1 Company 1 Community 1 Magazine ArcelorMittal Liberia June 2012 Volume 2 Number 3 08 Sixty seconds with Geoff Jolly 1 Magazine talks to Liberia’s head of rail and port about work, music and trains. Hesta Baker-Pearson [email protected]06 The road less travelled Eric Swen shares his experience of the safety caravan campaign’s third run. Eric Swen [email protected]03 Mining operations On March 19, ArcelorMittal announced the shipment of the one millionth ton of DSO iron ore from Liberia. Hesta Baker-Pearson [email protected]04 Meet our champion performers We pay tribute to ArcelorMittal Liberia’s first quarter 2012 champions. Hesta Baker-Pearson [email protected]02 Working together for sustainable steel ArcelorMittal is at the forefront of industry efforts towards a lower carbon world, by investing in cleaner, more sustainable steelmaking processes for the benefit of our company, our customers and the environment.
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08Sixty seconds with Geoff Jolly1 Magazine talks to Liberia’s head of rail and port about work, music and trains.Hesta [email protected]
06The road less travelledEric Swen shares his experience of the safety caravan campaign’s third run. Eric [email protected]
03Mining operationsOn March 19, ArcelorMittal announced the shipment of the one millionth ton of DSO iron ore from Liberia. Hesta [email protected]
04Meet our champion performersWe pay tribute to ArcelorMittal Liberia’s first quarter 2012 champions. Hesta [email protected]
02Working together for sustainable steelArcelorMittal is at the forefront of industry efforts towards a lower carbon world, by investing in cleaner, more sustainable steelmaking processes for the benefit of our company, our customers and the environment.
1 | ArcelorMittal Liberia | June 2012Global news2
First quarter results show positive improvements in uncertain economyThe group released its first financial results of 2012 on May 10, with figures for the first quarter (Q1) of 2012 indicating the market has made a tentative recovery since the low point of late last year, but economic volatility still remains.
Alongside its financial results, the group reported its best-ever health and safety record for a single quarter for January-March 2012, with a lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) of 1.1, down from 1.2 compared to the first three months of 2011. In March, the figures reveal we reached a lost time injury frequency rate of less than one – our LTIFR target for the end of 2012. However there have been eight fatalities so far this year – tragic news that highlights the importance of further improving health and safety. In his letter to all employees, Mr Mittal urged both employees and contractors to take the theme of this year’s Health and Safety Day, “stop, think and act safely”, to heart and to remember it every day to help stop fatalities.
The first quarter results also reflected mixed news in terms of the global economy. “Demand has slightly improved in key markets including China, and in particular in the US and Canada where we see positive signs of growth,” said Mr Mittal, who added that we need to
remain vigilant with regard to the economic situation in Europe, where several major economies have returned to being in recession in 2012.
Production statistics show steel shipments rose 1.2% year-on-year to 22.2 million tonnes, while iron ore production was up 12.1% year-on-year to 13.2 million tonnes.
Steel production as a whole rose to 22.8 million tonnes, up from 21.7 million tonnes in the final quarter of last year. Looking at the steel production statistics by segment, Flat Carbon Americas performed well, with crude steel production up 4% to 6.2 million tonnes compared with 6 million tonnes for the final quarter of 2011. This was driven by strong market demand in North America and followed seasonal weakness at the end of last year.
In Flat Carbon Europe, crude steel production was 7.2 million tonnes for the first quarter, a rise of 8.5%; this was mainly due to stronger export activity. However Mr Mittal raised concerns about sluggish steel demand in Europe.
Long Carbon Americas and Europe crude steel production totalled 5.8 million tonnes, an increase of 5.7% compared to the
last quarter of 2011. Crude steel production in Africa, Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was 3.6 million tonnes for Q1 2012, an increase of 1.0% as compared to Q4 2011.
In Distribution Solutions, shipments were 4.6 million tonnes - a decrease of 7.4%; shipments were 5 million tonnes for the final quarter of 2011.
Finally, in the Mining segment own iron ore production was 13.2 million tonnes, down from 15.1 million tonnes in Q4 2011. This was largely due to seasonal factors impacting production in Canada.
Earnings before income, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) – an important measure of the company’s performance that shows the value of the business – rose to $2bn compared to $1.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011.
Net income for Q1 2012 was $11m compared with a net loss of $1bn for the fourth quarter of 2011, and a net income of $1.1 billion for Q1 2011. However, net debt increased $1.1bn to $23.6bn over the same period and Mr Mittal urged all employees to work towards hitting the target of reducing debt to $22.5bn by the end of June. “We will achieve this through improved
operating cash flow and portfolio optimisation,” he said.
Looking ahead, Ebitda for the first half of this year is expected to be higher than the same period of last year. In the Mining business, our iron ore and coal production is expected to go up by 10%. Shipments should remain even.
