ABRASIVE MATTERS

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

JetTalk : 3 easy steps to fix a nozzle blockage [03] | Concrete carpet with a British sense of humour [05] | The MEAM waterjet project [08]

JANUARY & JULY 2012 EDITION

GAC all set for western region expansion

A new facility for Garnet Arabia Company (GAC) has been established in Masturah, the Western Region of Saudi Arabia early this year to service the region’s growing industries.

Strategically located between Jeddah and Rabigh, the 5,000m2 bulk handling and storage facility is set to meet the current garnet abrasive demand for ongoing projects such as the Yanbu Export Refinery as well as upcoming petrochemical expansion projects.

“We are optimistic with the future development of the region with upcoming new oil refineries and petrochemical plant expansions and potential growth opportunies in the medium to large fabrication sector,” GAC General Manager Soni John said.

In addition, GAC is the only provider in the region to offer a recycling package programme that caters for the collection of used garnet to be re-processed. Besides the benefits of lower disposal costs, the programme offers a responsible solution for companies to dispose their used material. The spent material that is collected from various sites will be pre-processed at the facility before being delivered to GAC’s plant in Jubail for final processing.

Meanwhile, expansion plans are in place for the plant in Jubail in preparation for a new production line to produce a new range of garnet abrasives. The Group has invested over AUD$1 million for the project which is targeted to commence in September this year.

The new product range which will be marketed under the Arabian Garnet brand comprises of three grades - 120 mesh, 150 mesh and 200 mesh. These are most suitable for micro garnet users in applications such as glass and delicate surfaces – aluminium and turbine.

By Stephanie Cheong, Perth

02

CORPORATE

Regional communities in Western Australia enjoyed a complimentary world-class classical performance by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Perth Concert Hall through a live simulcast in September last year.

The live broadcast using high quality video and audio technology was aired at 12 venues across the state and provided patrons a full experience including the orchestra arriving on stage and being able to purchase programmes, food and beverages at their venue.

This is the orchestra’s second Australian tour covering Perth, Brisbane and Sydney since the very first performance at the Sydney Opera House in 2006. Internationally recognised as one of the world’s greatest orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra which was established in 1842 is more closely associated with the history and tradition of European classical music than any other musical ensemble.

According to the Perth Concert Hall General Manager Andrew Bolt, the wait -list to become a subscriber in Austria is 11 years for weekend performances and six years for mid-week concerts.

“Or you can try and wrestle with the 200-odd people who’ll brave the worst weather to see if someone returns a ticket,” Mr Bolt added.

GMA is the main corporate partner in bringing the renowned orchestra to Perth.

By Torsten Ketelsen, Perth

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra entertains regional WA through live simulcast

One of the regional live broadcast venues - Novotel Ningaloo Resort, Exmouth.

The orchestra was conducted by Maestro Christoph Eschenbach.

CORPORATE

03

A great tip that could save you at least US$100!

Nozzle blockage is a common problem and may occur quite frequently during the waterjet cutting process. The cost of replacing the nozzle can be quite substantial especially if this occurs often. The common causes that may trigger a nozzle blockage are:

STEP 1 : Remove the blocked nozzle. STEP 2 : Re-fit it with the opposite end of the nozzle.

STEP 3: Start the pump followed by the jet.

Got a waterjet related question or looking for a solution?

Write to us : sales@garnetsales.com

FEATURE SERIESThe Abrasive Matters brings you JetTalk - a short series on waterjet cutting tips & solutions contributed by our experienced waterjet solutions team.

JetTalk: 3 easy steps to fix a nozzle blockage

Wrong Mesh Size

Incorrect selection of waterjet cutting garnet abrasive mesh/particle size or using oversized particles compared to the bore diameter of the nozzle.

Abrasive quality

Lower quality garnet abrasives that may have a higher content of foreign metal particles.

Dust

High levels of dust in lower quality garnet abrasives.

Within a fraction of a second, the nozzle will be cleared!

Contributed By : Ajay Thanki, Dubai

In the event that you are unable to clear the blockage using compressed air, try the following time–tested remedy:

Special Appreciation to NSHGMA presented a special appreciation to Nasser S. Al Hajri Corporation (NSH) in recognition of the company’s continuous support since 2007. For the past five years, GMA’s Saudi Arabia operation-Garnet Arabia Company (GAC) has been providing NSH with customised service arrangements comprising the supply of quality garnet abrasive as well as the collection of used garnet from site for reprocessing. In honour of the long term business relationship, a special Appreciation Certificate was awarded to NSH on 19th December 2011 at the NSH Tower in Al Khobar.

In July this year, GMA CEO Torsten Keteslen attended the opening of NSH ‘s new office in Western Australia.

“The excellent relationship between GMA and NSH will be further enchanced with the new setup here in Perth and

opportunites to work together in the current resources boom in Western Australia,” Mr Ketelsen said.

Recognised as a Grade “A” general construction contractor by the government of Saudi Arabia, NSH contributed its expertise in key sectors such as Oil & Gas, Refineries, Petrochemicals, Fertilisers, Cement, Power, Desalination and Steel Industries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for over 30 years. Over the years, GMA Garnet™ abrasive is the preferred abrasive for all major projects by NSH namely Saudi Kayan - Phenolics, Chemanol Expansion, Sipchem Acetyl Complex, IBN ZAHR PP3, Ethylene Plant Project Sharq, Tasnee Ethylene Cracker Plant, Methanol Plant Project, Hadeed DRI Plant Project, PDH/PP Plant Project and Jubail Export Refinery.

