Sector focuses on cost, project control solutions

10th May 2019 By: Thabi Shomolekae - Creamer Media Senior Writer

Sector focuses on cost, project control solutions

PLANNING PROCESS Correct project control tools manage costs better to ensure that there is no overspending on projects

While the mining sector is mainly focused on old production methods, the economy has changed the market in terms of commodities, labour structure and technology.

This has led to the sector being more sensitive to cost and expenditure, which has resulted in the focus on better financial or cost control and project control solutions, says mining software solutions provider CCS Mining & Industrial (CCSMI) MD Joe de Klerk.

This opens up the market for companies, such as CCSMI, to make its products more applicable, important and beneficial, since its software offers the financial control the mining industry needs to keep abreast of project costs.

CCSMI believes that project success lies in control and that “the right software will provide you with not only control of your actual spend but also an intimate level of understanding of budgetary amounts, quantities, rates and actual costs”.

This understanding brings all the key role-players in the company together to make informed decisions from a holistic view of the project costs, De Klerk says.

He adds that the overall success of any capital-intensive project is dependent on delivery on time and within budget while maintaining the project’s profit margin.

“The right software with the right controls will help project managers understand where they have overspent, but more importantly, it will help them to rebudget the project to completion, highlighting future problem areas. This will then allow management to take timely corrective action, which will result in cost savings.”

CCSMI offers solutions related to infrastructure planning, linked to the three-dimensional (3D) mine plan, along with the financial planning, which is the company’s niche product offering.

The product offering also includes CCS Candy, an estimating and project control solution and CCS BuildSmart, an enterprise management solution.

CCS Candy is an essential software application for the estimation, management and planning of all projects, from estimating and feasibility studies to award and, ultimately, project control and management to final account.

At the office or on site, Candy streamlines all project-related processes, providing the accuracy and increased productivity required by mining and industrial professionals to improve margins, minimise risk and deliver on time.

CCS Candy estimating and project control solution was implemented at diamond major De Beers’ Venetia diamond project in 2017 and at platinum producer Impala Platinum’s operations.

CCS BuildSmart is a Web-based enterprise management system, comprising integrated procurement, accounting and payroll modules and boasting added features to cater for the specific needs of contracting companies, including plant, yard and store management, subcontract management, document control, business intelligence and human resources, as well as time and attendance.

Meanwhile, CCSMI recently launched Candy Cloud – an online, highly customisable, fully managed, secure desktop-as-a-service solution for CCS Candy, which is powered by Amazon WorkSpaces.

De Klerk explains that it allows for Candy – single user and multi-user – as well as quantity take-offs – two-dimensional and 3D Navisworks – to be deployed online and accessed from any location worldwide.

The Candy Cloud solutions offer all company project data in one online, centralised database and data security.

CCSMI is also working on new modules that will be released later this year and early next year, De Klerk concludes.