“In order to meet these expectations, it is important to know our strategic priorities,” Mr Mittal said in his letter. There are three key priorities to focus on in 2012.
First, there is a management gains target of $4.8bn for the end of 2012. “We are still $600m away from hitting this target, and should therefore put a greater focus on variable cost reduction and operational improvements,” said Mr Mittal.
Second, growth plans are vital and capital expenditure will continue its focus on mining growth projects. “We are investing in iron ore because it’s very important for our competitiveness and it’s a growth market. We have the resources and reserves available to develop our iron ore production in Liberia, Canada and Brazil,” Mr Mittal told the company’s top 500 leaders in a results day address.
Third, the ongoing asset
optimisation plan which was launched in September last year aims to generate $1bn in annualised Ebitda improvement by the end of 2012. Achieving this target will help to make our business more competitive in Europe, and ensure the group does not produce steel that it cannot sell.
With ongoing uncertainty in the global economy and in Europe in particular, Mr Mittal asked all
employees to continue their current efforts to ensure we achieve our goals for 2012 and acknowledged that the focus on strategic priorities may mean some difficult decisions have to be taken in 2012. However he remained cautiously positive in his outlook for the rest of the year: “we have made a strong start given the wider circumstances and we need to ensure that we remain strong,” he concluded.
Today more than ever, we are all working towards building a lower-carbon world and ArcelorMittal is at the forefront of that effort within the industry - by investing in cleaner, more sustainable steelmaking processes that are benefiting not just our company but also our customers and the environment. Our recently published corporate responsibility report, “Responsible business, sustainable growth”, tracks our progress in 2011, showing how steel and corporate responsibility do fit together.
The report also celebrates how ArcelorMittal teams working across five continents are helping to reduce our carbon footprint and in this edition of 1 Magazine, we look at the hard work that is being done to help make steel even more sustainable.
Cutting carbon, improving energy efficiencyPart of our contribution to lower CO2 emissions and cutting down our own energy use comes through supplying steel for wind turbines – one in three of the world’s steel-structure wind turbines is made from ArcelorMittal steel. Our plant in Gijón, Spain, has supplied steel plates for more than 3,000 wind turbine towers since 2005.
Across our company as a whole, we deployed energy-efficient good practices at 45 sites in 2011. ArcelorMittal USA’s own energy efficiency made it the first steelmaker to win an Energy Star for Sustained Excellence award from the US Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy every year since 2008, in recognition of
our commitment to energy efficiency.
In Temirtau, Kazakhstan, the newly installed $18.1m boiler station will improve the utilisation level of blast furnace gas from 70 per cent to 85 per cent, reduce carbon emissions and improve the reliability of the heat supply system for both the steel plant and the city of Temirtau.
Another waste gas project in Indiana Harbor, US is creating jobs for the region while also saving energy. Using funding from the US government our plant launched a $63m energy recovery project - burning waste gas from one of the blast furnaces will generate enough electricity to power 30,000 homes for a year. The project will also create 360 jobs over an 18-month period.
In Brazil, an innovative project to grow eucalyptus to provide charcoal for steelmaking, instead of using coke to feed blast furnaces, reduces costs and provides a more renewable source of energy.
And our sites in Olaberria, Spain and Eisenhuttenstadt and Bremen in Germany are the first ArcelorMittal sites to achieve the EN 16001 standard for energy management – setting an example for other sites to follow.
Water managementUsing water more efficiently and protecting the biodiversity of the locations in which we work is also a major part of making steel more sustainable. In 2011, we targeted improved water management at plants that use a lot of water. A case study using best practice analysis of the water flows was successfully developed at our Bremen plant, leading to a major reduction in potable and industrial water usage.
TransportWith CO2 emissions at the top of car manufacturers’ sustainability agenda, ArcelorMittal’s global automotive division worked for more than two years to help carmakers save weight and reduce costs, while providing innovative ideas to manufacture safer, stronger and more sustainable vehicles. The result: S-in-Motion.
“S-in motion is something no other steel company has done before: a pioneering catalogue of weight-saving solutions that produces a big advance in vehicle energy efficiency. We have now shared it with nearly all of the major automotive manufacturers in the developed countries and it has been a major success,” Lou Schorsch, Group Management Board member responsible for research and development.
Product designLike the S-in Motion project, many of our biggest projects are the result of collaboration between many different ArcelorMittal sites, especially when it comes to developing new steel products. Our commitment to sustainable products
that support a low-carbon world goes beyond just our own laboratories; most of our scientists are based not in our but at customer locations, where they are engaged in design work and materials selection.
Our organic coated steels, Nature, are the result of 10 years of research and collaboration with our suppliers and scientific partners and have been produced in response to rising demand for more environmentally friendly, more sustainable products in the building industry.
