Adriaan Stander, GM Of PPC Slurry Plant Answers Questions About PPC Cement

What is PPC recognised for within the built industry?

PPC is recognised for their consistency in their quality as well as providing a total solution to any building challenge. PPC pride themselves not only for selling cement and materials but also for going the extra mile in after sales service by testing products for better performance and providing knowledge sharing workshops to further assist our customers. PPC empowers people to create a better life for themselves and their families. The strength and heartbeat of PPC lies within the people in the organizations that is always willing to go the extra mile and continuously challenging the status quo by coming up with new innovations.

What should the world know about the significant role that PPC has played in the framing of the South African economy?

PPC is company with a rich history in the building industry and the development of South Africa and its economy as seen today. We are proud of the 130 years that PPC were able to supply our customers with the best quality cement and being part of major developments and building such as the Union building in Tshwane. PPC played a major role in 2007 -2010 in the supplying of cement to all the new stadiums that was constructed to host a successful soccer world cup in 2010. PPC has got 9 different operations all over south Africa and provide careers for more than 2500 people.

What innovation, technology and excellence does PPC bring into the SA economy to advance the quality of lives of communities?

PPC is one of the largest cement producers in the market and has been loyal to their South African customers over the last 130 years. During this 130 year of operation, PPC continuously upgraded the technology to keep up with the latest technologies and to maintain that superior edge in the market. Here are a few examples. A brand-new state of the art vertical roller mill is installed at Hercules that replaced the out of date ball mills.  In 2008, the newest technology 6 stage pre-calciner kiln was installed at our Dwaalboom operations to increase the capacity and to reduce the input cost of fuels, thus reducing the carbon emissions. In 2018 the Slurry operation installed a brand new 3000 ton per day 6 stage pre-calciner kiln that replace the older long stage kilns. These older kilns have since been demolished to ensure that we keep to our commitments and to reduce the impact we leave on the environment. These are just to name a few technology upgrades and there are plenty more. PPC also believe in the people and to create culture were all can strive, PPC has retired their old culture principle and values (Kambuku) and this allowed the birth of our new culture called Jabali. The concept of Jabali means solid as a rock and gives our employees the basic tools and the values to grow and to improve their lives.

How does PPC keep its customers satisfied and including the PPC response to both the micro as well as the macro landscape?

PPC does not believe in only selling a product to our customers but to rather sell a solution with after service support. PPC continuously meets up with their customers to understand their needs and then partner with these customers to achieve the required results. PPC also makes use of strict quality standards and provide consistency in the product quality that exceeds the normal legal standards. At PPC, we truly care about the communities in which we operated and continuously search for new ways to develop small businesses and the communities.

Tell our readers about the efforts by PPC to reduce carbon emissions and ultimately to decarbonise?

The cement making process is well known to be one of the major contributors to carbon emissions and this is why PPC always looks at innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint and to reduce the energy requirements. The first is always to keep our operations up to date with the newest technology, thus reducing the thermal heat required to produce clinker. PPC also make use of highly extended cement that reduces the amount of clinker in the final product and thus reducing the carbon footprint. To achieve these high-quality standers and to extend cement efficiently, the process needs to be extremely consistent and the quality needs to be extremely good. We then blend this high-quality product to achieve the cement qualities that are required by our customers. Some of our product only use 42% clinker in the final cement product. PPC also play their part in minimising their dependency on natural resources such as coal and substitute it with electrical energy by investing in solar plant and wind turbines.

What does it mean be produce locally versus being a locally owned South African company that optimises its business operations by importing parts of its business operations?

To produce locally means that throughout the entire value chain and process of making cement, you support your country and make sure that you procure locally, you produce locally and you support locally. PPC owns fully integrated cement plants which means that we mine our own limestone and produce our own clinker (the main product of cement) and then finally produce and pack our cement that we sell into the South African market. This is also done by buying locally and making use of local South African companies to assist the operations. By doing this, PPC created opportunities in South Africa for companies to grow and provide careers for more than 2500 employees. PPC also comply with government regulations and support the development of communities by investing back into smaller businesses and to grow the surrounding communities. This is done through SLP and CSI initiatives. Plenty of other cement companies buy their clinker from other countries and only blend it in South Africa. The process of mining and producing clinker, is where 90% of the cost of making cement sits and is critical to be sustainable and providing job opportunities.

Why is it important to produce sustainable products and what is the impact of imports on the levels of quality in the built industry?

The quality and standard of products will affect the life of the building, the road or the structure and not adhering these minimum standards can lead to infrastructure failures or even loss of lives. Imports do not always comply with the minimum standards in South Africa and reduces the cement requirements on the south African market. This leads to closures of some plants and eventually to job losses. The most important fact is that money is leaving the country and our own people do not see the benefit of companies doing business in South Africa.

