 hours of underground testing for its new Luminator Lamp.
“MSA has also completed supply projects to support major chemicals plant shutdowns and where airline equipment is used in confined spaces, operations have been changed to comply with updated South African Bureau of Standards regulations. These have involved the largest chemical plants in the country. MSA product availability is also being expanded across the country through our support of South African companies in an expanded channel partner programme,” Gibbon says.

The company has a large footprint in the oil, gas and petroleum sector, as well as in manufacturing, and these industries have assisted the company in compensating for some of the uncertainty experienced in the mining industry.

According to Oliver, MSA Africa’s overall performance in 2013 has been more stable, compared with last year.

“Business has been good. We have a diversified portfolio of customers and that has served us well in obtaining increased exposure in new markets across Africa,” he says.

Gibbon says the company is focused on introducing improved products and services to its customers, understanding customers better to offer solutions that fit their business objectives and staying ahead of competitors.

Meanwhile, Oliver notes that mining regulations, particularly with regard to underground mining in South Africa, as well as changes and requirements, are becoming increasingly stringent.

“South Africa has one of the safest mining legislative environments and this drives safe products and [causes] customers [to pay more] attention to achieving a safe working environment. This has prompted us to stay on our toes in terms of new product development and product change,” he says.

Oliver adds that MSA Africa has excelled at being able to stay ahead of these regulatory changes.

The company has been working closely with its research and development centres worldwide to develop products, in addition to taking some of its existing product ranges and adapting them through product improvements.

The company has had significant success in entering the Zambian market as it has a local office in the region and a distribution centre in Kitwe. The company has had measurable successes, particularly in the copper sector, and plans to diversify its business in the country.

MSA Africa is also aiming to make inroads into the agriculture business in South Africa and Gibbon adds that the company is actively working with key channel partners in the industry to promote its products.

The company is also beginning to increase its local presence in Nigeria, where it supplies products and after-sales and technical support.

“We have a local presence in Lagos and at Port Harcourt, where we provide backup and support. We also provide training on all our products, such as self-contained breathing apparatus and gas detection equipment, and provide our end-users with certification training, even on offshore oil rigs and platforms,” Oliver says.

He adds that the company is positive about the rest of the year.

Despite a fairly challenging first half of 2013, Oliver believes that MSA Africa has actually come out stronger, and notes that he sees positive growth for the second half of this year in South Africa and in sub-Saharan Africa.

Gibbon hopes that, with a significant presence in Africa, the company will be the leading supplier of safety equipment to the industry.

He also hopes that the company will be recognised for its supply of superior equipment and its mission to ensure that men and women work in safety and that they, their families and their communities throughout the world live healthy lives.

MSA is the sponsor of the Mining Industry John T Ryan award for safety, with the objective that every mine achieves ‘zero harm’, which was awarded at the industry celebration day held after the Mine Safe Conference at Emperors Palace, in Johannesburg, recently.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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