looking forward - ecologika | ecologika...nivada viljoen won the longest drive on the 18th hole. the...

www.cheminit.co.za

December 2012

ISSU

E N

O. 4

December 2012

CI scored well at the recent Process Safety Management audit and is well down the track in reducing water, waste and energy consumption as part of the AECI Green Gauge initiative. All of our manufactured products have received Kosher approval and phosphoric acid is now approved according to the Food Safety System Certification.

After a challenging start to 2012, recent months have seen an increase in manufacturing throughput although we are still down on installed capacity. Input costs have been tightly controlled and manufacturing overheads well managed. The Rand’s weakening to a new 36-month low against the US Dollar should stimulate growth and further assist local manufacturing which was relatively subdued in 2012.

The prolonged strikes in the mining sector followed by the road transporters’ strike negatively impacted the company’s performance. Nonetheless, the CI team performed admirably during this period, meeting and exceeding the requirements of our key suppliers and customers.

2012 has also seen world crude sulphur prices softening; however, the various storage locations in Africa have been filled to the brim and consumption on mines has been plagued with problems, resulting in a sharp decline in crude sulphur export sales.

Our Ecologika division, with its focus on sustainable “green agricultural” products, saw an upturn in demand in Q4, and 2012 is set to

be the highest gross sales year. The majority of CI’ growth going forward will come from this business and already in 2012 we saw the Ecologika’s first multi-micronutrient and precision blending products, with further product diversification planned for 2013.

On behalf of the CI executives, we would like to thank everybody at CI for your hard work, dedication and commitment in 2012. To all our customers and suppliers, thank you for your valued support and business during the year.

To those of us going on leave over the festive period I wish that you travel safely, enjoy your holidays and arrive back next year refreshed and ready for what promises to be a challenging but I’m sure also a highly rewarding 2013!

Dean Kasavan

IN THIS ISSUE:

CI Golf Day

BEE

Truck Drivers Strikes

The Inside Scoop

Polar Shift Theory

First up, all Chemical Initiatives employees and contractors must be congratulated on a fantastic

recordable injury-free 2012 year-to-date! This has been as a result of the high levels of energy

injected into safety, with a number of new safety initiatives launched this year - such as the launch

of the first CI safety logo and tagline “In safe hands” - all of which have been well embraced

by all employees. There are still a few weeks to go before the year-end and all employees and

contractors are urged to continue to think safety and work safely. A strong foundation has been

laid with the revamped close call reporting system and an improvement to the permit to work

system, which will stand us in good stead into 2013 and beyond.Dean KasavanOperations executive

To a GrEaT fInISh To ThE yEar anD an EvEn BETTEr 2013!

Looking Forward

01 Chemical Re action newsletter | Issue no. 4

Golf DayChemical Initiatives held our annual Golf Day at the magnificent Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate in Gauteng on 22 October 2012. The event is intended to entertain our suppliers and our customers, and to thank them for their support throughout the year.

Designed by iconic golfer Jack Nicklaus, the Serengeti Golf Club features an 18-hole course called Masai Mara with a rugged grassland and dunescape style, and a 9-hole course named Whistling Thorn which has a plains-like feel. The Serengeti Golf Club is the first course in Gauteng to use cool season grasses, which means that it remains lush throughout the year. Capable of providing a stern test for even the most talented golfer, the course boasts a number of unique challenges such as the island green of the tough par five 8th hole.

Fourteen four-ball teams took part on the day, which saw many exceptional shots played (along with a couple of diabolical ones too), before rain brought a premature end to play.

Nivada Viljoen won The Longest Drive on the 18th hole. The Longest Day was won by Ryan Harrison, Marius Kok, Gerrie van Dyk and Geoff Peatling. The Nearest to the Pin award was shared between Dean Lotriet (6th hole) and Kevin Carlise (12th hole). The first three four-balls consisted of the following players:

Team One Ryk Cloete vametco

Bryan Price vanchem

Llewellyn Stuart Chemical Initiatives

Kevin Carlisle associated additives

Team TwoMark Dytor aeCI

Dean Kasavan Chemical InitiativesKhumbulani Cele FoskorAbe Grootboom arcelormittal

Team ThreeChristo Coetzer Grindrod

Graham Sanders Chemical Initiatives

Rupert Schmidt Tanker services

Similo Sibisi Foskor

(1st with 85 points)

(2nd with 84 points)

(3rd with 76 points)View the Chemical Initiatives Corporate Golf magazine online www.cheminit.co.za

ChEmICal InITIaTIvES’

02www.cheminit.co.za

EcologikaBy Marius Kok

ProuDly on ExhIBITIonOver the last five months Ecologika has been part of a series of exhibitions throughout the country.

Ecologika’s presence at the exhibitions was aimed not only at making the farming and agricultural communities more aware of our company in general, but also more specifically showcasing our products and services in the field of plant nutrition improvement in all types of crops.

Visitors to our stand at the exhibitions were exposed to the benefits of a range of Ecologika’s Plant Nutrient Elemental Sulphur (PNES) products, including Tiger 90, Tiger Iron 22%, Tiger Zinc 18%, Tiger Manganese 15%, Tiger Copper 12%, BioDeposit Agro and BioDeposit Elixir.

eCOlOGIKa was shOwCaseD aT The FOllOwInG shOws:

• The African Farmers Expo at Nasrec in Johannesburg (15-17 August)

• The National Biological Farming Forum in Harrismith (28-30 August)

• The Spring Show in Pretoria (1-6 September)

• The National Farming Convention and Expo in Groblersdal (13 September)

• The Agriworks Farmers Expo in Stellenbosch (8-10 November).

