Innovative new partnership model with De Beers

BATEMAN and De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited are exploring an innovative concept aimed at improving the synergy and teamwork between clients and contractors on projects and thereby ensuring the mutually beneficial delivery of world-class diamond projects that meet all defined requirements, including safety, cost, schedule, sustainable development and empowerment.

Establishing a long-term partnership is the essence of a charter signed recently by Dr Sivi Gounden, Global CEO of BATEMAN, and Mr Gavin Beevers, Director of Operations for De Beers, which states the intention of both parties to engage in negotiations aimed at finalising an organisation-toorganisation agreement which will form an overarching framework for all future projects. The charter further states that specific agreements directing the parties’ actions and relationship on projects will be negotiated on an individual project basis.

This new partnership model is being explored by De Beers, not only to ensure continued access to worldclass technical skills in project conception, design and execution, but also because experience has shown that effective teamwork is crucial to the success of projects.

The charter, which marks a first in client / contractor relationships, is therefore aiming to provide a solid, long-term platform for meaningful collaboration between the parties at all levels, both internally and external to the project teams, and to lead to a co-operative rather than the traditional competitive and confrontational relationship. Such a relationship will emphasise shared commitment as well as mutual gain / pain, and a win / win mindset.

This partnership will, in essence, create a virtual organisation, integrating and exploiting the synergy between the client’s and contractor’s personnel, processes and technologies, and in turn leading to a stable workforce, increased development of skills, work processes and systems, integration of the supply chain and improved quality assurance. The model will also facilitate the contractor being brought in at the beginning stages of a project, which should result in enhanced upfront design improvements and innovation and creativity.

The BATEMAN Group has been involved in De Beers projects since the late 1960s when the latter launched an expansion programme in the West Coast diamond fields. Currently, BATEMAN is involved in a contract to upgrade the treatment plant at Namdeb’s Elizabeth Bay Mine near Lüderitz on the coast of Namibia, and has recently modified sections of the existing plant at the Venetia Mine in South Africa to increase the throughput of run-of-mine (ROM) ore.

More information may be obtained from James Nieuwenhuys,
General Manager, Diamonds on +27-11-899-2262 or
email jamesn@bmi.co.za.

At the signing of the charter, standing from left: Tim Lotz, Purchasing and Procurement Manager, Dave Porter, General Manager, Strategic Project Office, Fred Litschka, Senior Divisional Metallurgist, and Gordon Jackson, Business Manager, Strategic Project Office, all of De Beers Consolidated Mines, with Pieter du Plessis, Managing Director, Bateman Minerals; and seated from left are: Johan Kruger, General Manager, Commercial Services, De Beers, Sivi Gounden, Global CEO, BATEMAN, Gavin Beevers, Director Operations, De Beers, and James Nieuwenhuys, General Manager,
Diamonds, BATEMAN.

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