Ekinoxe is another new ArcelorMittal product – solar panels from our Arsolar range that are the next generation”. Thanks to the R&D team’s work, Ekinoxe provides double the power per square metre, offering a more energy efficient product in a rapidly growing market.
As our achievements in corporate responsibility – and specifically in making steel more sustainable – grow every year, more and more ArcelorMittal sites will be celebrating their own successes just as those highlighted in this month’s 1 Magazine and the newly-published corporate responsibility report for 2011, have already done.
Working together for sustainable steelBehind the many projects that are being developed to reduce our CO² emissions, to improve energy use, to cut water usage and to protect biodiversity in the locations in which we work, is one goal: to make steel more sustainable. And the results are paying off in our sites around the world.
Safe sustainable steel>
With less than 100 days to go until the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games commence, we invite all children of ArcelorMittal employees to create physical ‘good luck’ cards for the athletes and teams of your respective country, wishing them all the best for their participation in London.
All submissions will be sent to each respective National Olympic Committee, to be displayed within the living accommodation of the nation’s athletes at the Athletes’ Village in London. In addition, one child from each country will be selected by a local ArcelorMittal jury as a national winner, and will receive a London 2012 gift pack.
As one of the sponsors of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, all cards must include an image/drawing of the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the ArcelorMittal logo.
Entries close: June 18, 2012.
Conditions :• Entrants must be children of
ArcelorMittal employees • Submissions must take the form of
a traditional greetings card, with a front cover and an inside page for the good luck message
• Submissions must use the ArcelorMittal logo and an image of the ArcelorMittal Orbit on each entry
• Submissions must wish their national team and/or an individual athlete ‘good luck’ at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
• Submissions must be signed by the artist
• Submissions must be sent to the local communications representative at your site by June 18
• All winners will be advised by June 30, 2012
• No originals will be returned, as they will be submitted to the Olympic teams
• For inspiration on the ArcelorMittal Orbit please visit www.arcelormittalorbit.com and for more information on the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games please visit www.london2012.com
If you have any questions, please contact your local communications team or representative.
Wish your Olympic team good luck!
Global children’s competition>
Workers at ArcelorMittal Bioflorestas in Brazil plant eucalyptus trees to provide charcoal for steelmaking
Mr Mittal on Q1 results: “We have made a strong start given the wider circumstances and we need to ensure that we remain strong.”
Last year was a memorable year for ArcelorMittal in Liberia. We ended 2011 on a high note with all our major facilities for DSO (direct shipping ore) phase project commissioned, the celebrations of the first shipment of iron ore still echoing in our ears and the mine and port full of iron ore stocks. 2012 has brought new challenges, new hopes and new targets. The targets for 2012 include production of at least four million tons of DSO iron ore, dispatch of 4 million tons and also a plan to start work on the concentrator phase project.
The first major milestone of 2012 was achieved on March 19 when Hudson Trader 1 sailed with the millionth ton of Tokadeh Hills
iron ore in its hold. Congratulations and a big thank you to you all.
We all want to make ArcelorMittal Liberia a world class operation and an operation that we can all be genuinely proud of - and we are on the right path. What makes a company great is its people; we have people who are energetic and willing to learn.
Human resources, through its training department, is making very good progress in making employees aware of ArcelorMittal’s mission, values and priorities. New technical, supervisory and managerial skills are being shared and learned and we are all making concrete plans to achieve our individual career goals.
As well as our commitment to our employees, we are committed to making a significant contribution to the development of Liberia through our involvement in schools, hospitals, providing training to
students, scholarships and other payments to the government. We are helping local communities to improve their standard of living by providing employment, medical care, educational facilities, improving infrastructure and teaching safety awareness.
In this issue of 1 Magazine, we congratulate “Champions of the quarter.” These employees have walked the extra mile in performing their duties, and I congratulate each one of them for jobs well done. Your efforts, hard work, ethics, courage, and respect for your job and colleagues have not gone unnoticed and I am greatly looking forward to meeting all the champions.
On April 26 we celebrated Health and Safety Day, re-affirming our 100% commitment to the health and safety of each and every employee and contractor. This means that whatever we do, we
ensure that our actions are not going to cause any health or safety risk to anybody. We are not only to care for ourselves, but also for our colleagues and community. I would like to congratulate all of you for making significant progress in the areas of general awareness, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), risk assessment and following the correct work methods.
Let us strive to make this year and every year a zero accident and incident year for ArcelorMittal Liberia. We owe it to ourselves and our families to return home safely every day. So: stop, think and act safely.
Kindly accept my congratulations for our achievements so far in 2012, and best wishes to you and your families throughout the year.
1 | ArcelorMittal Liberia | June 2012 Local news 3
Health and safety is at the heart of ArcelorMittal’s operations around the world, and it is the company’s stated number one priority. Building a strong culture of health and safety is key to our success, and the Mining business’ courageous leadership training – designed to embed a culture of health and safety within ArcelorMittal’s mines - will begin in ArcelorMittal Liberia later this year. So what can employees expect?