By Soni John, Jubail

The special Appreciation Certificate was presented to NSH Corporate Procurement Manager Krishna Kumar (second from left) by GMA CEO Torsten

Ketelsen (third from left) together with GAC General Manager Soni John (far left) and GMA Group Commercial Manager Rodney Liebeck (far right).

04

CORPORATE / PRODUCT FEATURE

GMA Garnet™ Fine & Super Fine Abrasives

GMA Micronised Garnet Products for Precision Applications.

High quality GMA Garnet™ abrasives are now available for delicate surface preparation applications, ready in stock worldwide.

GMA Fine & Super Fine Abrasive products are processed using state-of-the-art technology to ensure consistent high quality. The combination of high mineral purity, total grain angularity and consistent sizing ensures high performance precision cutting, cleaning, etching and polishing.

The range of abrasives are most suited for precision waterjet cutting, fine and delicate blast cleaning for graffiti and paint removal, stone or brick restoration; automobile, aerospace and boat restoration as well as new fabrication. It also is commonly used for blast etching of glass, aluminium, plastics and composites.

The abrasives are packaged in 25kg paper bags or1000kg & 2000kg bulk bags.

By Marc Putzier, Perth

AVAILABLE MESH SIZES

• 90 mesh • 120 mesh • 150 mesh • 200 mesh • 350 mesh

BEFORE AFTER

For further information, contact Marc Putzier at

marc@garnetsales.com

u The *GEOBLASTER with **GMA Fine abrasive 150 mesh were used to restore the bricks of this building that was constructed in 1862. The building is one of the historic structures located in Marshall, Michigan, home to one of the largest historic landmark districts in USA.

The surface of the original and replacement bricks were lightly skimmed without any pit or tear and the mortar remained intact.

*Coupled with 220 CFM compressor at 40psi nozzle pressure.

**Abrasive consumption was at the average of 40kg / 90 lbs per hour.

Photo & Info credits: Geoblaster

Photo credits: Ibix

Picture 1: Wood restoration.

4.

Picture 2: High precision blast cleaning.

Picture 3: Graffiti removal.

Picture 4: Specialty surface preparation.

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1.3.

UNITED KINGDOM

05

Concrete carpet with a British sense of humour

Deemed as one of the largest pieces of public art ever commissioned in the United Kingdom, Blackpool’s Comedy Carpet unveiled on 10th October 2011 is set to stir a few giggles or perhaps loads of laughs from its visitors.

Installed on the promenade at the foot of the world famous Blackpool Tower, the 2,200 m2 typographical artwork which is made of granite and high quality cast concrete is a humorous display of jokes, songs and comedy catchphrases by over 1,000 of Britain’s most well loved comedians and writers.

Five sections at the centre of the carpet are devoted to Ken Dodd, Les Dawson, Morecambe and Wise, Frankie Howerd and Tommy Cooper.

The size of the letters on the carpet varies from a few centimetres to almost a metre tall so that the laughs can be enjoyed from all sides and from both close up and from a height at the top of the tower. These 160,000 individually engraved letters spelling

out the phrases on the carpet were cut with waterjet cutting machines by WJS UK using GMA Garnet™ 80 mesh waterjet cutting abrasive prior to installation on site.

“Our waterjet machines are manufactured to the highest standard and we have full confidence in GMA Garnet™ abrasive’s constant optimum performance. We recommend GMA Garnet™ to all our customers,” said WJS UK Managing Director Chris Baker.

The £4m project has taken five years from conception to installation and is integrated into the Tower Festival Headland– a brand new events space in the resort, which will host huge events with a capacity of 20,000 as well as a brand new low-carbon-emission wedding venue with breathtaking views across the beach and sea.

By John Halewood, Manchester

These 160,000 individually engraved letters spelling out the phrases on the carpet were cut with waterjet cutting machines using GMA Garnet™ 80 mesh abrasives.

The carpet was officially unveiled by legendary Liverpool comedian Ken Dodd.

Photo credits: Angela Catlin

Made of granite and high quality cast concrete, the carpet is a humorous display of jokes, songs and comedy catchphrases by over 1,000 of Britain’s most well loved comedians and writers.

GMA Garnet in Europe participated in the Tolexpo fair in Paris, France with La Découpe Systèmes Automatisés (LDSA) from 15th to 18th November last year.

Over 11,000 visitors attended the international fair for sheet metal, coil, tube and section equipment There were over 200 exhibitors and major waterjet cutting machine manufacturers such as Flow and Bystronic in France and Resato International.

At the LDSA/GMA booth, visitors comprising waterjet technicians, engineers, current and potential customers were introduced to the benefits and advantages of

the waterjet cutting technology by LDSA and quality Australian garnet abrasive by GMA.

On showcase were GMA 80 mesh garnet and the WJA 15.30 1T5X PRO - Abrasive Waterjet Machining Center from LDSA which is composed of a 3000 x 1500 mm table, a stainless steel water tank, with 5 axis cutting at 6000 bar powered by a KMT Pro pump. This great combination enables a high performance cutting - faster cutting and better cut quality.