Among the attendees who welcomed farmers, agronomists and the general public to the Ecologika stand were Marius Kok, Renette Adamson, Karen Thom, Sune Bothma and Lawrence J. van Rensburg.

“The exhibitions were a huge success for Ecologika,” said Marius Kok. “We achieved our aim of making people aware that there are alternative products available on the market that offer significant benefits and cost-savings to the farming and agricultural communities.”

Ecologika exhibiting at the National Farming

Expo in Groblersdal.

Ecologika exhibiting at the National Farming Expo in Groblersdal.

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall. - Larry Wilde


Tiger 90 is a specially formulated elemental sulphur fertiliser designed to quickly degrade, disperse and convert into sulphate throughout the growing season, for increased utilisation of nitrogen and uptake of phosphate and micronutrients.

Tiger Iron 22% contains 22% iron and 55% sulphur, making it ideal for optimising feeding sites for emerging plants.

Tiger Zinc 18% is a unique micronutrient fertiliser that provides a cost-effective method of correcting zinc deficiencies that can cause a reduction of photosynthesis within plants.

Tiger Manganese 15% is used to correct manganese deficiencies that can result in poor new plant growth and other negative effects.

Tiger Copper 12% is used to address copper deficiencies which can cause a wide number of unwelcome symptoms in plants.

BioDeposit Agro is a biologically active soil conditioner that uses the natural ingredients sapropelic colloid and active peat to rapidly restore soil fertility and boost the formation of humus.

BioDeposit Elixir is a natural humic concentrate of biologically active materials to intensify nutrients mobilisation processes and improve soil physiochemical properties.

Ecologika exhibiting at the Agriworks Farmers Expo in Stellenbosch.

Ecologika exhibiting at the Agriworks Farmers

Expo in Stellenbosch.

Ecologika exhibiting at the National Biological Farming Forum in Harrismith.

Ecologika exhibiting at the National Biological Farming Forum in Harrismith.

Ecologika exhibiting at the African Farmers Expo at Nasrec, Johannesburg.

Ecologika exhibiting at the African Farmers Expo

at Nasrec, Johannesburg.


LearningOn the 20th August 2012, a minor fire broke out at the phosphoric acid plant when phosphorous (which spontaneously combusts when exposed to air) leaked out from a flanged valve joint.

By Ramesh Dhoorgapersadh

CloSE Call

The phosphoric acid plant was off-line at the time and the fire was extinguished quickly without any injury or property damage. At the initial investigation it was determined that the gasket had failed. However the valve installation was replicated in the workshop only to reveal that the gasket was not evenly compressed due to the supplied valve flanges being misaligned.

The plant was shut down for 3 weeks to enable all the flanges and valves on the phosphorous lines to be inspected. Flanges were cut off and realigned and all the valves returned to the supplier for the flange faces to be machined squared. All pipes and valves were then reinstalled with new gaskets. The flanges were torqued by the supplier using expertly trained technicians. A second gasket started leaking during the removal of the pipes and valves but this was quickly identified and repaired.

• Investigate all incidents thoroughly if you want to prevent a re-occurance ensuring that the root cause is always identified

• Ensure that all pipe flanges are aligned when installed

• Ensure proper quality control for all supplied equipement; Valve faces must be aligned

• Ensure proper procedure is followed when tightening flanges and that all flanges are torqued to engineers specifications

• All bolts must be as per engineers specifications and material certificates must be supplied

• Ensure all tools are available to carry out specialised work

• Flange guards may assist in limiting the extent of any leak, however, it is important to inspect the condition of the flange and gasket periodically

leaRnInG FROm InCIDenT

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Fig 2. Potential leak & fire

Fig 1. Failed gasket

Fig 3. Phosphorus line with Flange covers

Be the change that you wish to see in the world.


Food SafetyThe certification includes meeting the requirements of ISO 22000 and the Publically Available Standard 220 (PAS 220)

The GFSI is a benchmarking organisation that has accepted a number of food safety management systems. A food safety management system that is accepted by the GFSI meets internationally recognised food safety requirements that were developed by multi-stakeholders. These stakeholders consist of interested parties, retailers, manufacturers, certification and accreditation bodies, standard owners as well as food safety experts and consultants.

Benefits of the FssC 22000 certification

Customer satisfaction - The ability to deliver product that meets customer requirements. Customers may require the certification as part of the procurement specifications. This was the main reason for the FSSC 22000: 2010 certification for the manufacture of food grade acid in Chamdor. However there is other befits for the implementation of the food safety management system.

Reduced operating costs - The continual improvement of processes will result in improved operating efficiency.

The food safety risk management is improved due to the improved procedures in place to increase the traceability of product. This in turn will assist in due diligence should there be a product recall.

The Food Safety System Certification 22000:2010 (FSSC 2200:2010) was accepted by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) in 2010.

By Tanith Stuart

SySTEm CErTIfICaTIon

Food safety system Certificate

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through! - Author Unknown.

www.cheminit.co.za 06

When companies understand that BEE can actually deliver benefits to their business, or that they can earn BEE points for investments that they are already making, it often brings about a shift in their negative perceptions of black economic empowerment.

“To BEE or not to BEE.....”

By Leanne Naidoo

how BEE Can BEnEfITyour BuSInESS

Thinking differently

So instead of feeling resentful about ‘yet another hindrance that government has placed in the way of small business’, consider how you can use the

legislation to your advantage. There are many benefits to be derived from a strong BEE status, in addition to the obvious one of putting your company in line to win tenders and contracts.

