ONE TEAM - ONE GOAL !

FREE - plant yourself healthy ... see page 8

LADUMA2nd Quarter 2011

49 YEARS of winning gold medals ... see page 3

!ONE GOAL !ONE GOAL

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MESSAGE FROM THE MD

Peter Starling

More focuson less sTReSS

In recent years, workplace wellness has been dominated by HIV/Aids and TB with little focus on other areas of employee health and wellness. The definition of wellness, however, extends far beyond the physical and also looks at the mental health of employees.

NCP’s current and future efforts around employee wellness will focus on stress management. Helping employees understand stress, anxiety and depression will teach them how to focus on what they can control. Current training interventions such as the company’s GridFresh sessions on Critique and Conflict ultimately create Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – a quality that enables our staff to be resilient, productive, creative and grateful for the support they receive from the company.

NCP’s most important asset lies in its staff and what we teach our staff at work is important because it extends to the community, which feeds right into our social responsibility. Our staff does the work – without them nothing is produced. NCP’s wellness focus will cover advice and intensive coaching on nutrition, fitness and stress management.

will better co-ordinate our use of imported molasses in the future to ensure that we are able to blend it with local molasses throughout the year and achieve higher overall rates. This is in line with our priority of optimising our local production whilst continuing to grow our international markets through co-ordinated trading and further development of sales and distribution opportunities.

We appear to be reaching the end of the implementation phase of our new ERP system. I am well aware that this has been a daunting task fraught with frustration, but this seems to be the nature of the beast and what we have experienced is not unique. To those of you that have spent countless hours staring at screens, racking your brains and wading through thousands of test scripts, thank you for changing the way NCP will transact in the future. It is now up to the rest of us to use and understand the system in order to gain maximum benefit for ourselves and NCP.

Forty-nine years of Monde Selection Grand Gold or Gold medals: this is a very impressive performance and one which all at NCP play a part in. We may continually be changing and experiencing new challenges, but the underlying passion and commitment to quality that pervades NCP is reflected exceptionally well by this achievement.

The first half of 2011 has been characterised by both positive and negative issues. The positive being the exceptionally strong demand for good quality alcohol for the beverage industry as a result of strong consumer demand and ongoing global supply restrictions. The negative being our inability to take maximum advantage of this due to our own production limitations as a result of processing issues with imported molasses and supply constraints from our trading partners.

A number of factors are influencing the global tight supply situation for beverage grade alcohol. Amongst these are the increasing demand for fuel ethanol, particularly in Brazil which has reduced their exports, the high sugar price which has resulted in flexi mills maximising their sugar production at the expense of ethanol, and the poor crops and high raw material prices in a number of regions across the globe. This situation is not expected to change in the short term and will continue into 2012. Our own production efficiency suffered during the first half of the year with the processing of 100% imported molasses badly impacting evaporator performance. Now that the local sugar season is in full swing this issue has been resolved and we

Sue Stewart (Receptionist), the voice of NCP, understands how important it is to manage stress by just having fun sometimes.

Front cover: Brian Ngobese (Operations Controller) is a Smooth Operator with 27 years’ service at NCP.

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safer and healthier workplace, comply with regulations and meet customer expectations better than a company that does not have this. Many customers now also require that their supplier be certified to OHSAS 18001.

NCP Alcohols has been awarded the Grand Gold Award by Monde Selection, the International Institute for Quality Selections, in the Ethanol and the Light Spirit categories as well as the International High Quality Trophy for three consecutive years’ achievement of Grand Gold and/or Gold Awards. Since the Monde Selection’s inception in 1961, NCP Alcohols has won Gold or Grand Gold Awards for an incredible 49 consecutive years!

A safer and healthier workplace

49 consecutiveyears of Monde Awards

Sister Margaret Fenton, consulting occupational health practitioner, measures the blood pressure of Thomas Ngcobo (Messenger) during a routine staff medical.

