omnicane
DESCRIPTION
Nation With A Sweet ToothTRANSCRIPT
WRITTEN BY BEN WALKER
“Sugar” says Jacques M. d’Unienville, Chief Executive Officer of its largest producer, Omnicane, “is the history of Mauritius. The nation was built around sugar.”
NATION WITH A Sweet Tooth
So when in 2009
the EU removed
trade preferences
underpinning quality and
export price, it might have been
wondered whether Mauritius’
sugar industry would follow
the fate of that flightless, once
indigenous bird, now extinct for
300 years.
“You’re right. The Mauritius
sugar industry could have
gone along that way,” laughs
d’Unienville. “At Omnicane we
had a choice of phasing out of
sugar or to survive and remain
competitive. This last option is
the one we took.”
Mauritius itself diversified
into textiles, upmarket tourism,
banking and business process
outsourcing, while the sugar
industry was forced to cut costs
and add value to survive.
And no company has taken
this pathway more successfully
than Omnicane. Traditionally a
major sugar mill organisation
with origins reaching back to
the 1850s, its current offering
is significantly more diverse,
reaching out from sugarcane,
refined sugar and bio ethanol, to
power plants and most recently,
the hospitality business.
Launched in July 2009
through a strategic re-branding
of MonTrésor-MonDésert,
Omnicane has been proactive
in its approach to stabilise not
only its own operations, but
also the island’s economy. And
as a result the future now looks
brighter both in terms of further
expansion and development into
Africa.
But what is built can fall. And this volcanic island of lagoons and palm-fringed beaches in the Indian Ocean has a fabled mascot - and legendary victim of ill fate - the dodo.
OMNICANE
Eurogear (Pty) LtdSugar Mill Couplings. The best in the world.
All Eurogear’s Couplings are purpose-designed to totally replace the traditional tail-bar couplings, and negate all their bad features. They cannot generate or transmit any thrust or bending moments, and can end-collapse sufficiently to protect the mill and gearbox in the event of a transverse shaft-break.
P: 00 27 11 463 3317 | F: 00 27 11 463 3367 | E: [email protected]
FORGES TARDIEU LTDFORGES TARDIEU LTD
31 Nicolay Road, Port-Louis, Mauritius,Tel: (230)2065200, Fax: (230)2407179
Email: [email protected]://www.forgestardieu.com
31 Nicolay Road, Port-Louis, Mauritius - Tel: (230) 206 5200 - Fax: (230) 240 7159 - Email: [email protected]
FORGES TARDIEU LTD
• Consultancy and Design Services
• Project Management
• Engineering and Manufacturing of Sugar Mill Equipment
• Automation and Control
• Erection and relocation of plant and equipment
“What we did was necessary, with vision from the private sector,
government and workforce making it possible to survive and hopefully
a very successful reconversion,” says Jacques M. d’Unienville
For cost cutting, Omnicane took a centralisation route, closing
seven of the eight factories it was operating ten years ago, and
focussing operations on one unit, at the flexi-factory at La Baraque,
with a crushing capacity of 9,000 metric tonnes of cane per day. Being
the only one to have adopted the diffuser technology on the island, it
is one of the most modern and energy efficient sugar cane mill in the
region.
Simultaneously thermal
energy operations at La Baraque
and Saint Aubin are now
generating some 28 percent
of exported electricity to the
national grid.
“Before, we produced raw
sugar and molasses that were
both exported wWe have now
moved up the value chain,
investing in the cane cluster
at La Baraque moving up the
value chain by producing direct
consumption refined sugar
for Europe, bio ethanol from
molasses, bio fertilisers from
vinasseand with the bagasse -
the fibres of the sugar cane - we
are generating electricity for the
national grid in a substantial way.”
M&EMANUFACTURING
LTD
YOUR POWER PARTNERElectromechanical Assemblies
Assembly ofDistribution Boards
Assembly ofLuminaires
Our New VenturesAssembly of Power Transformers
Renewable Energy &Grid Battery Systems / Hybrid Systems
M&EMANUFACTURING
LTD
YOUR POWER PARTNERElectromechanical Assemblies
Assembly ofDistribution Boards
Assembly ofLuminaires
Our New VenturesAssembly of Power Transformers
Renewable Energy &Grid Battery Systems / Hybrid Systems
M&EMANUFACTURING
LTD
YOUR POWER PARTNERElectromechanical Assemblies
Assembly ofDistribution Boards
Assembly ofLuminaires
Our New VenturesAssembly of Power Transformers
Renewable Energy &Grid Battery Systems / Hybrid Systems
M&E Office Tel:+230 677 9838 Fax: +230 677 7200 Andre Gerard Closel: +230 5 7275201 Website: www.m-e.mu info: [email protected]
Warm congratulations to the Omnicane team for their outstanding performance and their contribution to our island’s economic achievements making Mauritius one of the wisest countries in green energy production.