For example small businesses can use the Enterprise Development (ED) code to access mentorship and investment from big business. Becoming BEE compliant and making your business an attractive ED investment can open up doors to immensely beneficial partnerships with big businesses. A number of savvy would-be start-ups have accessed capital, equipment, mentorship and business deals from large organisations looking to earn ED points.

Similarly, the Preferential Procurement code can enable your small business to join the procurement database of a range of large corporates, something that’s considerably more difficult to achieve without the leverage of BEE.

An investment in skills development will provide your business with multiple long-term benefits while earning you BEE points, and involvement in community and social upliftment projects can boost your brand and build morale and loyalty among staff. Programmes that fast-

track the development of black employees into management positions can widen your network of business contacts and provide you with

access to a broader market.

It is for these reasons and more that Chemical Initiatives is proud to announce, that we have successfully achieved a LEVEL 4 BBBEE Score, with a Recognition level of 100%.

what are the implications of this rating for our company?

A score of between 65 and 75 points will give you a level 4 compliance rating. Similarly, each compliance level has a BEE Recognition level associated with it which can be used by our customers when calculating their procurement spend.

Level 4 has 100% recognition, therefore each Rand spent by our customers on goods or services will be recognised at 100% for their B-BBEE procurement analysis.

BEE can provide your business with a differentiator. Now is the time to shift how you think about BEE and make it work for you.


VanessaBy Vanessa Mcilroy

Chemical Initiatives’ Vanessa Mcilroy gave a world-class account of herself when she participated in the Ninth World Deaf Golf Championships held on 8-12 October this year at the Tsu Country Club in Japan under the auspices of the World Deaf Golf Federation.

DoES uS ProuD!

The Championships consist of a team event where national teams from around the world compete and an individual event.

Vanessa, from our creditors department, placed tenth best individual in the world at the end of the Championships and finished in fourth place in the Ladies Team Event with her teammate Gail Klichowitz.

The Ladies’ Individual Tournament consists of 72 holes of stroke play over four rounds. The Ladies’ Team Tournament is a stroke play tournament with one team per nation comprising between two and five team members. Each day, the two top scores from each team are tallied and the team with the lowest score after four days is the winner.

Her achievements at the World Deaf Golf Championships represent yet another golfing triumph for Vanessa who also won the SA Deaf Golf Championship this year at the magnificent Selborne Hotel, Golf Estate and Spa in Durban - making it the third time she has held the South African trophy aloft.

“Participating in the World Deaf Golf Champions in Japan was a

great experience - and it was delightful to renew acquaintances with friends I’ve made in the global deaf golfing community and to meet new players,” said Vanessa.

visit our website to find out more www.ecologika.co.za

Tiger Boron 2% is the first-ever combination of boron and sulphur into a homogeneous pastille that contains minimal fillers and 82% plant nutrients. The uniform pastille offers greater spatial distribution and can increase the amount of available boron in the soil solution mix by up to seven times more material coverage compared with traditional forms of boron.

Boron is an essential micronutrient that is often at less than optimal levels, even in soils that test adequate. Sulphur, often called the fourth macronutrient, is integral for protein synthesis, chlorophyll transport and nitrogen utilisation.

Tiger® Boron 2% is the first-ever product that combines sulphur and boron in an application - friendly homogeneous pastille for more uniform spatial distribution of sulphur and boron together. Greater spatial distribution of this unique sulphur and boron combination can lead to increased absorption of boron by root hairs and improved plant health. Also, the new pastille dramatically reduces the amount of filler and fines because sulphur is the carrier agent for the boron.

vanessa mcilroy (left), with the south african team at the 2012 world Deaf Golf Championships.

BoronmaxImIzE yIElD PoTEnTIal wITh InnovaTIvE SulPhur Boron PaSTIllES

www.cheminit.co.za 08www.cheminit.co.za

PSM Highlight:

CI received the highest average PSM audit score (88%) across 16 AECI sites that were audited by Priyavarth Maharaj on the 5th October.

Incentives were given to employees that participated in the close call reporting system over the past three months and had their close call reports published in the monthly close call learning newsletter.

Employee’s also enjoyed the competitive spirit when gifts were given for the best safety slogan submitted for a draw and best learnings gained from a safety video that was shown.

employees that received R500 incentive for their published close calls were:

With the festive season drawing closer, the CI SHEQ Team held safety focus sessions at both the Umbogintwini (24th October) as well as the Chamdor (25th October) manufacturing sites. The objective of the sessions was to refresh basic safety themes by highlighting the value of close call reporting and the permit to work procedure. The overall message was: “If you cannot do a job safely, you should not do the job”

SessionShEQ SafETy foCuS

Umbogintwini site

• Rajen Pillay • Robin Colborne • Willy Lambert • Simphiwe Shange • Rowen Maistry • Preshan Hoopdeo

Chamdor site

• Bez Bezuidenhout

By Ramesh DhoorgapersadhBy Le-Vern Wang

CI first registered with the SABS in 1992. SABS showed their appreciation

and commitment by recognising CI at the SABS Gala Dinner

that was held at the Sandton Convention Centre on Friday, 12 October 2012. Le-Vern Wang, CI’s Compliance Manager received the award on behalf of the company.

Chemical Initiatives received the SABS 2012 Client Loyalty Award.

SABSGala DInnEr &ClIEnT loyalTy awarDS 2012

Centre: Le-Vern Wang

tigertrace For your convenience, all four micronutrients, manganese, copper, zinc and iron are combined into one easy to apply pastille.