NCP’s recent application for registration to OHSAS 18001 by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) will validate and assess the company’s efforts to implement, maintain and improve the way in which we manage our employees’ health and safety.

With the OHSAS 18001 registration, the company will meet the needs of their staff and fulfil the requirements of health and safety legislation. The targets that are set for NCP for on-going measurement against OHSAS 18001 will ensure a process of continual improvement.

What is OHSAS 18001? It is an international standard for an Occupational Health and Safety Management System and is developed by the OHSAS (Occupational Health and Safety Assessments Series) project group. The aim of OHSAS 18001 is to assist companies in managing and controlling their health and safety risks and improving their Occupational Health and Safety performance.

Why do we want to implement OHSAS 18001? Certification to this standard assures employees, customers, suppliers, regulators and the community at large that the company has an internationally recognised Occupational Health and Safety Management system in place. A company with an effective health and safety system will typically have a

shifts and in their personal capacity. Team Enhancement Workshop has proved to be especially appreciated and was presented to improve their shift performance, goal setting and communication skills. Other training presented to them was Financial Management, Problem Solving, Hazchem, Induction Refresher, Opsuite (Improvement Opportunity System) and Fire Refresher training.

“Just walking through the different areas of the plant made a vast difference in reinforcing their knowledge and awareness of how the different processes and plants fit together,” says Preshina Pandarum, Training Co-ordinator.

Time for team training

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Gopal Sooriah, Shift Manager (front right) in deep discussion with a team of Operations Controllers during the shutdown training. They are Rakesh Moona, Nathi Sikhali, Avril Chetty, Jerry Jugmohanlallsan and Don Pillay (writing).

No time is wasted when NCP shuts down operations to maintain and improve the plant annually. This period, when staff would normally be operating the plant, presents an opportunity for them to receive further training.

The 2011 shutdown was not different and the plant controllers, who do not have the opportunity to spend time together because of the shifts they work, were in their element during the training sessions.

A number of new and exciting training interventions were presented to assist the company’s controllers during their

We are PART OF their success During 2010 NCP employed 8 students from the Durban University of Technology for their workplace experience in the fields of Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Analytical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.

The company was home to the students and the mentoring staff were their family for one year while they honed their skills. Like parents, the business is proud to release them at the end of their term to grow and succeed in the workplace.

Some of the students on their graduation day are, from left, Rishen Sewlall – National Diploma: Electronic Engineering, Shamir Andhee – National Diploma: Mechanical Engineering, Lumeshni Govender – National Diploma: Chemical Engineering and Louie Pillay – National Diploma:

Electrical Engineering.

Smooth Operatorstackle teamwork

5No need to ask .... they are the Smooth Operators.

Teamwork training was presented by staff for staff during the company’s recent annual “recess” from operations for maintenance and improvements. The training, facilitated by senior operational staff, was offered in three sessions over two days and focused on enhancing the performance of the operational shift-working teams.

The training was based on goals shared by the operations controllers and aligned to the operational and overall goals of the company. During the two-day session the facilitators and staff zoomed in on goals that would promote teamwork and create a climate for continuous improvement at the same time.

“The ultimate goal will be reached when we can measure how much improvement has been made as a result of this intervention. The first step towards that has been achieved in that our teams have set goals for themselves which we will review in six months,” says Zinhle Mdadane.

“The focus is on goals that promote

teamwork and create an environment of

continuous improvement.

The emphasis is on problem solving rather than blaming,” says

Zinhle Mdadane, Production Manager.

Look what’s so important ...

Zinhle Mdadane leading from the front.