As swivels often lead to leaks and machine breakdowns, there is no swivel in the WJA 15.30 1T5X PRO but a connection with a spiral tube

allowing a 520° rotation on the C axis (vertical axis) and a ±45° tipping on the A axis (horizontal axis) to ensure high precision and watertightness.The regular grain size of GMA 80 mesh garnet offers quality, consistent cutting performance and less clogs in the cutting head as it is virtually dust free.

The waterjet market remains optimistic of a strong growth in the sales of 6,000 bar (90,000 psi) pumps in 2012.

LDSA is GMA’s key distributor in France. The company was established in 1989 by Mr. Dominique Braucourt in Bar-le-Duc in the North East of France.

LDSA is the leading French manufacturer of waterjet cutting machines and one of the main manufacturers in Europe with more than 300 installation of waterJet machines. LDSA plans to promote 7,000 bar (105 000 psi) technology for higher productivity requirements.

By Fabien Reneaux, Frankfurt

z GMA Sales & Marketing Assistant Fabien Reneaux (left) with LDSA General Director Dominique Braucourt at the Tolexpo fair in Paris.

Lamiera Blech Italia 2012 GMA Garnet Europe participated in the “Lamiera / Blech Italia“ exhibition in Bologna, Italy from 9th to 12th May 2012.

The exhibition is well-known as the most important trade show in Italy and specifically devoted to metal forming machines and metal manufacturing sector.

GMA received numerous inquiries on the range of fine and super fine garnet abrasives which are popularly used in sandblasting applications for graffiti removal, steel and wood restoration in Europe. On top of sandblasting customers, many existing and potential waterjet customers also attended the trade show in search of new machines or to upgrade their existing machines to modern and computer controlled CNC systems. According to waterjet machine manufacturer exhibitors, the demand for new machines is on the rise. The production capacity for new machine orders have exceeded by over 30 percent with a delivery lead time of up to six months upon order receipt. By Tiziano Cher, Frankfurt

06

EUROPE

Trade Exhibitions in Europe

GMA Europe representatives, from left: Andreas Höfner, Riccardo Cinquini & Tiziano Cher.

GMA Garnet Europe attended the 10th Blechexpo 2011 which was held at the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre last year.

GMA had a successful showcase at the expo which ranks second in the global ranking for sheet metal processing trade shows. Around 26,000 expert visitors from 89 countries visited the expo to gather information regarding current industry offerings.

The show features manufacturer products, machines, systems and equipment for hardware and software.

By Andreas Höfner, Hamburg

The GMA team at the exhibition.

Blechexpo 2011 in GermanyTolexpo 2012 in France

EUROPE

07

Visitors impress with Aulla open house

Visitors were impressed with the open house of the Group’s recycling facility in Aulla-Pallerone, Italy that was held on 9th September 2011.

Seventy international customers, suppliers and distributors toured the facility and were briefed on the production process and storage capacity. Currently, the daily production of reprocessed garnet is approximately 50 tonnes and around 10,500 tonnes of new garnet and 2000 tonnes of used garnet are being stored at the warehouse. The positive reception of the visitors further enhances customer relations and builts toward a long-lasting cooperation with the Group.

The event began with a welcome dinner on 8th September at Cabreo Restaurant in Viareggio which is a 45 minutes drive from the facility followed by the plant visit the next morning.

The event ended with a two-hour ferry cruise from Portovenere - near Cinque Terre to Viareggio. The Cinque Terre is one of the most untouched areas in the Mediterranean Sea with beautiful footpaths, breathtaking views, churches, oratories and old castles, diving and the finest food and wines.

By Tiziano Cher, Frankfurt

Never a dull moment for Andreas After two decades of promoting GMA Garnet™ as a wonderful abrasive to customers in Europe, General Manager Andreas Höfner concludes that it was and still is an exciting job.

“This job enables me to meet different customers and friends all around Europe. I may be meeting customers from Airbus and BMW today and small workshop owners the next day,” said Mr Höfner who celebrated 20 years of service last year.

It all began when Mr Höfner met CEO Torsten Ketelsen at a trade show in Hamburg in October 1990 where he was introduced to GMA Garnet™. Convinced of the performance and potential of this abrasive, Mr Höfner came on board as Sales & Marketing Manager in Hamburg on 1st July 1991.

“In the beginning, nobody knew about our product but many companies were interested to learn more about this product from “Down Under.”

It was fantastic to get the first orders from shipyards in Germany and from the Netherlands,” Mr Höfner said.

Mr Höfner shared that his initial challenges were to establish GMA Garnet Europe as a market

leader in the garnet abrasive market, to build up the best possible customer-vendor relationships and develop a sophisticated marketing and distribution network across Europe. Today, GMA Garnet™ has become the reference class for garnet abrasive in the waterjet cutting industry.

“Andreas has demonstrated most admirably what can be achieved when you believe in your product and pursue your goals relentlessly,” CEO Torsten Ketelsen said.

Among Andreas’ most memorable moments through the years are being able to maintain long-term customer relationships with customers that have placed their first order many years ago and to see a high and steady growth in garnet sales each year.

“What I like about the Group are our product which is reliable and provides the highest value for money abrasive solution to our customers, sound investments in reprocessing plants, a fantastic and highly motivated team operating in a customer-focused corporate culture and the environmentally sustainable and socially responsible practices of our business,” Mr Höfner said.

Moving forward, Mr Höfner is working towards developing a market for reprocessed garnet as well as ultra-fine products from the reprocessing plant in Aulla, Italy and to explore new applications, resources and cost-effective disposal of used garnet in Europe.