Eliminate errors introduced by the blending process; with Tiger Trace you only need to use one product rather than having to perfectly calculate and combine four.

You can evenly and easily distribute all of the essential micronutrients that are critical for healthy crops.

Reduce leaching with the renowned Tiger Trace slow-release technology.

Choose prescription micronutrient blends for specifi c types of crops; for example, Tiger Trace Maize or Tiger Trace Potatoes.

grown by


GuaranTEES SuCCESS In ChallEnGInG TImES

PartnershipPartnershipBy Rupert Schmidt MD

Founded in 1959 as a division of the Imperial Group, Tanker

Services began its relationship with Chemical Initiatives (CI)

as far back as 1998 when we purchased the then Industrial

Chemicals Carriers (ICC) fleet from AECI. “For the past 13 years

we have thus had the privilege of building a dynamic relationship

with CI as its principal transporter of chemical products,”

says Rupert Schmidt, Managing Director, Tanker Services

Specialised Products.

“Our joint relationship

has become a force to

be reckoned with in the

marketplace,” he expands,

“two reputable companies,

each leaders in their

own right, uniting in a

powerful partnership.”

“Tanker Services and Chemical Initiatives are like minded in our belief that partnerships are key to success, “Schmidt explains.”This dynamic industry demands both resilience and flexibility and we are proud to part of the CI journey.”


a BasIC DesCRIpTIOn OF a DOOmsDay pOlaR shIFT

The cataclysmic polar shift theory suggests that there have been (geologically) very rapid shifts in the positions of the modern-day geographic locations of the poles relative to the axis of rotation of the Earth, which have the power to create calamities such as floods and tectonic plate movements.

While minor shifts in the location of the magnetic poles do occur (over a very long time-scale), the doomsday polar shift theory involves the suggestion that the magnetic poles may suddenly and dramatically shift, even to the degree of the North and South Poles swapping positions.

Recently, the surge of interest in the Mayan calendar and the end of the world that it purports will occur on 21 December 2012 has re-ignited interest in the cataclysmic polar shift hypothesis.

The hypothesis is based on the ideas of Charles Hapgood, a history professor who formulated his Polar Shift Theory in 1958 after a class project in which he and his students were seeking possible locations for the lost city of Atlantis.

In order to find the location of Atlantis, Hapgood needed to find an explanation for how massive Earth changes could occur; for example, how Antarctica (his prime suspect for where Atlantis may be) could once have been located much further north than where it is at present.

In his 1958 book The Earth’s Shifting Crust, Hapgood theorised that “the Earth’s crust may be displaced at times, moving over the softer inner body, much as the skin of an orange, were it loose, might shift over the inner part of the orange all in one piece”.

Hapgood called this movement of the outer crust “earth-crust displacement”, but his theory would have probably faded into obscurity were it not for the fact that the foreword to his book was written by none other than the highly esteemed Albert Einstein, who seemed to have supported some of Hapgood’s ideas.

However, a careful reading of Einstein’s introduction reveals cautionary phrases such as “if [Hapgood’s] theory continues to prove itself” and “the only doubtful assumption is that the earth’s crust can be moved easily enough over the inner layers”, indicating that Einstein may well have had significant doubts about Hapgood’s claims.

What’s more, Hapgood’s theory was based on the assumption that the masses of ice deposited at the poles would move as a result of a polar shift and that this would result in the concomitant movement of the earth’s crust beneath the ice (and by extension all around the world), as he describes in his analogy of the skin of an orange. Einstein fundamentally disagreed with this, asserting that the mass of the ice would be insufficient to offset the mass of the continents along the equator.

Nonetheless, most conspiracy theorists and pseudo-scientists don’t let these kinds of details bother them; all they see is a famous theoretical physicist’s name attached to an outdated theory and take it to be solid evidence that it must be true.

Following the publication of Hapgood’s book, doomsday proponents and armchair pseudo-scientists have used his polar shift hypothesis to come up with predictions of all manners of disasters, some of which are outlined below.

venUs TRansIT

One such cataclysmic theory argues that a rare planetary alignment will occur when Venus transits the sun in 2012. This alignment will affect the Earth’s frequency or vibration or even its axis, and will cause the Earth to stop spinning. This, in turn, will cause the poles to “flip”, with the North Pole will suddenly migrating to where the South Pole is currently situated, and vice versa, bringing catastrophic consequences for humanity such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.

pOlaR melT

Another theory attempts to persuade us that if (for whatever reason) all the ice were to melt at one of the Poles, this would unbalance the Earth and cause the outer crust to spin on top of the liquid inner layer, causing unimaginable chaos and destruction.

ImPEnDInG Doom or an unfounDED myTh?

Doomsday prophets since the beginning of recorded history have come up with many end-of-the-world scenarios. These pessimists have cited everything from global nuclear warfare, enormous earthquakes, massive floods, huge volcanic eruptions, deadly tsunamis and even worldwide plagues - but there is one mega disaster that is currently on everyone’s lips - a cataclysmic polar shift.

Polar Shift Theory:By Tasnim Jacobs


TwelFTh planeT

Yet another theory confidently predicts that a mysterious twelfth planet will suddenly make its presence known by increasing the Earth’s geological activity and noticeably slowing down the Earth’s rotation until it finally stops the Earth from spinning altogether. At this point the Earth’s poles will align with those of the shadowy twelfth planet, causing cataclysmic destruction of major cities.

mayan pReDICTIOn

With the Mayan calendar predicting the end of the world on 21 December 2012, doomsday theorists have linked this prediction to a catastrophic polar shift, which will result in the complete and utter end of life as we know it. They earnestly argue that nothing but pure disaster awaits: the earth will be subjected to total destruction; terrible hunger will sweep the planet; freezing cold and untold pain will rule our daily lives; and all this with zero hope of a quick recovery, because all knowledge and resources will have been completely destroyed.