We are proud to be the partners of Omnicane in the following fields:Renewable Energies • LV/HV Switchgear • Lighting Technologies • Power Distribution
OMNICANE
While Mauritius is close to optimizing its full biomass energy
potential, on the African continent there remains much to do, says
d’Unienville.
Unsurprisingly, Africa holds a central position on Omnicane’s
expansionary agenda, with a 25% share in the construction of a 200
million dollar sugar complex in Kenya, south of Mombasa. Production
of both sugar and electricity is scheduled to start there next June.
With a capacity of 3,000 tonnes of cane per day, it will include
an 18 megawatt power plant running on bagasse, and is expected
to boost competition in the sugar industry where manufacturers
continue to be bogged down by high production costs due to use of
old technology. Other African projects include the development of a
5 MW hydroelectric power plant in Rwanda, due to be operational in
18 months.
“Our vision is to be a significant regional sugar and electricity
producer and develop further value-added activities,” says
d’Unienville. The recent strategic alliance with a British company,
Liverpool-based The Real Good Food Company plc, and its sugar
division Napier Brown - Europe’s leading independent non-refining
sugar distributor - is a striking example. “We want to have more
integration into our products and make the most of value-addidition.”
31, Nicolay Road, PO Box 20, Port Louis, MauritiusTel: (230) 206 5280 | Fax: (230) 216 0484 - (230) 240 7159 | [email protected] | www.ecs.mu
Waterman (Mauritius) Inc. Ltd.
Experts in Manufacturing and Exporting Sulphur and Lime
[email protected] 00230 2655084Palm Ave, Triolet, Trou Aux Biches, 171 Mauritius
Mauritius Airport close to the
fast-expanding airport.
Scheduled to open in
December, the hotel is part of a
25-30 year development plan
that includes office parks and
residential properties.
Social and environmental
responsibilities are core to
the company’s culture and
philosophy. “We strive to be
an inspiration for sustainable
development in all our activities.
We have a long term vision, and
to be sustainable we have to care
for the social and environmental
needs,” says Jacques M.
d’Unienville
Through its corporate
social responsibility initiatives,
Omnicane has established real
partnerships for sustainable
human and community
development in the vicinity of its
main operating locations.
“In all our activities we are
concerned to be environmentally
friendly aiming towardswith
zero waste and generating as
much renewable energy as is
achievable.”
OMNICANE
And while Omnicane continues to roll out its diversification
strategies, the main challenges says d’Unienville are the careful
monitoring of growth and matching expansion with financial
resources.
“This is why last year we went through a 100 million US dollars
bond issue with a multi-currency facility. So far, we have raised two
tranches out of the three and each has been oversubscribed.”
Omnicane’s most radical diversification - into the hospitality
sector - is flag shipped by a 140 room business hotel – Holiday Inn
The prospects for developing
sugar clusters in Africa are, says
Omnicane’s CEO, “fantastic.
First of all, it is a food industry,
and secondly it provides energy,
which in terms of electricity
many regions desperately need.
Sugar plantations are very
environmentally-friendly, one of
the best carbon converters and
with substantial social benefits.”
The challenge for Mauritius,
says d’Unienville, is to be a
hub provding services for the
development of Africa and acting
as a link between Asia and Africa.
“Mauritius is in a very
privileged position between
two extremely dynamic zones;
Asia - with China and India the
economic engines - and Africa
with vibrant economies and
healthy growth rates.
“The cane industry is at the
centre of three very important
elements; food, energy, and
environment. Six years ago we
took the option of rising to a
great challenge: there was no
mid-way option. Now we are into
a very dynamic operational field
and very much right with our
timing.
“I am very passionate about
what we are doing and very
excited about it.”
AIR
LAND
SEA
We deliver, at all levels.
Sea freight • Air freight • Inland fl eet • Cargo consolidation • Customs brokerage • Warehousing & freeport
Whether it is at the moment we collect your goods at your doorstep,
pack and transport them, take care of your customs clearance,
load and unload your goods, or track and deliver them to their destination,
we always do our best to ensure that you get the highest quality
of service… at all levels… and in the most cost-effective way.
Head Offi ce - T: 204 7800 F: 204 7816 • Airport Offi ce - T: 603 7900 F: 603 7999 • www.mceasyfreight.mu
OMNICANE
00230 212 3251
WWW.OMNICANE.COM
www.littlegatepublishing.com