EARTHMOVING PROFILE Benicon Opencast Mining New strategy breathes new life Specialist earthmoving contractor Benicon Opencast Mining has embarked on a new journey aimed at drastically improving every aspect of its business. This forms part of parent company Sentula’s greater strategy to see all its business arms recognised as preferred mining service providers, Benicon’s recently appointed CEO Philip van Vuuren tells Laura Cornish. I t is no secret that Sentula is in the process of restructuring its entire business – which entails selling off its coal assets and focusing on strengthening and improving its core assets. In addition to 35 year old Benicon Opencast Mining (Benicon), this includes Jeff Drill & Blast, Classic Challenge Trading (CCT), Geosearch and Ritchie Crane Hire. New management teams for all five companies, including Benicon, have been introduced as a starting point from which new and improved business delivery is expected, and has already started to emerge. Van Vuuren is new to the position of CEO at Benicon, having been in the position only two months. His position with Sentula however extends back to July 2013 when he held the position of group technical executive. “Benicon’s operational improvements and sustainable cash flows are critical to Sentula,” says Van Vuuren. “Earthmoving forms the foundations 50 MINING REVIEW AFRICA ISSUE 7 2014 upon which Sentula’s entire business has been built and despite struggling for the last few years to retain margin, we remain the largest revenue contributor (about 44%) to the group. This means our service delivery and role can under no circumstances be compromised.” BEDDING DOWN A BUSINESS STRATEGY Consolidation and operational efficiency The CEO is taking his new position and directive seriously with a variety of plans already implemented to see Benicon comfortably and sustainably strengthened and positioned for growth over the next three to five years. “Our short term strategic intent is one of consolidation, continuous improvement and operational efficiency improvement: establishing a profitable, sustainable business that provides a platform for growth in the longer term. Being part of the bigger Sentula group is assisting us in our Wayne Rowe and Philip van Vuuren current debt position and further efforts are well underway to ensure a healthy debt situation for Benicon in the very near future,” he says. Communication is a major focus area within the business strategy. “Our personnel must be part of this process and we need the right people on board to ensure this.” This has seen Bencion’s entire management team change to include a new CFO and operations manager, Wayne Rowe, whom Van Vuuren describes