COnClUsIOn

There is absolutely no geological evidence whatsoever for Hapgood’s theory of “earth-crust displacement”. Cataclysmic polar shift theory, and all the other doomsday theories that accompany it, are quite simply utter nonsense.

Venus has transited the sun in the past without any disastrous consequences.

While global warming and the gradual melting of the polar ice caps is a real concern, the notion that all the ice at only one of the North or South Poles could suddenly disappear is hardly likely.

The chances of a mysterious twelfth planet being discovered to have been lurking around in our planetary neighbourhood without anyone noticing are dubious to say the least, and the idea that this planet would have the power to bring the Earth’s rotation to a halt (after it has been reliably revolving away for millennia) is downright ludicrous.

And of course, the Mayan prediction of the end-of-the-world coming on 21 December 2012, whether coupled with a polar shift or not, is something that will only be proven to be true or false on the day. It is reassuring, however, to note that throughout recorded history the end-of-the-world has been predicted to take place more often than is worth mentioning, and each time life has continued afterwards just as it has always done.

sO we wOUlDn’T ReCOmmenD ThaT yOU CanCel yOUR ChRIsTmas lUnCh ThIs yeaR…

BowlingTEnPInCoenie Nienaber was chosen to represent the KZN plus 45 provincial team (six men and six women) at the annual champs which was held in Port Elizabeth.

After an arduous week both on and off the lanes KZN managed to bring home nine bronze and one silver out of a possible 12 medals on offer.

The mens team was able to grab six bronze medals. They can be complimented on their spirit, tenacity and camaraderie.

Coenie Nienaber


Bonita met Stephan in October 2008, when he was

contracted to do work for the company she worked

for at the time. It was love at first sight, and on

13 May 2011 Stephan invited Bonita to a romantic

dinner for two at the stylish Moyo Zoo Lake Restaurant.

After a superb African-inspired meal, Stephan went

down on one knee and asked Bonita to marry him –

and she happily accepted his proposal.

Much thought and discussion went into preparing

the wedding, and the couple eventually decided to

celebrate the special day with a Chinese theme which

extended from the clothes all the way to the food

and décor.

The wedding ceremony and the reception were

held at Trés Jolie, a beautiful country estate in

the Ruimsig area. Guests were delighted by the

picturesque manicured gardens and the beautifully

redecorated courtyard.

Bonita looked stunning in a pearl-white dress with a

multi-layered train and a beaded bodice. Stephan was

the epitome of elegance in a black pinstriped suit with

a crystal shine.

The wedding was flawless with everything going

according to plan, and everyone had a wonderful

time. Among the guests were Chemical Initiatives’

Alan Hobkirk, Rozel Kortenhoeven, Riaan Smith, Bez

Bezuidenhout, Llewellyn Stuart and Willie van Zyl.

The newly-weds spent their honeymoon at the

picturesque coastal town of Warner Beach in

KwaZulu-Natal.

Says Bonita, “Our wedding was a day when we could

join our two hearts as one. Every girl dreams of her

fairy tale day, and ours went above and beyond all

my expectations!”

Bonita Krugel (née Kritzinger), a Chamdor Administrator at Chemical Initiatives, married Stephan Krugel, an artisan-coded welder, on 25 August 2012.

Tie the knotBonITa anD STEPhan!

Just married!


on ThE roaDS DurInG ThE

Whether you’re planning on a long road trip over the holiday season or you’re staying at home, we’d like to ensure that you and your loved ones remain safe on the roads. Here are some tips on how you can increase your chances of survival when you’re behind the wheel.

Festive SeasonBy Tasnim Jacobs

STay SafE

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. - Burton Hillis

arrive alive, stay

alive

Check your car

Before you begin your journey, make sure that you have checked your oil and water. Ensure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure (and don’t forget your spare tyre). Get someone to help you check that all your lights are working, including bright and dim headlights, indicators, hazards and brake lights. Fill your window-washer reservoir. If you’re travelling a long way, plan your journey before you set off, and ensure that you take a break every couple of hours. Carrying a reflective emergency warning triangle in your vehicle is compulsory for all vehicles registered after 1 July 2007, and even if your car is older than that it’s still a very good idea.

Don’t “overdrive” your headlights

Many nighttime accidents occur because drivers “overdrive” their headlights. Basically, this means that drivers are driving too fast for the distance they can see in which to stop. They cannot stop in the distance they can see on dipped beam and end up hitting pedestrians, potholes or animals. Adjust your speed so that you can stop in the distance you can see.

Avoiding a crash

There are only two things that you can do to avoid a crash situation: change your direction or adjust your speed. When you do not have an escape route to the left or right, you have to adjust your speed. Remember that every time an oncoming vehicle approaches, you have no escape route to the right. Make sure you have one on the left by adjusting your speed early to ensure you have an escape route.

Follow another vehicle at night

At night, try to follow another vehicle and use their headlights to look well up the road ahead. As long as the brake lights work on the vehicle in front of you, you will get early warning of trouble.

Check your blind spotsEvery vehicle has blind spots. Make it a habit to check what’s next to you on the road before changing lanes, before turning and at merge areas. Additionally, try to avoid lingering in other vehicles’ blind spot areas.