During his free time, Mr Höfner enjoys travelling and sports activities especially tennis and cycling and to be able to spend as much time as possible with his family.

By Stephanie Cheong, Perth

Mr Höfner (left) 20 years ago when he first joined the Group and today.

Seventy guests toured the facility and were briefed on the production process and storage capacity.

UNITED STATES

08

The MEAM waterjet project

In October last year, I came to know about the MEAM waterjet project – a final year project to build a working waterjet machine (right picture) by a group of engineering students for their university machine shop that will also benefit future engineering students.

One of the initial challenges of the project was to fit it through a standard 32” (813mm) door opening and to be able to run on standard household current of 120 volt AC. On reading some of their build parameters, I thought it would not be possible but this creative group found a way by working with lower pressures driven by a pump donated to their cause.

A month later in November, the students contacted GMA for some GMA Garnet™ 80 mesh abrasive. I brought them a few buckets of abrasive and had a lengthy discussion with some of the team members. We touched on the issue of getting GMA Garnet™ to flow correctly and interestingly, they came up with a novel approach of using an inverted juice bottle and experimented with finding a hole/orifice to gravity feed their system at the correct rate. I wanted to do more than to just supply garnet and suggested that they visit a working waterjet shop. At the end of March this year, the students visited Krando Metal Products (KMP) in Broomall. KMP Senior Project Manager Anthony DiAngelus Jr. was very helpful and generous with his time by providing an informative three-hour tour with full access to the facility. Anthony was very detailed in describing the daily operations in a waterjet shop environment and I believe this would have firmly planted the waterjet applications platform in their minds as a viable business.

According to Anthony, the students were ambitious, eager and extremely intelligent and were not intimidated by the extremely difficult task of cutting a solid object with water and abrasive. Their questions were focused, well thought out and precise.

“Their passion for this project is something you do not see in the industry,” Anthony added. Besides a very small budget and limitations to space and electricity, these creative and intelligent young people overcame various challenges and successfully completed their project. I can see how they, the upcoming generation could represent the future of mechanical production and manufacturing. The experience was very satisfying and I hope to remain in contact with these young people in future as they venture into their respective industries.

The MEAM waterjet is a design project by final year students in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) at the University of Pennsylvania, United States. GMA Sales Manager Carl Borgh came to know of the project and followed their progress. Carl shares his thoughts on the project.

Project Highlights

The purpose of this project was to create a small scale waterjet machine suitable for universities and hobbyists. It should be powerful, yet small and affordable for non-commercial applications. The general design concept capitalises on the advantages associated with building an abrasive waterjet machine that operates at relatively low pressure (as low as 10ksi) and flow rate.

Project Goals:

> Perform cuts at 1/4” (6.35mm) aluminum and 1/8” (3.175mm) steel> Cut within a tolerance of 0.005” (0.127mm) (including error due to kerf width and draft angle)> Compact machine within a few square feet; a modular system that could be assembled on a table-top> Automated material-based feeds and speeds calculations> A machine that is safe to operate> Budget : less than USD$10,000

Carl Borgh

Site visit to KMP by the engineering students from University of Pennsylvania. From left : Nick Bartlett, Carlee Wagner, Adam Libert & Nisan Lerea.

Anthony (first from left) explaining the waterjet workstation functions at KMP and the various software features and capabilities that are beneficial

to the user experience of the student’s waterjet machine.

The team has won the top award in their c lass and will be competing against other engineering classes for the best project.

UNITED STATES

09

Over US $15,000 were raised during the annual Houston Painters Competition organised by the Houston Coatings Society in Houston, Texas early last year.

The proceeds from the event have been given out as college scholarships to 10 students in need.

Over 300 hundred guests and their families enjoyed a full day of games, barbeque and serious competition for the contractors.

The event is one of the many activities organised by the society. GMA is an active member of the Houston Coatings Society as well as the Louisiana Coatings Society. The members of these organisations comprised of companies in the painting, blasting or related industries in the US Gulf Coast area. Regular meetings are held every month with special guest speakers to address current key issues in the industry. GMA Gulf Coast Outside Sales Ernie McDaniel is also a board member of the board of directors of both organisations.

Besides providing event sponsorships, some of the GMA employees are involved in several event planning committees and most of the inside sales team has helped out in these events.

GMA is proud to be a part of these organisations and doing our part in giving back to the industry. By Pete Mitchell, Houston

Painters Competition raises US $15,000 for students in need

GMA to increase market presence in Central and South America

Painters Competition in progress. Children enjoying the games and activities at the event.

GMA Garnet USA is working towards increasing its market presence in Central and South America.

“The industrial sector in this part of the world is growing at a rapid pace. We see the potential and growth opportunity for us to promote our products to the relevant industries here,” Vice President – Sales & Marketing Pete Mitchell said.

GMA Garnet™ waterjet cutting and sandblasting abrasives are currently available in the region via business partners - Reptec and Rosber in Mexico and Transmerquim for sandblasting abrasive in both Central and South America.

“Customers are also welcomed to direct their enquiries to us as we are able to deliver our abrasive products in containers to all areas in the region,” Mr Mitchell added.

By Stephanie Cheong, Perth

t GMA Garnet™ abrasive is now available in Mexico and other parts of South America.

PARTNER NEWS

Speedy refinery storage tank maintenance using Blastmaster Tornado™ with GMA PremiumBlast™

10

In May this year, a major contractor performed maintenance works on a large tank for one of the leading refineries in New South Wales, Australia.

