Murray & Roberts officially opened its new offices in Kitwe, Zambia, in November 2013, establishing a permanent operational base from which to support projects both in Zambia and in other key areas of the Central African infrastructure and mineral resources arenas. Allan Widlake, Murray & Roberts Cementation’s Business Development Executive, says the opening of the Zambia office is a component of a greater growth strategy being implemented within the construction and engineering group that has also seen Murray & Roberts recently establish a permanent presence in Ghana. The company will now focus on setting up offices in Mozambique. Although the group has worked on projects throughout the continent for many years, permanent operations in these three countries will allow it to service projects in Central, East and West Africa in a more sustainable manner.

Murray & Roberts has been investing in Zambia since 1992 as Murray & Roberts RUC Zambia, before changing its name to Murray & Roberts Cementation Zambia. Since becoming active in that country, Murray & Roberts Cementation has worked on several major projects, including shaft sinking and equipping the Synclinorium shaft for Mopani Copper Mines (MCM), and recently secured a contract to sink a man/material and rock hoisting shaft at MCM’s Mufulira mine. These projects have helped create hundreds of employment opportunities and facilitated skills transfer to the people of Zambia. Through its social development programme, the company has supported a primary school in Chililabombwe in the Copperbelt province with desks and maintenance supplies.

Speaking at the official opening of the Zambia office, Henry Laas, Group Chief Executive of Murray & Roberts, said there was enormous opportunity for the company in the African mining, infrastructure, building and energy sectors. “We’re already gaining substantial traction in these markets,” he added. “We’re using the innovation, skills and expertise gained in other countries to position ourselves as market leaders on the African continent. We decided on Zambia as our base for Central Africa because it is a safe and friendly country, and it is also one of the fastest economically reforming countries.” He added that Murray & Roberts is putting its long term growth plan to work by consolidating its operations to take advantage of core regional and global growth points, which include mining, energy, infrastructure and buildings. The official opening was also attended by other senior executives from the Board of Murray & Roberts, a number of its operating platform executives, two Zambian government ministers, including the Minister of Mines, Christopher Yaluma, other government officials and senior executives from the mines.

Addressing guests at the event, Minister Yaluma urged other foreign companies to emulate Murray & Roberts by establishing local offices in Zambia, saying this would boost economic activities and create much-needed employment opportunities for the Zambian people. “Government is committed to ensuring the development of the country through increased job creation and technology transfer, which will encourage the development of industries,” he said.

Former Murray & Roberts project executive Jan Nefdt has been appointed as a local Director of Murray & Roberts Cementation Zambia, while Zambian mining industry stalwart, Dr Sixtus Mulenga, has been appointed as in-country Non-Executive Director. Dr Mulenga is a mining geologist with extensive industry experience both in Zambia and the global mining arena, and has held corporate executive management positions for several years. The Kitwe office will house core administration personnel to support projects being run in Zambia by all group entities providing a support base for all the operating platforms of the Murray & Roberts group. This team will provide human resources, accounting and logistics services, as well as local induction for expats and first step induction for new employees prior to site induction, in a fully-fledged training centre incorporated into the new premises.