Overtake safelyApply “acceleration sense” when overtaking. This means that in addition to ensuring that there is enough space in front of the vehicle you’re about to overtake, you should also ensure that you have a sufficient gap between yourself and the vehicle in front of you. This allows you to accelerate in your lane to gain speed before moving out to overtake, which makes the overtaking manoeuvre much quicker and safer.

Be visibleVisibility is a critical factor to your safety on the road. Driving with your headlights on all the time makes your vehicle more visible to other road users.

Drive defensivelyWhenever you’re on the road, keep a wary eye on other drivers and do your best to anticipate what they’re about to do. Also, be alert for potentially dangerous situations that may suddenly develop, such as approaching a blind rise. The moment you start driving “on auto-pilot”, you have surrendered control of your safety in your vehicle.

Obey the rulesThe rules of the road are there for a reason, and there’s no sense at all in disobeying them. Don’t overtake on a white line. Stay within the speed limit. Indicate before turning. Keep a safe following distance. Always keep your eyes on the road. That way, you’re not only being a responsible citizen, you’re also doing a great deal to keep yourself safe on our roads.


aUsTRalIa

In Australia, like in South Africa, many of the country’s Christmas festivities take place outdoors. The most popular event of the Christmas season is Carols by Candlelight,

during which people come together at night to light candles and sing Christmas carols under the stars.

ChIna

Christians in China call Christmas “Sheng Dan Jieh”, which means “Holy Birth Festival”. Families put up a Christmas tree, called a “Tree of Light,” and decorate it with intricate paper

lanterns, flowers, and red paper chains that symbolise happiness. China’s version of Father Christmas is called “Dun Che Lao Ren”.

eThIOpIa

Ethiopia follows the ancient Julian calendar, so Ethiopians celebrate Christmas on January 7. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s celebration of Christ’s birth is called “Ganna”. It is a day when families attend church and on this day,

most Ethiopians wear a traditional “shamma” – a thin, white cotton wrap decorated with brightly colored stripes. Twelve days later, on January 19, Ethiopians begin a three-day celebration called “Timkat” which commemorates the baptism of Christ.

FRanCe

Christmas celebrations in France begin on December 5, which is known as “St. Nicholas Eve”, but Christmas Eve is the most special time in the French celebration of Christmas. Church bells are rung and people sing French

carols, called “noels”. On Christmas Day, families go to church and afterwards enjoy an abundant feast of delicious dishes, ending with the traditional “Bûche de Noël”, a rich butter cream-filled cake shaped and frosted to look like a Yule log. In France Santa Claus is known as “Père Noël”.

enGlanD

In England, children traditionally write a letter

to Father Christmas with their wishes and toss

their letter into the fire so their wishes can go

up the chimney to be received by

Father Christmas.

GeRmany

German families start preparing for Christmas

four Sundays before Christmas Day, when

they make a wreath of fir or pine branches

with four coloured candles. On each Sunday

they light a candle on the wreath, sing Christmas songs and

eat Christmas cookies. In the weeks leading up to Christmas,

homes are filled with the fragrant smells of baking loaves of

sweet bread, cakes filled with candied fruits and spicy cookies

called “lebkuchen”.

hOllanD

Dutch children in Holland eagerly await the

arrival of “Sinterklaas” on St. Nicholas Day on

December 6. He wears red robes and a tall,

pointed hat, and is said to travel by ship from

Spain to Amsterdam’s harbour, bringing his white horse and a huge

sack full of gifts for the children, who leave their shoes out filled with

sugar and hay for his horse. Families celebrate St. Nicholas Eve at

home with lots of good food, hot chocolate, and a “letterbanket” (a

cake made in the shape of the first letter of the family’s last name).

ITaly

The Christmas season in Italy begins on

the first Sunday of Advent, which is four

Sundays before Christmas, with Christmas

fairs featuring fireworks, bonfires and holiday

music. However, the main exchange of gifts only occurs on January

6, the day traditionally believed to be when the Wise Men reached

the baby Jesus. Many Italian families put a lot of effort into creating

their “presepio”, or nativity scene.

traditionsAround the world, people celebrate Christmas in a number of different ways. We take a quick look at festive traditions in Australia, China, England, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Sweden.

By Tasnim Jacobs

ChrISTmaS

In oThEr CounTrIES


Funny

Even if the people you’re talking to can’t give you the answers to these questions, we hope that they will find them amusing and intriguing enough to start an interesting conversation.

By Tasnim Jacobs

ChrISTmaS ConvErSaTIon STarTErS

It’s that time of year again when you get invited to office Christmas functions. In these situations it can be difficult to find things to talk about. Avoid awkward silences and make conversation with colleagues and business associates with this handy list of funny and unusual conversation starters, to help you break the ice and get chatting.

To GET PEolPE TalkInG!

• Why is it that when someone tells you that there are billions of stars in the universe, you believe them, but if they tell you there’s wet paint somewhere, you have to touch it?

• Why isn’t the number 11 pronounced “onety one”?

• If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?

• Have you ever wondered why the word “lisp” has an “s” in it?

• Why are they called “buildings”, when they’re already finished? Shouldn’t they be called “builts”?

• Why do you press harder on a remote control’s buttons when you know the battery is dead?

• If the universe is everything, and scientists say that the universe is expanding, what is it expanding into?

• If you got into a taxi and the driver started driving backward, would he end up owing you money?

• When two airplanes almost collide why do they call it a “near miss”? Shouldn’t they call it a “near hit”?

• If people from Poland are called “Poles,” why aren’t people from Holland called “Holes?”