We are PART OF their success

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Alco Bio Fuels enters German market with internationalsustainability and carbon certifi cation

“Alco Bio Fuel (ABF) has been the fi rst bio-ethanol producing unit to receive the International Sustainability & Carbon Certifi cation (ISCC), allowing the delivery of sustainable ethanol to the German market,” reports Charles-Albert Peers, Managing Director of ABF, “proving once again that the AlcoGroup is determined to stay ahead of the game in our fi eld.” ABF’s certifi cation follows the European Union’s (EU) Renewable Energy Directive (RED) of 2009 which defi nes the sustainable standards that will have to be incorporated into national law by all 27 EU countries. Bio fuels will be amongst the fi rst important sectors obliged to achieve full sustainability compliance – the most important criterion for bio fuel being a minimum 35% Green House Gas savings, compared to fossil fuel emissions, on the whole bio fuel production chain from the fi eld to the fi lling station. “This will force all EU and non-EU producers wanting to sell bio fuel into the EU market to have full traceability of the raw material used, transported, and processed to ethanol – and credible, international sustainability and GHG certifi cation to prove it,” explains Bernard Meeus, joint Managing Director at ABF. Germany is the fi rst country to strictly implement the RED and since January 1, 2011, no bio fuels could be sold onto the German market without being certifi ed by one of two authorising bodies. One of these, the ISCC, is the fi rst certifi cation system approved by the German Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE). The other, REDcert was set up by leading associations and organisations in the German agricultural and bio fuel sector and was approved as a certifi cation system by BLE in mid-2010. “Alco Bio Fuels has a high-performance and energy-effi cient production unit, achieving Green House Gas savings on the full supply chain above 50%, so meeting the 35% criterion was never going to be an issue for us,” Peers is proud to admit. “In order to be ready to meet all requests from our customers, in Germany and elsewhere, ABF decided to run both

certifi cation processes in 2010. By April 30, 2010 ABF was ISCC certifi ed and by November

15, 2010 we were also granted REDcert certifi cation.”

All other EU member States are gradually implementing the RED and sustainability criteria. Belgium has prepared a Royal Decree to translate

Aerial view of ABF.Aerial view of ABF.

the RED into national law, which should be effective by the end of June 2011. Meanwhile, ISCC has applied for recognition with the European Commission as an acceptable system for the entire EU, and if approved that means any EU Member State could adopt it as a national system. “Either way, ABF is more than ready for whatever comes next,” concludes Meeus.

The Alco Bio Fuel plant at the Rodenhuizedok in the Belgian Port of Ghent.

Communicate with success

Seen at the uMngeni River next to a Giant-leaf Fig tree (umvubu-omkhulu) are, from left, Ian Nicholson of Servochem; ‘LB’ Ngcobo, Basil Vezi and Muzi Mbele, directors of Umvubu; and Margaret Burger (sitting) and Rosemary Harrison, both of uMngeni Estuary Conservancy.

Umvubu back on the riverbank

Umvubu Maintenance Services Cooper-ative, a black empowered environmental maintenance business initiated and devel-oped by NCP Alcohols since 2008, will return to the uMngeni riverbanks after Ian Nicholson of Servochem committed the proceeds of his company’s annual charity golf day to them for the extermination of invasive plant species on the river banks. Some of the worst offenders are balloon vine, bugweed and chromolaena.

Enough funds were raised by Servochem and other Durban-based companies with the day’s golfing to clear the river banks between the M4 and Connaught Bridge twice a week for 12 months under the watchful eye of the uMngeni Estuary Conservancy.

NCP Alcohols continues to support Umvubu with business management, mentoring, marketing and communication.

For more information, visit their website on http://www.umvubuservices.co.za.

Getting ready for ‘serious’ golfing during Servochem’s charity golf day are NCP’s Elaine Wilson (Marketing Manager), Petro Vorster (Transformation Com-munication Manager), Pat Ewing, (Secretary) and Prudence Gabela (Procurement Officer).

Listen – The art of listening will help you understand a message better and shows the other person that you are genuinely interested in their talk. Listening attentatively to your colleagues and customers could become a very simple method of solving problems and obtaining increased loyalty at work. Modify your speech if the other person seems bored. Do not end up in a conversation that is one sided. Provide equal opportunity for your listener to get involved in the conversation.