The interior and exterior of the tank with an approximate diameter of 55 metres and 10-12 metres in height required blast cleaning and re-coating due to corrosion that has occurred over time. The job comprised of the removal of a 500 micron thick coating on the interior tank floor and the heavily rusted and pitted internal walls as well as the removal of epoxy coating on the exterior followed by the application of a protective coating system.

Stringent quality standards are required for the coating removal and re-coating process as the guaranteed life expectancy of the tank structure is very high. In addition, the surface preparation of the steel surface is a crucial step in the re-coating process as it ensures that the new protective coating will adhere and protect against further corrosion for many years.

Blastmaster recommended the use of GMA Garnet™ abrasive as it reduces the contractor’s operational costs for such time-critical jobs when compared to lower quality imported garnet abrasive.

The combination of Blast-One MegaBlaster™ and *Blast-One Tornado™ blaster tool with

GMA PremiumBlast Garnet abrasive provided the contractor with great results:

- 30% increase in productivity and lower consumption rate by approximately 30% (compared to imported garnet)

- The production rates for removing the 500 micron thick coating on the tank floor were over 60m2 per hour/per operator

- The production rates for removing the heavily rusted and pitted walls were 50 m2 per hour/per operator whilst achieving a class SA 2½ (SSPC-10).

In addition to significant cost-savings, the project was completed in record time and ahead of schedule. The contractor was amazed with the results.

“Our time, labour, abrasive consumption and disposal costs were reduced and the customer is pleased with us. We had bad weather to contend with on top of it all,” the contractor said.

The contractor added that the customer was ‘extremely satisfied as they saved three days out of a 20-day project window and reduced blasting costs by 27% and disposal costs by 33%!’

By Jim Gooden & Philip Gooden, Blastmaster, Adelaide

GMA Garnet Australia together with Syawaja Malaysia participated in the Sabah Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition (SOGCE) from 9th to 10th April 2012 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in Malaysia.

Supported by The Sabah Ministry of Industrial Development, the event brought together major industry players from around Malaysia and beyond to share information and explore future developments and potential up-stream and down-stream opportunities.

The Oil & Gas Industry is deemed a ‘Sunrise Industry’ in Sabah as the state has about 11 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas and 1.5 billion barrels of oil in its reserves, representing about

12% and 25% of the country’s oil & gas reserves. In addition, the latest oil discovery offshore of Sabah is estimated to draw in an equivalent reserve of over 220 million barrels of oil.

Syawaja Malaysia is the sole distributor for GMA Garnet™ abrasive in Malaysia and promoting the benefits of GMA Garnet™ to various industries for almost two decades. Malaysia is the regional hub supplying high grade GMAGarnet™to neighbouring South East Asia countries including Turkmenistan.

By Stephanie Cheong, Perth

*Blastmaster’s Blast-One Tornado™ abrasive blasting tool comes with a twin nozzle assembly which speeds up production by over 2½ times as compared to a standard single blast hose. The contractor has adopted this single tool to perform the task of over 2½ operators and the operator finds it extremely easy to use.

The contractor achieved a 30% increase in productivity and lower consumption rate by approximately 30% by switching to Blastmaster’s

Blast-One Tornado™ with GMA PremiumBlast™ garnet abrasive.

GMA, Syawaja joins SOGCE 2012

From left : The Minister of Industrial Development Sabah YB Datuk Raymond Tan, GMA CEO Torsten Ketelsen, Chief Minister of Sabah YAB Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Hj Aman & Syawaja Managing Director Ya Mahmud Mohd Noor.

STAFF NEWS

11

Working holiday visitor enjoys work at GMA

New dump truck improves mining efficiency

STAFF NEWS

While visiting Australia on a working holiday arrangement, Kuan Cheng Chen, also known as Calvin came to know about GMA while looking for some work in the industrial area of Geraldton.

In November 2011, Calvin who is from Tainan City, South of Taiwan has become the first overseas staff from Asia to join the team in Geraldton.

Learning English in junior high school has proven to be a bonus for him as he is able to enjoy the friendly interaction among the GMA employees who are eager to help him polish his English on top of his on-the-job training. He is a valued member of the staff and they enjoy working with him. For Calvin, he finds GMA a pleasant and interesting place to work.

“I enjoy my job very much,” Calvin shared.

Back home, Calvin attended university in Taiwan for four years and specialises in Information Management. He hopes that living and working in Geraldton will help improve his English to prepare him for further travel and work opportunities.

After being in Geraldton for some time now, Calvin enjoys the slower pace of life together with its great beaches, coastal lifestyle and varied countryside. It is a far cry from the cities in Taiwan that run 24 hours.

He is hoping to remain longer in Australia to travel more extensively. So far, he has only seen parts of Western Australia namely the Wave Rock, the Pinnacles, Perth and Kalbarri and he particularly likes Natures Window and the National Parks. In addition, his Asian travels include Singapore, Penang - Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan.

Although Calvin misses his family, he keeps himself busy and enjoys marathon running, swimming and the occasional game of tennis. Andre Agassi is one of his favorite all time tennis players and he would love to attend the Australian open and perhaps Wimbledon and the US open one day.

By Donna Collis & Dean Schwarz, GeraldtonCalvin enjoys the friendly interaction among the GMA employees who are eager to help him polish his English on top of his on-the-job training.