• Why do McDonalds and KFC call it a “drive-through” when you have to stop to order, to pay and to collect your food?

• Why do “flammable” and “inflammable” mean the same thing?

• If cats always land on their feet, and toast always falls butter-side down, what would happen if you tied a piece of buttered toast to a cat’s back and dropped it?


what is your full name? Dean Kasavan.

where were you born? I was born in Durban.

where did you go to school? I attended Stanmore Secondary School in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal.

Do you have a degree or diploma? I have two degrees: a BSc Chemical Engineering from the University of Durban-Westville and a BCom from UNISA.

are you married? Yes, on 7 November this year Lorna and I celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary!

Do you have kids? We have two kids: Cameron Dean (17 years) and Temia Rae (13 years).

Do you have pets? We have a Golden Retriever named Cori.

what do you drive? I drive a BMW X3.

what is your favourite food? Without doubt, my favourite meal is delicious home-cooked Breyani.

what was the last book you read? I�ve just finished reading �Becoming a Person of Excellence: Being Your Best, Doing Your Best� by André Oliver.

what are your favourite musicians? I have too many favourites to name just one or two!

name one of the best movies you’ve seen recently: I’ve enjoyed so many movies, but one of the best movies I’ve seen recently was “Law Abiding Citizen” with Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx.

what do you in your spare time? I like to spend my spare time with my family, watching sports or a movie.

what’s your favourite holiday destination? Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida in the USA.

name one place you’ve always dreamed of visiting: I would love to go to New York City – it’s featured in so many movies I’ve seen that I really want to see it for myself.

Do you have a favourite restaurant? No, my best restaurant is my kitchen at home!

If you could do one thing to change the world, what would it be? If poverty could be eradicated it would solve a lot of the social and moral issues in this country.

which words or phrases do you most overuse? None that I know of.

If you could go back in time, when and where would you go? Without wanting to sound too “religious”, it would have to be when Jesus walked the Earth!

Do you play any sports? Golf mostly, and tennis sometimes.

seafood / sushi / steak? Steak.

what are your favourite sports to watch, and do you have any favourite teams? I like watching Formula 1 and I’ve always admired Michael Schumacher. I also enjoy soccer and I’m a big Manchester United fan.

what do you consider to be your greatest achievement to date? Can’t pick one.

what was your most embarrassing moment? I’m not telling!

If you won R50 000 in the lottery, what would you do with the money? I would use it as a down payment on a 1 carat diamond ring for my wife in the hope of another twenty happy years of marriage.

Beer / wine / Fruit Juice? Juice.

Comedy / action / Romance? All of them, but action movies are best.

harrison Ford / Bruce willis / ashton Kutcher? Bruce Willis.

Cameron Diaz / Charlize Theron / Julia Roberts? Cameron Diaz.

what is the most important lesson life has taught you? Appreciate the ones you love while they are still around.

If you could give one piece of advice to the next generation, what would it be? Focus on education and entrepreneurship. Don’t be afraid to dream big and go all out to make your dreams come true!

The inside scoopaGenT Dean Kasavan

Once again we bring you the inside story on one of the

key people at Chemical Initiatives so we can all get to

know each other a little better. We asked Dean Kasavan,

Operations Executive at Chemical Initiatives, to tell us

what makes him tick.


During the strike, Chemical Initiatives maintained good communications with both our customers and our suppliers to ensure that everyone was kept informed of the latest developments.

We set up contingency plans with some of our suppliers, which by nature had to be kept secret. Whilst in certain instances life-threatening situations prevented some of our plans from being executed in full, on the whole our contingency plans were highly effective.

For example, emergency loads were done after hours; we dispatched Sulphuric Acid from Ergo where there was very little strike-related activity; and customers with rail facilities were accommodated accordingly.

As a company, Chemical Initiatives disassociates ourselves from violence in all of forms, not only when it occurs within the context of labour protests, and we extend our sympathies to all those who suffered physical injury and damage to property during the strike. We also believe that the length of the strike was excessive and that negotiating a fair solution should have been concluded earlier.

Chemical Initiatives would like to thank our customers and suppliers for their support and assistance during the strike period. We are also grateful to the many transporters for the measures they took, such as stretching off-loading hours, that made the impact of the strike as minimal as possible.

While the nationwide, three week long, truck drivers strike, that ended on Friday 12 October 2012, did have something of a negative impact on Chemical Initiatives’ operations, Johan Greyling said that due to the early notification given of the strike we were in a position to ensure our customers’ stock tanks were filled prior to the start of the strike.

truck drivers strikeBy Johan Greyling

DEalInG wITh ThE

It is not a black South Africa.It is not a white South Africa.

It is our South Africa!

Stone in cab

Smashed window


“Jingle Bells”, possibly the most popular and famous

Christmas carol, was actually written for the American

holiday of Thanksgiving which is celebrated on the

fourth Thursday in November.

FascinatingfESTIvE faCTS

We’re all familiar with the tradition of Christmas, but you may not know some of these 12 unusual facts about the festive season.

By Tasnim Jacobs

According to Facebook,

around two weeks

before Christmas is one

of the most popular

times of the year for

couples to break up.

Christmas Day itself,

however, is one of the

least likely days for a

couple to split.

The names of Santa’s eight original

reindeer are Dasher and Dancer,

Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid,

and Donder and Blitzen. Rudolph the

Red-Nosed Reindeer only joined the

team in 1939, when he became famous

as the subject of a children’s song.