Keep it short – Where possible, avoid long and detailed lectures to convey your message. Often, it is better to provide to-the-point answers to the questions rather than beating around the bush. Remember that time is valuable and be especially considerate with other people’s time. Try to be brief whenever possible. Short but informative is the way to effective communication.

Use a person’s name – Develop the habit of asking and then using an individual’s name to address them; this helps to increase the effectiveness of your communication.

Thank you for calling. Please leave a message. In case I forget to check my messages, please send your message as an audio file to my e-mail, then send me a fax to remind me to check my e-mail, then call back to remind me to check my fax.”

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HerbsCulinary andmedicinal uses

BASILEating: Basil is used to flavour fish, meat, vegetable dishes and soups.Medicinal Uses: Basil is generally associated with the stomach and related organs.

CHIVESEating: Chives are great in salads, soups and stews.Medicinal Uses: Chives are used to promote digestion and are believed to prevent cancer and treat high blood pressure.

ROCKETEating: Rocket can be used alone as a salad herb or in combination with other leafy salad vegetables. It can also be cooked lightly like spinach.

ROSEMARYEating: Rosemary is a traditional flavouring for lamb dishes, but is used with most other meats and fish as well. Rosemary

GAGA*

for Green* ga.ga [gah-gah] - adjective, informal excessively enthusiastic

SOURCE:

is also used as a tea and an infusion of the leaves has always been popular as a hair rinse. Medicinal Uses: Rosemary is used in the treatment of muscular pain, rheumatism, circulation problems, mental fatigue, nervous exhaustion, cellulite, arthritis, colds, bronchitis, fluid retention, and sinusitis and is suitable for dry, mature skin and acne.

PARSLEYEating: Parsley is great with salads, sandwiches, soups, fish and potatoes.Medicinal Uses: The herb has a diuretic action and can be taken by those suffering from fluid retention and for helping with arthritis and osteoarthritis.

THYMEEating: Use the fresh leaf to flavour white sauces, stuffing, stocks, and soups and to cook chicken and fish.Medicinal uses: An infusion of thyme will aid in digestion, and if combined with honey for troublesome coughs and sore throats and laryngitis.

RECYCLE & REAP:upside down

cherry tomato planterCherry tomatoes are packed with nutrients, and have a way of thriving with little attention and care from the gardener. An easy-to-assemble hanging container can be made using recycled material and will produce cherry tomatoes that will fill their own little niche in your favourite recipes. To make your own planter we’ve included some pictures to guide you.

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Materials required:• Empty 2-litre

bottle • Spray paint • Drill or hot

nail • Chopstick or

6mm stick

Step 1 – Cut off bottom. Step 2 – Attach

water reservoir. Take the removed bottom, flip it over, and insert it into the bottom of the bottle until flush with the top.Step 3 – Drill holes.First, you need to drill small holes in the bottom of the reservoir (the bottom you cut off); this will reduce the flow of water and prevent soil loss during watering. Second, you need to drill two holes about 1cm from the edge with a drill. It is a little difficult to get enough pressure against the plastic to make this hole without causing the plastic to collapse. To take care of this, place a small piece of wood on the floor and drill the holes from the inside.

Step 4 – Paint planter.You want to protect the roots from being exposed to direct sunlight so you need to cover the outside.

This can be done with a quick coat of spray paint to the outside.

Step 5 – Secure with stick (chopstick) and fill.Add your plant to the bottom (previously the top) of the planter by carefully pushing the roots through the hole. Fill your planter with a mixture of potting soil, peat moss and coconut coir, with the top (1.5cm) being only peat moss and coconut coir. After a couple of waterings, this 1.5cm layer will compact and restrict the water flow for a slower and more distributed watering.

Step 6 – Use the thinner end of your chopsticks to thread it through both holes and both sets of plastic, attach a piece of twine to each end, and hang in good full sunshine and you should reap plenty of tomatoes.

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