The main aim of the course is not only to build awareness of safety and health, but to use courageous leadership training as an opportunity to create a culture of belief rather than compliance – a culture in which we not only comply with safety standards and safe procedures, but in which we believe we can work without injury.
ArcelorMittal Liberia is strongly committed to the Journey to Zero – our company’s global continuous improvement process, with an ultimate goal of zero fatalities, zero accidents and zero occupational illnesses.
All employees will take part in courageous leadership training, which will guide participants through the concepts that surround the courageous leadership culture and explain the context of change, as well as provide tools for how we can use courageous leadership to build a safer work environment.
ArcelorMittal Liberia has pledged its support for courageous leadership, which is about having the courage to speak up when you see something wrong. In order to create the type of culture we are looking for, safety must become a personal issue where each employee shares a commitment to recognize and reduce risky behavior.
Courageous leadership training is due to begin in Liberia, in June and July.
Production has been operating at an annualized rate of four million tons a year (mtpa) since late 2011. Trial cargoes are now being dispatched to global steel mills as part of the
commercial ramp-up phase.“It gives me great pleasure
to announce the first one million tons of ore to be shipped from Liberia. We are only at the
beginning of our operational development in Liberia, which includes significant growth plans in cooperation with the Liberian government and our local communities” said Rajesh Goel, CEO ArcelorMittal Liberia.
First shipmentThe million ton milestone was reached six months after the first shipment left the shores of Liberia, in September 2011. The vessel M/V UMANG arrived at the port of Gijón on October 2 with 7,000 tons of iron ore. Asturias was selected as the first site to receive and test the raw material in our industrial processes.
Before the start of mining operations in Liberia, ArcelorMittal invested US$800m in the rehabilitation of the railroad, port and infrastructure around the mine in Yekepa. “The company is committed to applying its high standards of safety, operational excellence, environmental compliance and training and development to its Liberian operations. We are proud of our achievements thus far and our workforce is already comprised of 91% Liberian local people,” Mr Goel continued.
The next milestoneWith 4 million tons set to be shipped in 2012, Kleber Silva, vice president and head of ArcelorMittal iron ore operations, said: “We are excited to be the first major ‘next-generation’ iron ore operator in Liberia and this region of Africa. The company is on track to reach its targets and has plans to be capable of loading cape size vessels via offshore loading from late 2012, with ore destined for customer iron and steel mills in Europe and Asia. This is a very important achievement that is not only a part of ArcelorMittal’s plans to increase iron ore production to 100 million tons by 2015, but it also represents another milestone in the recovery of Liberia’s economy.”
ArcelorMittal Liberia reaches one million tons of iron ore shipmentsOn March 19, ArcelorMittal announced the shipment of the one millionth ton of DSO (direct shipping ore) iron ore from our mining operations in Liberia. The vessel carrying the ore sailed from the Buchanan terminal to a customer in China.
Courageous leadership is coming to ArcelorMittal Liberia
The Mining business has produced a series of Courageous Leadership posters to help spread the message at all ArcelorMittal minesThe Hudson Trader 1 is loaded with iron ore at the Buchanan terminal
1 | ArcelorMittal Liberia | June 2012 Local news4
Meet our champion performersA champion is defined as someone who has the attributes of a winner. 1 Magazine meets ArcelorMittal Liberia’s first quarter 2012 champions, in 12 categories – those with winning attitudes towards their jobs, their peers and the company. Congratulations to these outstanding employees who have gone the extra mile.
Winner: Bell T. Morris Operations supervisor Port
On May 22, Bell T. Morris was named ArcelorMittal Liberia’s first Champion of the Quarter at a lunch held in Buchanan. CEO Rajesh Goel presented Bell with his award and congratulated all department champions. “Bell T Morris goes beyond expectations,” says port manager Jim Page, of this quarter’s champion.
“Bell T. Morris goes beyond expectations.”
As operations supervisor in the port, he is consistently lauded for doing much more than his job description. “He goes beyond all duties assigned to him and always asks for extra work,” says Geoff Jolly, head of rail and port.
Jeremiah Johnson Help desk analystInformation technology
Described by IT manager David Hanson as a ‘solid team performer’, Jeremiah Johnson, help desk analyst, is our IT champion of the quarter.
Johnson joined the company in September 2011, in a newly created position combining information management, documentation, strong communication skills and a general understanding of all IT hardware, applications and systems.
“Johnson’s attitude and professionalism have provided him with the edge to be successful.”
Although he had to learn a lot of these skills, Johnson’s attitude and professionalism have provided him with the edge to be successful. “His professional development has been ahead of my expectations,” says Hanson. Known as a positive team player, Johnson is a role model amongst his peers: “A very good example of a young person with strong potential,” Hanson added.
