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MARCH 2012
Robust
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Stronger Together

Partnerships

Enduring partnerships have been an important feature of Murray & Roberts’ greatest achievements. Robust pays tribute to the Group’s most valued partners: its clients and its people.

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH GLOBAL MINING GIANTS

Internationally recognised as the world’s leading mining contracting company, Murray & Roberts Cementation has forged strong relationships with all major players in today’s African mining arena, across a spectrum of commodities.

Anglo American is a long-standing key client and Murray & Roberts Cementation has an impressive track record with Anglo’s major divisions, primarily in the platinum sector, through prestige projects involving deepening existing operations or establishing greenfields operations. On the platinum projects, Murray & Roberts Cementation has drawn from its abundant service offering, from shaft sinking and mine infrastructural development, to specialised mining activities. The company has also completed several greenfields Anglo Coal projects, establishing mine access to the coal horizon through decline operations, with vertical ventilation shafts, using state-of-the-art raise boring equipment.

South Deep
South Deep Gold Mine – Witwatersrand Basin.

Murray & Roberts Cementation’s contract mining relationship with Aquarius Platinum has been ongoing for more than a decade, with the company today regarded as the preferred outsource contractor for all Aquarius mining operations. Impala Platinum, Lonmin and Northam Platinum also fall into the key client category, following several successful shaft development projects — notably a prestigious R1,3 billion contract to develop the main underground infrastructure for Northam’s greenfields Booysendal Platinum Mine on the Bushveld Complex’s eastern limb.

A string of successful projects has resulted in Murray & Roberts Cementation becoming regarded as a favoured supplier in the area of re-establishing the mining block on the other side of stone deposits. Much repeat business has flowed from this realm of expertise.

Partnerships have contributed to Murray & Roberts’ ability to access new markets, strengthen its technology capability and ultimately deliver world class projects

In the manganese sector, BHP Billiton is a relatively new and highly valued key client with Murray & Roberts Cementation installing ventilation infrastructure and establishing new ore bodies, among other activities.

The Vale ARM Joint Venture has become another major client since Murray & Roberts Cementation was selected in 2011 to establish the JV’s prestigious Konkola North copper mine in Zambia. Allan Widlake, business development director for Murray & Roberts Cementation, says after a recent project tour by the Vale team, the Brazilians were so impressed by the high standard of the work being conducted and the adherence to project schedules, that Murray & Roberts Cementation is now promoted internally to other Vale divisions. Also in the copper sector, the company has been awarded the shaft sinking and equipping of a new 1 200 m production shaft for Glencore’s Mopani Copper Mines in Kitwe, Zambia.

Mozal
Together with its partner SNC-Lavalin and client BHP Billiton, Murray & Roberts established new international benchmarks for aluminium smelters with the completion of Mozal I and II.

Sasol Mining is a key client in the coal sector, and offers much repeat business to Murray & Roberts Cementation. The team is now on site at Sasol Mining’s greenfields Impumelelo Mine Project, which is vital to the long-term security of Sasol’s Secunda petrochemical operations.

Murray & Roberts Cementation has a valuable long-term relationship with Gold Fields and is currently deepening a ventilation shaft at the South Deep gold mine and undertaking all underground infrastructural development of the gold horizon.

“Our strength lies in our people.”
Henry Laas, group CE.

OUR PEOPLE, OUR STRENGTH

As a leading organisation, Murray & Roberts recognises that it will only attain its purpose if it attracts, develops, retains and motivates talented people. To achieve this, Murray & Roberts has developed a framework of five values that guide its intent and actions.

“If we cannot link an action or behaviour to one of our values, we should ask ourselves why we are doing it. These values align and unite all our people across our diverse operating platforms. Murray & Roberts people care about the Group and the broader environment. They can be held accountable for their actions and are committed to their work. Murray & Roberts people have integrity in everything they do, and respect others at all times,” says group CE Henry Laas.

Murray & Roberts has also implemented The Leadership Pipeline, a performance management and development philosophy which facilitates dialogue between managers and team members. The Leadership Pipeline ensures that different layers in the organisation are accountable for different results alongside performance dimensions.

“When people are in the right jobs, spending time on the right things, and getting feedback and recognition for their work, they add more value to the organisation, whilst building meaningful careers for themselves,” says Zelia Soares, Leadership Development Executive. Bi-annual performance reviews and continuous coaching guide performance and succession planning.

Each year Murray & Roberts invests significantly in formal training and development in both leadership and technical skills. “We aspire to create a culture where everyone is encouraged to identify their development gaps in order to improve their performance in line with future business requirements. We also encourage our people to continuously apply their knowledge and learning to improve and innovate,” says Soares.

Murray & Roberts relies on its people to deliver the required results; in turn it offers its people challenging work and personal development. “We want each person to say ‘I chose the right company’”, concludes Soares.

Burj Al Arab
A mutually beneficial partnership with local contractor Al Habtoor enabled Murray & Roberts to generate significant international growth and deliver world class projects, including Burj al Arab Hotel, in the UAE.

Murray & Roberts Values

Care / Accountability / Commitment / Integrity / Respect