As part of GMA’s continual drive to improve mining efficiency, the Port Gregory plant invested in a new Bell B50D 6x6 Articulated Dump Truck last year.

With a payload capacity of 47 metric tonnes, the dump truck is one of the heaviest payloads available for any articulated dump truck in the world today. The truck has enabled an increase in our loading capacity of up to 20%.

In addition, it has better fuel efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions. This operator friendly truck comes with electronic upgrades and enhancements including improved safety aspects and higher visibility at night.

“The new Bell B50D has better serviceability and it is quieter. The adaptive front suspension provides a smoother ride for the operators,” Mine Manager Dean Clarke said.

By Dean Schwarz & Sandy Stock-Standen, Geraldton The new truck has enabled an increase in loading capacity of up to 20%.

STAFF NEWS

12

Mr Mohamed Ibrahim joined the Group as Production Engineer for Garnet Arabia Company (GAC) in Jubail, Saudi Arabia on 22nd September 2011.

On top of the daily production and packaging activities, Mohamed will be focusing on Quality Assurance and Quality Control at the plant. Mohamed holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Stream from Anna University, Chennai, India. Upon his graduation in 2010, Mohamed joined a local company in his home state of Tamil Nadu as Development Quality Inspector.

As for Mr Shabeeb Umer, he was appointed as the new Sales Engineer for GAC 14th May 2012.

Based in Masturah, Shabeeb will be responsible for the sales of blast cleaning abrasive in the western region. Prior to this appointment, Shabeeb was working with local steel manufacturing firms as Sales Engineer in Dammam and Jeddah for over three years.

Shabeeb is also simultaneously pursuing a Mechanical Engineering Degree from India.

MIDDLE EAST

Mohamed Ibrahim Shabeeb Umer

Appointments & Promotion in Perth

Appointments

The Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Rodney S. Liebeck and promotion of Mr David Wong.

Mr Liebeck came on board as Group Commercial Manager on 21st September 20II. Based in GMA’s head office in Perth, Australia, Mr Liebeck will be providing commercial leadership and support to the group operations worldwide.

Prior to this appointment, Mr Liebeck, who holds a double major in Accounting & Finance was the Group Accountant for a large mining company in 1990 and two years later, Mr Liebeck joined GMA as Commercial Manager from 1992 to 1998.

In 1998, Mr Liebeck relocated to Pemberton, Western Australia to pursue his business interests in retail and established a vineyard. In 2005, Mr Liebeck successfully created Australia’s first winery/microbrewery combination. Recently, the retail operations of Mr Liebeck’s business interests were leased out to a large commercial group enabling Mr Liebeck to recommence his service with the Group.

Mr David Wong has been promoted as Chief Financial Officer effective Ist June 2012.

In his new role, Mr Wong is responsible for all financial and fiscal management aspects of GMA operations and will provide leadership and coordination in the administrative. business planning. accounting and budgeting efforts of the company.

Mr Wong joined the Group as Accountant on 15th April 2002 and took on the role as Treasurer in June 20I0. Recently, Mr Wong celebrated 10 years of service with GMA in April 2012. Over the past ten years he has made a significant contribution to GMA’ s business development and success. By Torsten Ketelsen, Perth

Rodney S. Liebeck David Wong

STAFF NEWS

13

STAFF NEWS

Sean Michael Leary

Mr Sean Michael Leary joined the Group as Forklift Operator for the warehouse at Kewdale in the middle of last year.

Sean has been working in the transport industry for 18 years and is responsible for loading and unloading of trucks and containers, general warehouse duties as well a helping out with some office duties.

Marc Putzier

Mr Marc Putzier came on board as the new Domestic Sales Manager on 1st November 2011.

Based in the Group’s head office in Perth, Marc is responsible for building customer relations and business development starting with Western Australia and eventually for the rest of the states. His immediate responsibilities are to increase direct sales and to focus on Western Australia’s up and coming northwest mining and Oil & Gas projects.

Marc is not new to the Group as he has completed internships with Sister Group Jebsen & Jessen Technology in Singapore on organisational development and international sales and logistics with GMA in Australia while pursuing his degree studies in Commerce majoring in Management and Human Resource Management.

He has also worked in the construction industry, taking on a dual role as carpentry and joinery apprentice whilst being in charge of materials supply and sourcing and as HR Coordinator for Offshore Marine Services before joining the GMA office in Houston as Inside Sales for two years.

Marc is also a NACE Coating Inspector Level 1-Certified which enables him to provide basic coating inspection of structural steel using non-destructive techniques and instrumentation.

He will be completing the next level of the NACE Coating Inspector programme later this year to provide enhanced assistance and support to techincal enquiries.

Deborah Horsley

Ms Deborah Horsley was appointed as the new Office Coordinator on 7th November 2011. She takes on Ms Lora Firman’s role who is on maternity leave starting from 14th November 2011.

Deborah has worked as PA, Lead Administrator, Receptionist, Team Assistant for Legal, Occupational Health, Nuffield Onsite Gym, Exploration and Economics. Deborah is also a qualified payroll agent and is currently taking an online course in Sage accounting.

Ben Thunder

Mr Ben Thunder is the new Logistics Coordinator for GMA effective 2nd April 2012.

