Company Report: Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) Africa
Don't compromise safety Energy Digital profiles safety supplier Mine Safety Appliances(MSA) Africa

Safety product supplier Mine Safety Appliances (MSA) Africa is the South African affiliate of safety equipment manufacturer MSA, a company that knows a thing or two about safety.

Established in 1914, MSA is a global leader in the supply of safety products that serve a broad range of industries.

With manufacturing operations throughout Europe and the U.S., as well as offices in over 40 locations around the world, including South Africa, the firm uses its long history and vast experience to assist industries to assure the health and safety of their personnel.

"MSA is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of sophisticated products that protect people's health and safety," MSA Africa boasts on its website.
It has every reason to be proud - the company's annual revenues exceed $1 billion.

SAFETY MISSION
MSA Africa's mission could be perceived as rather simple, but it is nonetheless vital; it aims to ensure that "men and women may work in safety and that they, their families and their communities may live in health throughout the world" - often a very difficult task; however, it has strong local knowledge and the backing of the MSA group.

"Our vision is to be the leading innovator and provider of quality products, related technologies and services that protect people's health, safety and the environment in all key markets MSA serves," MSA Africa says.

The firm provides a comprehensive line of products used by workers in the fire service, homeland security, law enforcement, construction, oil and gas, chemical and other industries, as well as the military.

It also provides a broad offering of consumer and contractor safety products.

QUALITY
When it comes to safety equipment, quality is a must. And, just as innovation is a design feature of MSA Africa's products, quality is built in from "start to finish," according to the company. "For MSA people, quality is a mindset and a mission, not just a slogan. Nearly all components of the company's products are formulated, machined, tooled, or moulded in-house from raw materials," says MSA. "For example, MSA relies on its integrated manufacturing capability to produce breathing apparatus, hard hats and printed circuit boards for gas detection instruments. This means greater manufacturing control and unequalled quality assurance for safety equipment users."

Speaking of MSA people, it is they, says the company, that it considers to be its greatest
global asset.

"The high quality of MSA employees reflects a culture of people dedicated to protecting human life," MSA says.

Q2 RESULTS
In July, MSA (Group) announced its second quarter results. It reported that "net sales for the second quarter of 2009 were $227.2 million, compared with $293.2 million for the second quarter of 2008, a decrease of $66.0 million," or 22 percent.

It also revealed that net income for the second quarter of 2009 had decreased "38 percent" compared to the same quarter last year.

"Sales in MSA's International segment decreased by $8.6 million, or 13 percent, in the current quarter," the company added. "Local currency sales were flat. Lower sales in Latin America, Australia and Africa, primarily due to the effects of the recession on the mining industry, were substantially offset by higher sales in China and the Middle East. Currency translation effects reduced International segment sales, when stated in U.S. dollars, by $8.3 million."

William M. Lambert, MSA President and CEO, said: "In these uncertain economic times, our global teams are closely monitoring the markets we serve and are adjusting our responses to meet market realities. We must continue to be diligent in our efforts to reduce costs and manage our business in ways that allow us to, not only weather the current downturn, but to be responsive in seizing opportunities when a recovery occurs.

"Since the fourth quarter of 2008 and throughout this year, we have been operating with a keen understanding that 2009 would be challenging," he added.

LOCAL PROMISE - DON'T COMPROMISE
It seems that the recession has slowed African sales somewhat and this gets one thinking: has the downturn compromised safety as firms look to save money by buying cheaper product or by cutting back entirely? After all, some short-sighted CEOs might see safety as a cost, and equipment, like that which MSA produces, does not
come cheap.

This, however, is not how MSA Africa sees things. Quality, it says, "is not a compromise" for the safety conscious.

While the company admits that cheap imports do, from time to time, affect business, it says that clients in the petrochemical industry, which value occupational safety, have not compromised on quality over price.

ALTAIR 5
MSA Africa recently launched the first portable five-gas detector - the new Altair 5 multigas detector with 'motion alert' and 'instant alert' features - onto the South African market.

