Mega Projects are built by people
- Over the 30 years that ECS has been in business, we’ve found that the key to project management excellence is the ability to identify gaps. Whether it’s gaps in capabilities, in execution strategy, or duplications between clients and contractors at the start of any project – once this important process has been achieved, everyone enters the project as partners instead of separate entities. In fact, collaboration is so important that ECS has trademarked it. The reality is that different companies have different projects, and all of them will have to develop different Collaborative Project Strategies©.
It is this ECS insight that has led us to managing several key mega projects in 2023, including a Scaw Metals Project.
PFG BUILDING GLASS
A multi-discipline, multi-year project for ECS
Providing Project Management Office (PMO) services to PFG Building Glass is a stand out moment for ECS, particularly as the mega project will require detailed planning and extensive local and global procurement over a number of years. This complex Johannesburg-based project involves an existing furnace being decommissioned, removed, and ultimately replaced by state of the art equipment, control instrumentation and utilities. The business has two furnaces in continuous operation (24/7) and the replacement of each furnace means a loss of 50% of production. This means the execution of the project on time and within budget is critical. Completion is set for a period of 18 months.
ANGLO AMERICAN PLATINUM (AngloPlat)
A first-class contract
Working with one of the world’s largest mining companies is a privilege. Our recent appointment to provide PMO and Assurance services for a number of fast-track projects on a 3-year framework contract in the Western Bushveld is extremely good news. The Mortimer Smelter Complex is our starting point. AngloPlat plans to spend some R150-billion over the next decade in both Stay-in-Business (SIB) and expansionary capital expenditure. The optimum execution of each of the several hundred projects is therefore important in sustaining and growing the business. Importantly, platinum-group metals (PGM’s) are critical for the global decarbonisation strategy.
NORSK SOLAR
Working for clean energy
We are pleased to announce that we have signed a Cooperation Agreement with Norsk Solar to assist with advancing clean energy developments throughout South Africa. The Norwegian-listed company is partly owned and funded by sovereign and state funders, finnfund and Norfund. Broadly speaking the agreement covers ECS assisting in broadening and deepening Norsk’s project pipeline in South Africa and also providing bespoke project management services in the implementation of projects. Norsk offers a unique value proposition in that it offers an end-to-end solution including low cost funding.
The collaborations ECS has with companies such as Scaw Metals and PG Glass, solar energy experts – Norsk, and green energy pioneers, Thyssenkrupp Uhde, are becoming increasingly important. It’s players like these that will tackle climate change and renewable energy well into the future.
“The building blocks are certainly there,” says Trevor Arran, Executive Director at ECS, “and with our focus on infrastructure, metals and minerals, power, water, gas, and renewable energy, we are well placed to play a collaborative role in this brave new world.”