Ben is responsible for coordinating and undertaking all container exports in accordance with contracts of sale as well as ensuring proceeds are received in an efficient and timely manner for export contracts of sale. In addition, Ben will also be assisting in all chartering activities, including basic freight negotiations and operational aspects of all Cost & Freight (CFR) and Cost, Insurance & Freight (CIF) sales.

Prior to this appointment, Ben who holds a BA in Economics and Minor in Sustainable Development was working as Export Logistics Officer for one of Australia’s leading grain organisations for three years. He provided assistance to shipment scheduling/slot management and ensured compliance with service agreements, Port Terminal Rules and any other compliance enforced by the organisation. In 2006, Ben was the Policy Director - Private Property Rights and Natural Resource Management for the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia (PGA) and ran successful Environmental Management Systems projects on behalf of the Association.

The Group welcomes the new employees on board and wishes them a great start to their careers.

By Torsten Ketelsen & Darrin Langguth, Perth, Soni John, Jubail & Jessika Schetz, Hamburg

Ms Melanie Herzog joined the Group as Logistics Representative on 1st September 2011.

Melanie is responsible for compiling monthly VAT reports and reconciliation of VAT accounts as well as support in invoicing. Prior to this appointment, Melanie was in customer service documentation for the export department of a shipping company.

On 1st December 2011, Ms Maike Mölk joined the Group as Customer Service Representative.

Maike who is a part-time employee holds a Bachelors of Business Economics and has previously worked as a Sales & Marketing Manager for a Sports Nutrition Company for over eight years. Both Melanie and Maike are based in Hamburg.Melanie HerzogMaike Mölk

Sean Michael LearyDeborah Horsley Marc Putzier Ben Thunder

EUROPE

Newly promoted Chief Financial Officer David Wong celebrated 10 years of service with GMA this April.

After a decade with the Group, David finds that he is still learning new things in his job and encountering changes. As the saying goes ‘The only thing constant in life is change’.

David shares how it all started:

‘Time flies when you are learning new things and adapting to changes.

Prior to my GMA days, I was working with a bank in international trade services. As Trade Finance Officer, I was dealing with Mr Torsten Ketelsen and Ms Mary Fay in letter of credits and foreign exchange. Occasionally, I have also dealt with the GMA Garnet company with regards to letter of credits.

Upon completing my part-time degree course in Accounting, I was hoping to advance my career in the field I graduated in. Unfortunately, or I should say fortunately - as I am now under GMA’s employment, there were no suitable positions available in the bank.

One day, a casual conversation with Mary regarding my job search led to a possibility that there may be an accounting position in her company. On 15th April 2002, I came on board as Accountant for Garnet International Resources (GIRL) which owns 50% of GMA and today, GMA is wholly owned by GIRL.

Looking back, I consider myself fortunate that Mr Ketelsen and Director Wolfhart Putzier were willing to give me an opportunity to start my career as an Accountant. From the day I joined GMA, it has been a constant learning curve in various areas of accounting and I am happy to be able to contribute my knowledge in trade finance to the business.’

David is a keen golfer and plays regularly during weekends.

“Or some would say, I went chasing after the white ball!” David quipped.

“In this game, one is always looking for the ultimate golf swing. To golfers out there, any comments on the swing?” By Stephanie Cheong, Perth

STAFF NEWS

Good crew, good company

‘The only thing constant in life is change’

14

“Good crew, good company and job security.”

Mr Stephen Wayne Criddle shared when asked what he likes about GMA.

A former lobster fisherman, Stephen has been with the Group for 10 years and celebrated his service anniversary on 17th September last year.

Stephen joined GMA as Mill Hand to operate the garnet powders mill (no longer in operation today) and through the years, Stephen found it challenging to learn to operate the old mills and dry plant. Today, Stephen is a Leading Hand at the dry plant in Geraldton, Western Australia and cited this as one of his most memorable achievements.

Some of Stephen’s family members are also part of the GMA family. His daughters, Emily and Jessica are Quality Control Officers at the laboratory; his wife and both his son-in-laws have worked with the company over the years.

“Working with my father has shown us firsthand his work ethic, and setting a great example for us to follow,” said Emily and Jessica.

By Dean Schwarz, Geraldton

Stephen is holding some garnet freshly derived from the magnetic separator.

For David, working with GMA is a constant learning curve in various areas of accounting since day one.

t David ‘chasing after the white ball’ at a local golf course in Perth.

STAFF NEWS

15

Pioneer employee - Dean turns 30

STAFF NEWS

Dean has a strong sense of duty and is ever so willing to attend to maintenance and upgrades at the mine at night or on weekends.

Dean is standing in front of a bank of spiral concentrators at the wet plant.

Wet Plant Manager Raymond Dean Clarke - one of the Group’s pioneer employees has turned 30.

Dean from Port Gregory, Western Australia celebrated 30 years of service with the Group on 31st August 2011.

In 1981, Dean and his father, Ray Clarke were part of the pioneer team of employees responsible for operating the original Lynton Wet Plant. Coming from a local farming background, Dean’s hands-on practical approach has helped the company overcome many initial operational challenges.

Today, the same approach has ensured the smooth running of the wet processing plant and ancillary equipment.

With earthmoving being a major part of the Port Gregory operations, Dean’s affinity for earthmoving equipment and sand mining operations has been a valuable asset to the Group.

“Dean has a strong sense of duty and is ever so willing to attend to maintenance and upgrades at the mine at night and on weekends. His tenacity and perseverance to get through difficult circumstances are most commendable,” said CEO Torsten Ketelsen.

