Dear Reader
2011 has started with a bang and we already find ourselves less than 11 weeks away from the annual PAMTL conference and only two weeks to the closing of the early bird registrations on the 31st of March.
Events locally and abroad have touched our lives and for business the two major highlights have been the budgetspeech and the announcement that SA is now formally included as a member of the BRIC countries. For the most the national budget forecast had a silver lining with promises of the public sector spending on average 8.4% of GDP over the next three years, totalling R808 billion with an additional R150 billion dedicated to create 5 million jobs by 2020. Let us trust that these goals will be reached and that we can all benefit from a better infrastructure and the opportunity to create these jobs.
The good news about the inclusion in the BRIC bloc is the expected boost in investment and trade opportunities for SA companies. Companies should be on the lookout for new import and export opportunities arising from this new arrangement. It is said that Brazil, Russia, India, China and now SA will be the global market leaders by 2050.
The uprising in the Middle East will have a scrounging effect on our production and delivery costs and we have to ensure that we apply best practices in all other areas of our operations to minimise the impact of the fuel price hike. Nature also had its say and we are still waiting to see what the global economic outcome will be of the latest quake and tsunami in Japan. Let's use this opportunity to audit our own risk profiles and make sure that our own company and plant disaster recovery plans are in place in case of explosions, fires or floods.
The good news in the Pragma calendar is that the Solutions 2 Africa stream, presented by Reliabilityweb.com, Inc, is a new highlight at our annual PAMTL conference. Some of the well-known industry experts joining us for the event are John Mitchell, Ian Barnard, Terry O'Hanlyn and Grahame Fogel. Follow this link to the full programme.
If you are a cyclist participating in the 2011 ABSA Cape Epic mountain bike race, you can bring your bicycle for a wash at the Pragma Bike Wash to ensure that it is clean before you do your daily maintenance on the bike. We will also be on the route with a Supply Zone where you can do some basic repairs.
In this edition you can read more about our new clients, some expansions at long-term clients and take a look at the uThungulu District Municipality in KZN's case study to understand why they received an unqualified audit from the Auditor General in 2010.
Until next time
Liza
Shell Retail and Commercial growing their relationship with Pragma
Over the years Pragma has become an integral part of the Shell family. Our partnership, dating back to April 2006, has recently been reconfirmed and the contract extended with more responsibility being passed on to Pragma as from 1 April 2011.
The Facilities Maintenance contract (FMC) for the Retail and Commercial Fuel sites in RSA, Namibia and Botswana is delivered via the Cape Town based Asset Care Centre and associated Service Support Centre. Field engineers responsible for managing the asset care and maintenance work on the host of Retail and Commercial sites and contractors reside throughout these regions.
Read more...
PAS 55 - Are you ready?
It is just a matter of time before the new ISO 5500 will be launched. Are you aware of what it involves and how it will affect your operation?
Pragma presents a two-day course which provides an end-to-end view of PAS 55, as well as a thorough understanding of the actions an organisation needs to take to comply with this new asset management standard.
Read more...
| New clients coming on board |
East Rand Plastics wrapping their equipment with the Asset Care Service
The ACC optimising high-tech equipment at Etlin
Magalies Water streaming their assets on On Key
Lion Match kindling their flame with the ACC
Aujan Iran supplying beverages on On Key
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Who said what...?
Nothing is unthinkable, nothing impossible to the balanced person, provided it arises out of the needs of life and is dedicated to life's further developments. Lewis Mumford
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Do you know that the On Key Extensions Dashboard gives you direct performance information anywhere, anytime?
Make sure that you don't miss out on product news about the new additions to On Key by attending the annual Pragma Client Days. The Pragma team will visit the major regions in October, starting in Johannesburg on the 25th, moving onto Durban on the 26th, visiting Port Elizabeth on the 27th and meeting with clients in Cape Town on the 28th.
Read more...
Case study focus
Once again uThungulu District Municipality in KZN received an unqualified audit from the Auditor General in 2010. Follow this link to a case study on our involvement with uThungulu Municipality over the past three years.
Visit Pragma on Face Book and partake in:
- Discussions
- The public PAM quiz
- The POLL
On Key is steadily growing through VARs around the globe
Pragma's home-grown EAM system, On Key, is steadily becoming a preferred software solution in the international arena. Our Value Added Resellers (VARs) have made a noticeable contribution to this growth as their close proximity allows for personal face-to-face service on implementation, optimisation, and support
We see our VARs as a valuable and important extension of our business. If they cannot solve a client's challenges, the Pragma team is ready to assist.
Should you know of an asset owner in need of a world class EAMS to get control of their asset management activities, you can refer them to one of the following VARs:
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Can maintenance activities save mother earth?
Whilst claiming that we can "save mother earth" is a long shot as some environmental damage is irreversible, we as the asset management and maintenance workforce can definitely claim that we contribute to sustaining and wisely utilising the remaining resources and the environment.
The importance of our industry's contribution to this cause cannot be emphasised enough. Our every action has an influence on the environment. Just think for a moment about the potential negative influence if the following activities and situations are not addressed:
- incorrect disposal of assets, components and waste
- failure to replace worn filters and seals leading to smoke immersions and oil and water spillage
- impaired assets causing power leakage, loss of containment of vapours, gas clouds and toxic fumes.
Read more...
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