Jerry S. Fumba Resettlement officerCorporate responsibility
In Nimba, one of the major challenges faced by our company is mitigating the impact on communities and the surrounding environment, and this is where Jerry S. Fumba has made his mark. Managing the resettlement program more successfully than ever, in 2011 he oversaw the launch of the first round of compensation payments.
Employed by ArcelorMittal since 2007, Fumba is always ready to get involved – at work or at play, and joined the ArcelorMittal Yekepa football team in a match against ArcelorMittal Buchanan earlier this year. Fumba is the corporate responsibility champion of the quarter.
Peter Paye Senior surveyor Survey
Senior surveyor Peter Paye knows the company safety policies by heart, holds regular safety talks with his colleagues, possesses very good work ethics, is punctual, loves learning and, above all, is an asset to the ArcelorMittal Liberia family.
According to Sushil Kukade, technical services manager, Paye is his champion of the quarter for many reasons, including his readiness and commitment to the job. Described as a ‘technically sound’ employee, Paye has not only developed himself in his position, but also his team mates. This former LAMCO employee has trained three survey assistants that now actively work as field surveyors. “He fulfills all requested targets and is always ready to take on challenges and responsibilities,” says Kukade. Even when faced with family difficulties, this ‘champ’ never allows his work to be compromised.
Wleh Nimely Chemist Laboratory
Wleh Nimely, our laboratory champion of the quarter, always follows company safety policies and has contributed greatly to the improvement of the department with excellent turnaround times for chemical analysis results.
His hard work, good technical knowledge and a willingness to learn have set Nimely apart from his peers. Another attribute that has not gone unnoticed is his readiness to always work beyond official working hours - a true ‘champ’ in every sense of the word.
Marline Hills Procurement clerk Human resources
“When Marline cleans a room, everything sparkles,” says Patricia Clark, human resources (HR) manager in Buchanan. Marline Hills is our human resources champion of the quarter. She joined ArcelorMittal in 2007 as an office attendant and today works as a procurement clerk.
Noticing that the human resources department had challenges in their filing system, Hills requested training in the basics of filing and then offered her services during her breaks from her daily housekeeping duties. In no time at all, Hills had grasped the concept of filing and took on this additional duty officially.
“When Marline cleans a room, everything sparkles.”
Her attitude and newly-acquired clerking skills captured the attention of Leana Grobler, procurement superintendant, who assigned Hills to her department for one month. Hills did not disappoint and volunteered to file and take on additional duties, which led Grobler to recommend that she be employed as the department’s full time clerk - a position she now holds.
Hills has come a long way. After first dropping out of high school, she later saw the importance of education, and returned and graduated. Not stopping there, she enrolled in the local community college, where she is now a sophomore. Hills continues to display an attitude of excellence.
Big Daddy King Estate assistant Estates
Big Daddy King, our estates champion of the quarter, first met his boss Jai Singh when he was sent to the airport as the driver assigned to pick Singh up on his arrival in Liberia. One year later, Singh says of King: “He is one of the greatest assets to ArcelorMittal Liberia.”
No longer only driving, King now wears many other hats. Multi-talented, Big Daddy King is eager to assist in construction projects, road maintenance, gardening, housekeeping, warehouse assistance and more. Today he works as estate assistant, but never shies away from driving light vehicles, if the need arises.
“King never says any work is impossible.”
“King knows the value of ArcelorMittal Liberia’s assets”, says Singh, adding that, “Whenever I need someone to carry out some estate work, I simply turn to King who never says any work is impossible.” If he finds a job challenging, he turns to his colleagues for assistance, always striving to meet deadlines. “I find him to be consistently pleasant, tackling all assignments with dedication and a smile,” says Singh.
Besides being a joy to work with, like a true ‘champ’ King takes charge, presents creative ideas and communicates with his peers.
McArthur Bloe Power plant supervisor Power plant
“It is my pleasure to nominate McArthur Bloe, power plant supervisor, for champion of the quarter,” says Jai Singh, estate manager. Bloe has shown great respect towards our policy of safety first, always, as well as the highest degree of dignity, regard towards others and individual worth, Singh tells us.
“Bloe has shown great respect towards our policy of safety first, always.”
Described as an ‘honest man’, he has shown great potential as a team leader, while providing ArcelorMittal Liberia sites with the best power services. Blow your horn Bloe!
David Jankpolo Security supervisor Security
First employed as a security driver in Yekepa, Nimba County in 2008, David Jankpolo quickly graduated to the position of deputy security team leader in 2009. Jankpolo’s work ethics propelled him to the next level as security supervisor for ArcelorMittal Yekepa in 2010, making him our security champion of the quarter.
