Noel McGinniss, General Manager of Layne Drilling Zambia, talks to Endeavour about the ambitious aims of the company and the initiatives being put in place to ensure that they are met.

WRITTEN BY AMY TOCKNELL

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Founded in 1882, Layne Christensen Company which now includes Layne Drilling Zambia, has carved itself an impressive reputation within its industry, showing

adaptability and regular growth. From humble beginnings as a domestic water-well drilling organisation in South Dakota, the company has grown by embracing diversification of services offered. Layne is now enjoying global success and has welcomed new team members, ideas and, critically to the company’s ethos, solutions;

“We invent solutions. We propose solutions. We deliver solutions. For a company known previously as a “service provider” this is an important distinction.”

The result of these strides forward is a fully unified and committed team all striving for the same result, which they refer to as their ONE Layne initiative:

“To enhance the lives of people by providing and protecting the world’s essential natural resources.”

With such aims at the core of the organisation, it comes as no surprise that the team at Layne Drilling Zambia is comprised of highly trained experts, all lead by a strong figurehead with extensive industry experience. Noel McGinniss, with 35 years of service at Layne, was promoted to General Manager in 2009 following impressive progression through the company. Having started in the industry aged just 22 as an offsider, he has worked, quite literally, from the ground up, gaining a hands-on understanding of the industry as a whole that has proved key to the continued success of the company.

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Layne Christensen is on a global level. A leading water management, drilling and construction company, they seek to become a ‘world class safety organisation’ and the foremost provider of water, mineral and energy to the world. Even more impressive is that alongside these aspirations, a prevalent commitment to sustainability remains steadfast, proving that growth does not need to come at the detriment of values and wider responsibility.

Overseeing the provision of responsibly sourced water, mineral and energy solutions, McGinniss described the impressive facilities already in place in Zambia:

“We have 21 drill rigs in our fleet, comprising of 17 diamond drill rigs and 4 Air machines. We have an office, store and workshop in Ndola (in the copper belt of Zambia) to provide quick and efficient support to our staff and machines. We also have satellite workshops in the Solwezi and Chililabombwe areas where we have machines operating.”

Despite such a comprehensive set-up, McGinniss explained that the industry has experienced difficulties in the past year. With copper prices dropping, Layne Drilling Zambia was significantly impacted. Though Zambia is one of the largest producers of copper in the world, less exploration spending lead to a reduction in drilling and a sharp drop in the amount of exploration options available to clients and yet, the company has prevailed and has exciting plans for the future, called simply ONE Layne.

Explaining the One Layne initiative, McGinniss commented that:“It’s our belief that a strong and unifying corporate culture is the

cornerstone of our success. Living by our Core Values and beliefs

has given us the foundation that we have built on to date. These values and beliefs define us as an organisation - defining not only what we believe in, but also how we do what we do, each and every day...and that make us distinctly ONE Layne. Working Together as ONE, we can also offer clients an integrated approach to solving their problems, which allows us to offer more than individual services – it ensures streamlined communications, expedited time lines, and a constant focus on our overriding values of safety, sustainability, integrity and excellence.”

An impressive mantra indeed, it is supported through the employment of talented and committed individuals.

Part of a worldwide crew of 4,000, Layne Drilling Zambia boasts a staff of 85, all of who have been specifically selected due to their unique skill set. With exacting standards firmly in place, Layne offers extensive training and development opportunities for all team members, with all position-specific training being delivered in-house.

Understanding that a core team of fully invested staff is key to the success of any organisation, Layne Drilling Zambia utilises them to the fullest extent, offering comprehensive customer service to retain clients. Priding itself on its commitment to initiating and

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maintaining personal and working relationships with all clients, the company firmly believes that this focused and personable approach has lead to the impressive growth of its client base. Coupled with an aftersales policy that seeks to reassure clients that the highest

standards of workmanship are consistently met, Layne Drilling Zambia have made it their mission to ensure that the clients are always the main focus and that their satisfaction drives the everyday activities of the company.

Looking to the future, McGinniss is keen to draw attention to the ethos of responsibility that runs through the entire company:

“At Layne, responsible growth is both our strategy and our commitment. It’s what drives us to continually do the right thing for our people, the environment, our company and the clients we serve every day. It means we hold ourselves accountable for the safety of every individual who works with us, for the well-being and sustainability of the environments and communities around us, the integrity of our employees and their actions, and for the overall excellence of our work. We continually strive to achieve growth and success for our clients, while leaving the individuals and places we touch better off for their interaction with us.”

With expert team members in abundance, Layne Drilling Zambia looks set to weather any storm that may lie ahead, tackling industry difficulties with professionalism and seeking to strengthen the organisation for the continued satisfaction of worldwide clients.

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“ At Layne, responsible growth is both our strategy and our commitment. It’s what drives us to continually do the right thing for our people, the environment, our company and the clients we serve every day.”