WEST INDIGO SOLUTIONS

West Indigo Solutions LLC, headquartered in Houston Texas, USA, is a leading provider of engineering procurement and commissioning solutions to North America and Southern Africa. With over 10 years’ experience in serving the needs of domestic and international mining, construction and oil and gas clients, we have developed a strategic presence in our chosen markets to provide complete supply chain solutions to our customers around the world.

Our procurement hubs in Houston and London allow us to competitively source wide baskets of original equipment manufacturer products, enabling us to meet the requirements of our diverse clientele in an efficient and timely manner. Our office located in Zambia caters to the specific needs of clients located throughout the Southern African region. Our product offerings include MRO supply but are not limited to the following:

• Pumps

• Mechanical parts / trackless spares

• Electrical equipment and accessories

• Instrumentation and automation

• Industrial hoses, fittings and couplings

• Filters

• Wire ropes and lifting accessories

• Crane parts

• Wheels and OTR tyres

• Valves, gates and gauges

• Pipes and fittings

• Generators and transformers

• Welding machines

• Heat exchangers, pressure vessels and

boilers

• Drilling equipment

• Flanges and stud bolts

• Bearings

• IT equipment

• Structural steel

• Seals, gaskets and insulators

• Motors and engines

• Capital equipment: mining and

construction vehicles

West Indigo Solutions is proud and honoured to be featured in this issue alongside one of our most prized clients and key strategic partner in mining, Mabiza Resources Limited.

While a significant number of updates have been made via the aforementioned investments, Banda recognises that further strides need to be taken to ensure that the operation becomes fully optimised, efficient and successful.

“The Munali site is the only nickel mine in Zambia which is taking an innovative and progressive approach to its operations,” he states. “Many of the people who have visited us of late have said we’re in line with international standards, but there is still room for improvement in many aspects.”

Right now, the overriding goal is to make the nickel mine profitable. However, once this has been achieved, ambitions are already in place to take the site to the next step.

Banda continues: “Continued exploration is certainly on the cards for the future – we believe we can increase the life of mine from seven years to 10 or even 15 years with initial exploration, and further ventures could add even more reserves.

Further to this, Mabiza Resources is hoping to bolster the mine’s on-site processing capabilities, investments that would allow the production of nickel metal and/or nickel sulphate as the final product as opposed to nickel concentrate.

“We also plan to construct a solar plant on site to compliment electric power from the national grid,” adds Banda, “but this will be further down the line.”

Socioeconomic stalwart

The company’s expenditures, while largely geared towards capitalising on this prosperous commercial potential, are not limited to the mine itself, however.

The company spends great amounts of time and money on aiding the surrounding communities alongside its on-site development through an ever-growing list of social investment programmes.

“Yes, we are very much active when it comes to CSR,” Banda responds when questioned about the company’s practices. “Our model on this front is focused on three thematic areas – education, health and agriculture.

“We see these as the key to having a major, positive impact on communities.”