Managing a 12-person team, with oversight responsibility of the 375-member contracted guard force in Yekepa, Jankpolo maintains a close professional relationship with the joint security agencies (the Liberian National Police, Immigration Service, United Nations Police Division and United Nations Mission in Liberia - UNMIL) in and around Nimba County. Jankpolo’s manager, Lee Pokorski, says of Jankpolo: “He has always acted in a professional manner and his commitment to his colleagues and friends is commendable.”
“Jankpolo’s commitment to his colleagues and friends is commendable.”
Jankpolo is described as a role model and someone who is always willing to take advice from others and offer constructive feedback where necessary. “David possesses the skills to motivate others and he is highly respected,” says Pokorski.” This father of two young children has a very bright future ahead of him.
Samuel Tamba Quality control assistantGeology/quality control
Geology and quality control’s champion of the quarter, Samuel Tamba, executed all his assigned tasks and duties for the year ending 2011 very effectively, says his boss, Sushil Kukade. In the first quarter of 2012, he claims the title of ‘champ,’ because of his consistent hard work.
Always willing to learn, Tamba can boast that he has contributed to improving the standards at our mine and plants. “He always follows safe operating procedures (SOPs),” says Kukade, while never straying from the company’s safety policy. Like all
champions, he is always ready for a challenge.
Jallah SelmahMining
“Jallah Selmah is very reliable and plays a very big role in the stockpile management and ore movement at Tokadeh,” says Daniel Quaye, mine manager for ArcelorMittal Liberia.
“”Selmah plays a very big role in the stockpile management and ore movement at Tokadeh.”
This mines champion of the quarter is part of all of the day-to-day production activities of the mine. In what is a very challenging job with situations changing all the time, Selmah is said to be very punctual and responsible in the decisions he has to make. A general all-rounder, Quaye believes Selmah has a great future at ArcelorMittal Liberia.
Harris D. Luke Light vehicle driver Transportation
Harris D. Luke, a light vehicle driver, joined the company in 2011 where he was assigned to Geoff Jolly, head of rail and port as his permanent driver. According to Jolly, Luke’s attitude to safety and driving rules and regulations are excellent. “Not once have I felt at risk from his actions, and he always ensures that I am okay with what he does,” says Jolly.
“Luke’s attitude to safety is excellent.”
As part of his drive to excel, Luke continues to seek other opportunities within the company, volunteering for jobs even if it calls for working outside his normal hours.
Our transportation champion of the quarter is also a ‘champ’ at both football and volleyball.
1 | ArcelorMittal Liberia | June 2012 5Global news
Making the international headlines in the first quarter of 2012 was news of the company’s shipment of its one millionth ton of iron ore from Grand Bassa County’s refurbished Buchanan Port. This news - carried by news agencies locally and worldwide in mid-March - confirmed Liberia’s position back on the world iron ore stage, after an absence of two decades. With iron ore production proceeding on schedule and on target, things are looking promising.
Health and safety In ArcelorMittal Liberia’s health and safety department, six colleagues were trained by leading international healthcare, medical assistance and security services company, International SOS. Safety inductions continued for new employees and contractors and fatality prevention standards (FPS) training is ongoing. The department also prepared for April’s month-long road and rail safety campaign and the celebration of Health and Safety Day.
Environment In environmental news, ArcelorMittal Liberia’s biodiversity conservation program agreed a memorandum of understanding with Conservation International and the Gba Community Forest Management Body. An initial contract was also agreed upon with Agricultural Relief Services for the assessment of livelihood projects. And in accordance with a requirement from the ESIA (Economic and Social Impact Analysis), ArcelorMittal expanded and completed its report on LAMCO’s legacy of environmental damage.
Human resources Last year ended with the start of collective bargaining talks between ArcelorMittal Liberia and its workers’ union. These talks progressed in the first quarter, with only a few points left to be agreed upon. With negotiations ongoing, we’ll look to the second quarter for results to benefit both the company and its workers. In other human resources news, the
company continued to work towards its goal of placing more Liberians in leading positions. Human resources, IT and rail departments identified potential Liberian successors for their shadowing programs, designed to replace expats with Liberian workers in key positions.
Rail The rail department was congratulated by CEO Rajesh Goel for transporting one million tons of iron ore between Tokadeh in Nimba County and Buchanan Port on February 27. The company exceeded its rail tonnage target in February.
Corporate responsibility Mitigation, a major responsibility of ArcelorMittal’s corporate responsibility (CR) department, continued at all concessions, with 10 farmers between Bassa, Bong and Nimba Counties set to receive compensation for tree crops and private land. Two Grand Bassa farmers received settlement compensation for relocation of their assets. Social consultants rePlan, in partnership with ArcelorMittal’s CR team, worked together to standardize the company’s resettlement and social impact mitigation program. Their deliverables included a land access program, livelihood mitigation program, a stakeholder engagement plan, resettlement gap analysis, cultural heritage report, draft framework resettlement action plan for Phase II and the construction of Wamah Town School, which replaced the Green Hill Quarry Public School.
