Over the past two decades Pragma has proven its ability to consistently add value to the mining industry, a statement underpinned by the latest addition of two more mines in Mozambique to its already impressive list of clients. Pragma has signed contracts with Rio Tinto’s Benga mine as well as Kenmare Resources’ Moma mine. Pragma has set up Asset Care Centres (ACC) at both these mines. The ACC integrates best practice business processes, enabling technologies and people skills into a unified system that delivers enhanced levels of Asset Management, which is entrenched as part of the way of doing business for the client. The ACC is ideally suited to act as the vehicle for change by leading the way as a pocket of excellence.

Key challenges associated with these projects include logistics as far as travel to and from the mines, relocation of skilled resources to sometimes harsh living conditions and the potential language barrier when working with locals. Says Johannes Coetzee, Northern Regional Manager of Pragma; “We use Pragma’s enterprise asset management system, On Key, as well as Pragma’s Asset Management Improvement Planning (AMIP) framework to improve asset performance. We’ve completed the implementation phase at Rio Tinto’s Benga mine and are now busy with the optimisation phase, which will take another 24 months to complete. Currently we have three full-time resources on site, allocated to the delivery of this contract. We also have Asset Care Engineers that fly in from South Africa to support the various improvement initiatives on site.”

At Kenmare’s Moma mine, Pragma has commenced with the implementation phase, which will be completed by end February. “This will be followed by an optimisation phase of 12 months. We’ll also have three resources on site to ensure the successful implementation and entrenchment of these phases. Both these contracts are renewable,” says Coetzee. “Since the inception of the ACC service, Pragma has refined it into a highly effective vehicle to drive change in the area of Asset Management within the client’s organisational environment. The key benefits of our involvement at these clients includes accurate asset data, entrenched standardised work planning and control procedures, up-skilled employees as well as easier effective decision making based on accurate real-time information,” Coetzee concludes.