How does PPC plan to continue to produce sustainable and affordable cement and materials in the wake of imports?

By keeping up with the latest technologies and by producing good consistent products while giving the extra attention and support to our customers will go a long way. PPC continues to invest in the local communities and in local business and this creates trust in the product and the company. PPC also develop and invest in their employees which in return becomes more skilful and knowledgeable. This will allow PPC as a company to be sustainable.

How does PPC plan to continue to contribute to the development of a unique and sustainable built industry?

This can only be achieved by educating our customers and by working together to find new ways of achieving common goal. PPC understand their customers and their requirements and by doing test and growing with our customers, we can further assist our customers. We empower people to develop a better quality of life for themselves and their families and in return we achieve stronger loyal employees and customers.

How is PPC being an elegant solution to all or some of South Africa’s problem?

Because PPC are a local company and we experience the same challenges and success that the country and its people feel, we understand it better and can come up with ways to assist, rather than to complain. We are a country with a huge diversity in culture and by respecting this and by embracing the diversity, PPC has become stronger.

Tell us about PPC’s modern day innovations?  What is in the pipeline and how is PPC collaborating with other stakeholders and role-players to ensure that this impacts positively on the entire industry?

PPC believes in its people and trust in the employee’s abilities to come up with new ideas and innovations to reduce the operating cost and to improve the quality and consistency of the products.  PPC is currently working on a solution to assist the government with the removal of old used tyres. PPC is also in communication with local municipalities to assist with waste by burning these unwanted materials in the kilns. Furthermore, PPC assist the country by destroying some hazardous materials (which is waste from another industry) in the kiln that acts as an incinerator and destroys the harmful properties of the material without harming the environment. PPC is also collaborating with some private companies to produce renewable energy and to capture carbon from the main stack to produce fertilizer.

Tell us about the Buy Locally campaign and why your customers who are struggling as it is and largely due to the effects of both the pre and post covid conditions, choose local products which may in effect be more expensive in some instances?

The answer to this question is in the quality and consistency of the product and in the after service that we supply our customers. PPC goes the extra mile to find new ways to benefit our customers business and to reduce the final costs of the customer’s products. Buy being a local company, we understand the challenges in the country and by embracing these challenges, we grow with our customers. PPC has always been the preferred supplier due to our relationships with our customers and the consistency in our quality. PPC has the ability to increase the output if the customers require more cement and whenever the country experiences cement shortage. As PPC, we pride ourselves in delivering against all the odds.

Talk to our readers about cost versus quality and cost versus value?

South Africa and its people have felt the pressure on the economy after Covid and plenty of people are looking for cheaper products and then soon experience that cheaper is not always cheaper. PPC make use of this information to educate our customers about the advantages of using good quality cement. Sometimes you can get better yields on more expensive cement, thus making your final product cheaper. PPC consciously hosts workshops for its technical sales teams to give support to small businesses by providing them with the knowing and business tactics. PPC also assists customers with the selection of other materials that they use with our product to ensure that our customers get the most value out of our products. We test the customers material and recommend small changes to optimize the performance of our products. This is adding value beyond only the sale and our customers appreciate this value and understand that this brings a saving at the end.

What does it mean for you to work for a company like PPC?

I have been working for PPC for the past 14 years and PPC gave me the opportunity to develop myself as an individual. PPC has for many instances exposed me to great challenges, but the company also assists me by providing me with the tools and the knowledge to face these challenges. PPC respects me and my family and continuously ask feedback to improve the general working conditions for all employees. I have seen the projects and initiatives that PPC has completed in the communities and I have seen small businesses grow. This has made me humble and grateful, to be part of such a passionate team. PPC cares about the environment and the communities and most of all, PPC care about their employees.

What message do you have for young graduate engineers looking for opportunities in the cement and materials industry?

The country’s economic environment is tough and you might have had plenty of challenges as an individual. Never give up and always respect the people you work with. Try and understand the people surrounding you and truly care about their wellbeing. PPC is a company that will grow you but will also grow with you. The opportunities and the exposure that you will receive will grow you as an engineer, but also as a person. PPC is not only about making cement, it is a company that cares for you and your family. Take all these opportunities and never stop learning and you will succeed.

Why is PPC the best cement pack in the market?

PPC has more than 130 years of experience and PPC spends time developing and understanding its employees and its customers. We have the newest technology kilns and mills and continuously look for opportunities to be more efficient. But most of all, for PPC it is not just about selling cement, it is about empowering people (employees and customers) to experience a better quality of life.