Estate In estate news, a multi-room guest house was completed in Buchanan, providing additional accommodation to visitors and staff. With safety in mind, fire extinguishers were installed in all homes, office buildings and guest houses in Monrovia, Buchanan and Greenhill Quarry. Red Sea Camp, home to contractor engineers and planners, saw the installation and handing over of 114 beds for its staff. The first quarter also brought the installation of morgue units to the hospital and illumination of its grounds.
2012 so far -a view from our departments
The year in review>
Building a culture of caring and courage at ArcelorMittal MiningEarlier this year, Suresh Rajapakse was appointed vice president health, safety, environment, security and sustainability for Mining. In this interview, he tells us what changes will be needed to make courageous leadership a success and shares some of his experience in the mining industry.
Suresh, how do you define courageous leadership? “Courageous leadership is a culture that we are embedding within the mining team. We want to create a culture of caring in the Mining business. First and foremost, this is about ensuring that our people go home safe and healthy each day. Through our courageous leadership training and awareness sessions, which some locations have already rolled out and that all our employees will be attending, we are providing a set of tools that we are encouraging everyone to use each day. However, it starts with each of us having to reflect on our values, our beliefs and what really motivates us. We would like all our employees to be thinking about how we can do our jobs safer and more productively, and - when we see issues - to stand up and say, “I think we have a problem.” We are encouraging our supervisors and our managers to create an environment where people feel sufficiently supported and confident enough to stop work when something is not right, or to approach someone who may be about to do something that could harm them, the environment or the business.
In order to build a culture of caring we need to build relationships with our people, and in order to do this, we need to get to know our people. It is critical that our leaders create an environment of trust where we clearly state our expectations and we hold ourselves and others accountable in a consistent manner. This is what courageous leadership is about.
What do you think is the number one thing that needs to change in order to make courageous leadership successful? To make courageous leadership successful, you need to be giving of
yourself, be willing to accept feedback, willing to open up and be approachable, and demonstrate respect. If we can do that, courageous leadership will lead us to the culture that we want to create.
Is courageous leadership only for leaders?Absolutely not. Courageous leadership concerns us all. It is not about pointing the finger, but about each individual taking responsibility and creating a culture that we all want and that will make ArcelorMittal Mining very successful in the future. Every person, whether you work in a mine or in an office, has a part to play.
Today, over 7,000 employees have participated in our courageous leadership training, which has been rolled out in our operations and projects in Brazil, Canada, Russia, the US and at our London offices. Later this year, we are scheduled to roll it out in Mexico, Kazakhstan and Liberia - with the remaining locations scheduled for 2013.
Can you share an example of courageous leadership? When I was working in the United States as a refinery manager for a mining company, I received a phone call one evening from my maintenance manager. He was really upset because two of his mechanics working in the plant had been exposed to potential acid spray, that he said was caused by one of my operators.
I was troubled by the news, so I drove to work to see the operator that evening to try and find out what had happened. He was quite nervous about me coming to speak to him. He explained that he had been told to take down a piece of equipment, so he worked with the process control room operator to slowly shut it down and make it safe. Halfway through the process, however, he was called away because of a trip at the other side of the plant. He was away for 20
minutes before coming back to complete the isolation.
When he walked past two mechanics who had just started to work on the line, he realised that he had missed part of the isolation. He went up to them and asked them to stop working while he checked the isolation. The mechanics were pretty upset by the fact that he had missed part of the isolation, but upset with themselves too because they hadn’t checked before starting the job.
This operator had the courage to then go and speak to his supervisor and say, “I think I made a mistake. I stopped some people from working, but I didn’t follow through my isolation procedure properly.”
To me, this demonstrates courage. The operator stood up and took ownership of his actions and by doing so, prevented his colleagues from potentially being sprayed with acid.
Some people simply think that we work in a dangerous industry and that accidents are inevitable. What’s your response to this?It’s really important that we believe that all incidents are preventable. I passionately believe that we can eliminate fatalities and serious injuries in the workplace. Although we will never eliminate all the risks in our in our workplace, we must ensure that we have the right tools in place to manage these risks adequately.
We must celebrate the successes we have had in our business, because there are many good examples in our company today that prove that we can eliminate fatalities and serious injuries. One of our mines recently made it to 19 years without a serious injury. Records are being broken every day.
Our leadership team has to work with employees to prevent incidents and remove the barriers towards safe performance. We need to celebrate the success stories and we need to transfer our learning experience throughout our
organisation. In the mining industry, fatalities are still occurring. On the other hand, there are some tremendous performances in construction, in underground mining and in open pits as well, so we know it is possible.