Dean shared that it has been great to be part of a growing company from the beginning.

“The job was enjoyable with plenty of challenges to keep it interesting all these years,” Dean added.

By Martin Taylor and Dean Schwarz, Geraldton

Anniversary

Geraldton

2012 Michael Paul Holden

Hamburg

2011 Anke Büll, Frank Biedermann, Iris Künnemann, Phylis Friederichs

2012 Susanne Schröder

Jebel Ali

2011 Dharmesh Tala

2012 Arvind Thanki, Desraj Balwant Singh, Vijay Natrajan

Jubail

2011 Bishnu Bahadur Poudel, Loknath Khanal, Mohan Lal, Raman Nair, Srinivas Dongisaram, Talal Fahad Al-Anazi, Vinod Kumar, Zahiruddin S.Kadri

2012 Abdul Gafoor Alangadan, Ali Ibrahim Hammad Mohammad Mahabub Ur Rahman, Mohammad Sharif Balkhi Soni John, Thani Dakheen Al-Enizi

Houston

2012 Carl Borgh & Pete Mitchell.

Happy anniversary to Mr Dean Schwarz (July 2011) and Ms Donna Collis (May 2012) from Geraldton; Mr John Halewood (March 2012) from Manchester for achieving 15 years of service with GMA.

The Group would also like to congratulate the following employees achieving 5 years of service from July 2011 to June 2012. The Group values your contribution and looks forward to your personal and career growth with the Group for many years to come. By Torsten Ketelsen, Perth

Dean Schwarz John Halewood Donna Collis

GMA Garnet Group (GMA) is the leading producer of industrial garnet for blast cleaning and waterjet cutting with advanced mining and processing operations established within Western Australia and strategically located warehouses worldwide. The Group has pioneered the operation of large-scale garnet recycling facilities in Italy, Saudi Arabia, UAE and USA offering an environmentally friendly solution to the disposal of used garnet. Headquartered in Perth with GMA Group of Companies in Europe, Middle East and America, the Group is supported by a dedicated and professional global distribution network offering professional solutions and extensive technical support to the industry for over 20 years.

Level 18, Exchange Plaza, The Esplanade, Perth, Western Australia 6000 Tel: +61 8 9287 3200 Fax: +61 8 9287 3201 Email sales@garnetsales.com Website: www.garnetsales.com

• AUSTRALIA • DENMARK • GERMANY • ITALY • SAUDI ARABIA • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES • UNITED KINGDOM • UNITED STATES

SPECIAL FEATURE

GMA GARNET GROUPwhen your abrasive matters!

07

Happy 40th Anniversary to Martin

That was Group Technical Manager Martin Taylor’s first garnet encounter, almost 40 years ago.

“Viewed under the microscope, there is a ‘gem quality’ attractiveness to the Port Gregory garnet

but my greatest attraction and challenge back then was to help turn a large, valueless mineral resource into a saleable commodity and ultimately a profitable mining operation,” Martin said.

Among the many challenging events over the years from developing cost-effective wet and dry processing methods, converting abrasive blasting companies to switch from dry silica sand to garnet, to contributing to the design of processing and recycling plants, Martin shared that his most challenging time would have to be convincing the original owners (Target Petroleum) not to abandon the garnet project in the 1970s.

On 7th December last year, Martin celebrated 40 years of service. He is also the longest serving employee in the Group.

“What has kept me going in this job for so long is the fact that it has always been interesting and challenging with constant development and variations,” Martin said.

To Martin, GMA is a worldwide brotherhood of dedicated and inspired people who have caught the “garnet bug” in a company that has exceptionally sound ownership. In the years to come, he hopes to see an increase in recycling and blending to maintain competitiveness while optimising and expanding the Port Gregory resource.

Besides his life-long attraction to the development of GMA Garnet™, Martin who turns 63 this year is equally attracted to the ocean and can be spotted surfing or skin diving at the local beaches in Geraldton.

“My most memorable surfing experience was having two dolphins leap out of the water, one on each side of me, as I surfed down the face of a wave at Margaret River, Western Australia.”

By Stephanie Cheong, Perth

GMA Garnet™ abrasive has come a long way from an unknown mineral to an industry standard industrial mineral abrasive.

Behind the celebrated success is a geologist who believed in its benefits and potential. While performing hand auger sampling at the coastal dunes and beach in the Port Gregory area in Western Australia, the young researcher found substantial tonnages of garnet in these areas.

Memorable Moments

Martin’s memorable moments upon achieving every 10 years of service.

70s Process and market development of GMA Garnet™.

80s Winning PIH and Saipem over from using silica sand to garnet for the Dampier-Perth natural gas pipeline joints; the commissioning of Lynton Wet Plant & Narngulu Dry Plant and the first bulk shipment from Geraldton to Japan in March 1985.

90s Opening of Hose Wet Plant and visiting garnet operations of prospective business partners in India, Sri Lanka and the United States.

Recent Witnessing the opening of the Group’s recycling facilities in Reserve, United States and Aulla, Italy and attending the Jebsen & Jessen 100 year celebrations in Europe.

p Martin (left) with Eiwa Kikaku President Kunio Oshima at the Lynton Wet Plant in 1990.

u Martin inspecting the trash screen at the Lynton Wet Plant in 1981.

Martin standing alongside a dry plant surge bin purchased from an auction in 1980. The bulk bin is still in use today.