The modern day standard of Santa Claus

wearing a red coat only became standard

in the 1920s. Before then, he wore blue,

green and purple coats. (Many people

believe Santa’s red outfit was invented

for a Coca-Cola advertising campaign in

the 1930s, but in fact images of him in his

characteristic red outfit had already begun

appearing a decade earlier.)

In Poland, spiders (of all things) and spider webs are common Christmas tree decorations. This is because according to a Polish legend, a spider wove a blanket for the baby Jesus. As a result, Poles consider spiders to be symbols of goodness and prosperity over the Christmas period.

Next time you get a chance to listen to the song “The 12 Days of Christmas”, count all the gifts that are exchanged. You’ll find that there are 364 in total, one for each day of

the year.

Each year in the United States about 20 000 “Rent-

a-Santas” are hired. These Santas undergo training

on how to cope with pressure from the public, how

to deal with rowdy children, and even what not

to eat to avoid having bad breath. Of the 20 000

Santas, at least 7% have criminal records.

Every year since 1947 Oslo has sent a Christmas tree to London as an expression of gratitude for the United Kingdom’s help during World War II. The tree is prominently displayed in Trafalgar Square.

If you’ve had enough

of turkey, you may be

pleased to know that

Christmas trees are

edible. The needles

of pines, spruces and

fir trees are a good

source of vitamin C –

but they may prove a

little painful to eat.

Literally meaning “little dung twig”, mistletoe is

named after the fact that it tends to spring out of bird

droppings excreted on trees after the seeds have

passed through the bird’s digestive tract - which is

something to think about the next time you’re kissing

your significant other under the mistletoe…

It wasn’t until 1870 that Christmas became an official public holiday in America.

For every real Christmas tree harvested, two or three seedlings are planted in its place.


nEw STarTS anD PromoTIonS

Leanne Naidoo was appointed from 1st November, as Key Account Manager for our Manufacturing Division based in Johannesburg. Leanne was previously the Procurement and Logistics manager. With her wealth of experience from procurement and logistics, this will give her a solid platform in this new role.

The current high level procurement and logistics functions will now move directly into the businesses themselves and will be the responsibility of the relevant team to co-ordinate.

Leanne will continue, doing her excellent work around B-BBEE to maintain and grow our scorecard.

Leanne NaidooKey account manager

Msawakhe took up the position of Technical Officer at Umbogintwini’s Technical Department from the 1st October 2012 and he joined CI from Industrial Urethanes where he had been employed as a Process Technician.

Msawakhe has a National Diploma in Chemical Engineering from Technikon Mangosuthu and a B-Tech in Chemical Engineering from Durban University of Technology.

His experience in similar environments coupled with his educational qualifications will stand him in good stead to make a success of his new position.

Melusi started on the 3rd September 2012 as J.Plant General Hand.

Melusi passed his NQF level 2 theory at the AECI Training Center and Completed his practical at CI’s J.Plant.

Msawkhe DlamniTechnical Officer

Brendin Sukhram started at CI in April 2007 as a General Hand, at Lower Acids. He was promoted on the 1st September 2012 as Aluminium Sulphate Operator.

Brendin Sukhramaluminium sulphate Operator

Melusi NgcongoJ. plant General hand

Siza began work at CI in 2006 as a General Electrical Assistant.

He applied and was accepted for an Electrical Learnership with CI in 2009.

Siza advanced his learneship successfully and passed his Trade Test in August 2012. He is now employed as an Electrician at CI.

Siza Dlomoelectrician


rESIGnaTIon

Douglas has been taking care of the Umbongitwini Engineering function on a contract basis for the last six months and on the 1st November 2012, he was appointed full time as National Engineering Manager.

Douglas comes with a varied experience in the Engineering field having worked in the mines, FMCG industry, timber industry amongst the others. It is with this background, his educational qualification and his obtaining of the Government Certificate of Compliance (GCC) that would enable him to oversee all of CI’s engineering function.

Douglas Glennienational engineering manager

nEw STarTS anD PromoTIonS

I would like to congratulate Avesh Sewsunker who reached out on his own initiative to broaden his horizons.

It gives me great pleasure to say Avesh was successful in achieving his level one as a qualified Welding Inspector.

The course duration was one month and held in Johannesburg. It took him a long time to save up to pay for his course. Inspired and goal driven Avesh used up his annual leave to attend this course and was granted study leave to write his exams.

So it has been proven that with a strong mind set, nothing is impossible.

Well done!

Avesh Sewsunkermaintenance Fitter

Reginald Ndlela started as a general worker and was promoted to Senior Operator Aluminium Sulphate Plant. Reginald had 18 years service at CI before resigning to pursue a musical career.

PaSSInG ofSImon mnTunGwaSimon started with the group in 1984 and with CI on the 1st July 1999 as a messenger. During his time at CI he was promoted to Material Handler. He sadly passed away on 24th August 2012. He was married to Thandiwe and has nine children.

Simphiwe Shange started with CI on the 1st January 2007 as a General Hand at Lower Acids. He was promoted to Material Handler from the 1st October 2012.

Simphiwe Shangematerial handler

Gift SuggestionsTo your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart.To a customer, service. To all, charity.

To every child, a good example.To yourself, respect.

~ anonymous

Disclaimer: Chemical Initiatives can accept no responsibility for possible errors in catalogues, brochures and other printed material. All trademarks in this material are property of the respective companies. CI and the logotype are trademarks of AECI Limited. All rights reserved. If you would like to Subscribe to this newsletter please email: [email protected] and put in the subject line: SUBSCRIBE or register online @ www.chemint.co.za

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