While the detector can be customised for a number of applications, it has enjoyed early success in the local refinery sector.

The new Altair 5 multigas detector, says MSA, has a six-gas capability, over 17 pre-programmed languages, a high-resolution colour display option and MSA's exclusive motion alert and instant alert features, which are suited to confined space applications. Significantly, you need very little training to use it.

MSA Africa is currently marketing the product in oil, gas and petroleum markets in Nigeria and Angola, as well as Equatorial Guinea and Ghana, which it sees as a new booming market.

The company also services the smaller markets of Uganda, Chad, Cameroon and Congo.

STRINGENT SAFETY
In case you hadn't already guessed, MSA Africa really is committed to safety and invests much time and effort in ensuring the equipment it supplies is the safest and most durable available.

And, of course, when dealing with safety, there is much legislation to contend with.
On that theme, MSA Africa Fall Protection Product Manager, Equipment, Debbie Joynt, says that amendments to occupational safety legislation in recent years now place the responsibility for workplace accidents squarely on the management of the company that is responsible for workplace safety.

"The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH) rules and regulations are enforceable by law and management is held accountable," she says.

Joynt notes that harsh penalties - including abatement periods - have been carried out in
some instances.

To offer the safest products, MSA Africa sources fall protection products both locally and internationally. "We review the needs of the market and our customers and source products accordingly. In-keeping with OSH regulations - and bearing in mind the penalties - MSA sources only the most robust and safe equipment."

MSA Africa recently introduced a range of fall protection safety harnesses that have been well received in the construction industry and the company's focus achieving similar results in the oil, gas and petrochemicals industries.

SAFETY AN INSIDE JOB
However, a great product range is not enough - and this sentiment is shared by MSA Africa Business Development Manager Robbie Taitz.

He believes that to achieve true safety, you need to combine service and product: "Every product needs to be checked and verified by our service department to ensure that any equipment we send out is working correctly.

"The role of the department is to service and maintain our customers' equipment to make certain that it constantly performs according to OEM specifications," he adds.
MSA Africa's service facility has been an integral part of the company's offering for many years, Taitz says, and evolves continually with every product that is developed and introduced to the market.

"For example, with our gas detection instruments, we calibrate new instruments to each client's specification as part of a pre-delivery service," he says. "What's more, because we're dealing with highly sensitive equipment, which is vital to safety in all their applications, we maintain customers' detection units by checking sensors, battery packs and other parts that can create issues with regular and long-term use."

MSA Africa certifies compliance of the products' after maintenance, and the department also conducts on-site services to ensure as little down-time as possible for its customers.

The total cost of proper maintenance for the customer is substantially lower than replacing products.

BEE
Being an African company, BEE is very important to MSA Africa. And, in an innovative way of achieving compliance with the BEE Codes of Good Practice, it has built a canteen on its premises that has delighted staff and visitors alike.

According to MSA Africa Business Development Manager Wagied Allie, the company wanted to implement an initiative that added value for its staff, while meeting its enterprise development commitments.

"We determined that a canteen would be of benefit to all our employees, in terms of both nutrition and finances. Initially, there were challenges identifying the right partners to build the canteen once we had put the job out to tender," says Allie.

To comply with BEE requirements, three percent of a company's Net Profit After Tax (NPAT) must be spent on enterprise development, and this formed MSA Africa's budget for the canteen.

"We sourced contractors who could not only complete the project within a very tight time frame, but was prepared to negotiate good rates for us," adds Allie.

When constructed, the next part of the process was to find a black entrepreneur to run the canteen. "After another round or two of tenders, we found Philip Martin from Riverlea, who runs a catering facility called Lethutula Caterers cc. We reviewed his food quality and hygiene standards at an existing facility he runs, and he came out tops," Allie says.
The canteen was officially opened on July 1, 2009, to the delight of the staff.

"Rarely does a company get the opportunity to fulfil BEE requirements in a way that its own staff can enjoy on a daily basis," concludes Allie.

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