One of the key themes of Health and Safety Day this year was avoiding repetitions of accidents. How can we learn from the accidents and tragedies we have experienced in Mining?It’s a very unfortunate statistic that most of the injuries and fatalities that occur in the mining industry relate to very few safety standards. In order for us to prevent fatalities from taking place across the industry and within ArcelorMittal Mining, we have to learn from these incidents - internal and external. We need to understand the behaviour that led to a fatality – not just the behaviour of the victim, but also that of those around him or her, including leaders. If we can understand contributory behaviour, and reduce the potential for risky behaviour, we can significantly improve our performance, which again will lead to us being able to work fatality free.
What can employees do to make sure that we not only improve statistics, but each person’s reality as well? I would ask everyone to come to work tomorrow thinking about the risks that they face; not go about things in the same way as they have always done, but take a step back, take a look around them, take a 360 degree view - think about how they are going to work with their peers, whether a contractor is working close by, what could harm them, and take action if they see something that could go wrong.”
Alvino Hotel opened on January 21 to much fanfare in Yekepa, as residents from neighboring Sanniquellie, Ganta, employees of ArcelorMittal, African Bible College and others were entertained, toured, wined and dined by host and owner Prince Howard. “Prince Howard has proven to be an exemplary young Liberian entrepreneur,” said Francis Dennis, former President for LBDI Bank and guest speaker for the occasion. The bank provided the loan for the building of this first post-war hotel in Yekepa, Nimba County.
Built within the concession area of ArcelorMittal, the hotel is expected to play a key role in accommodating ArcelorMittal Liberia’s visitors as well as tourists.
With 22 guest rooms and suites, a conference room, full service bar and restaurant serving authentic Liberian and western dishes, Alvino Hotel’s general manager Antoinette Dymacole, said the hotel is “like home away from home.”
The 40km Nimba Mountains range contain large deposits of iron ore, currently mined by ArcelorMittal, and is also a World Heritage Site protected by the Liberian government. The mountains are home to many unique species of flora and fauna,
including the Nimba otter shrew, making it a potentially popular tourism destination.
Alvino’s presence marks the rebirth of the hotel industry in Yekepa, which was a tourist mecca in the 1970s.
A new hotel for Yekepa
Suresh Rajapakse, vice president health, safety, environment, security and sustainability for Mining
Bar and lounge at Alvino hotel
6 Local news 1 | ArcelorMittal Liberia | June 2012
The campaign’s aim is to prevent rail, road and work-related incidents in our communities. Through a series of education programs designed to reach all major communities, it
reinforces life-saving messages on community safety and alerts the public to road and rail dangers. The overall aim is to make sure communities have a better understanding of the refurbished railway – and the dangers associated with it.
It has been 20 years since trains have run along the tracks, but
with ArcelorMittal now running two trains a day from Yekepa to Buchanan and back, this campaign is vital for the people living in nearby towns and villages who have come to use the tracks as part of their daily activities. “We operated one train per day between May 2011 and February 2012, but since February 27, we have begun
operating two trains a day – each comprising 80 wagons. ArcelorMittal Liberia shipped its first one million tons of ore in March,” says Geoff Jolly, rail and port manager for ArcelorMittal.
“There are thousands of people that live along the rail access road, including many children,” says Marcus Wleh, corporate responsibility manager for ArcelorMittal Liberia. “We want to educate our children on the dangers of a railway and achieve long-term change in behavior and attitude regarding the way local communities relate to community safety. We are aiming for a company culture that puts safety first, always. Our courageous leadership program will also play a part in fostering this culture, creating an environment in which we believe we can eliminate risky behavior.”
Kicking off the campaign, Honorable Gabriel Smith, District #1 representative from Grand Bassa County sounded a warning bell to all local residents. “Keep off the tracks,” he said as he spoke to the gathering of community leaders and government stakeholders. Also representing the government at the event were President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Honourable Gbezongar Findley, incoming Grand Bassa Superintendent Etweda Cooper, Grand Bassa Senator John Whitfield and Grand Bassa District #5 representative J. Byron Brown.
As part of the month-long campaign, sponsored by ArcelorMittal, a ‘safety caravan’ featuring cultural performances,
drama, and music ran for one week. The caravan began its journey in Yekepa on April 8 and moved through Bong into Grand Bassa County. The safety caravan
campaign, which stops in villages along the access road to directly engage locals, will continue its work throughout 2012.
Spreading the safety message - ArcelorMittal Liberia’s road and railway safety campaign On April 2, ArcelorMittal launched a major campaign to raise awareness of road and rail safety within the mining area and along the railway corridor between Yekepa and the port of Buchanan.
The road less travelledEric Swen, corporate responsibility assistant at ArcelorMittal Liberia and leader of the safety caravan, shares his experience as the campaign’s third run – which reached thousands of Liberians - draws to a close.
The caravan is a week-long awareness campaign on road and rail safety in communities along the railroad corridor and the service road that connect our mines in Yekepa to the port of Buchanan. It uses street theatre and live, cultural performances to raise awareness of the potential risks and to reduce safety incidents, misuse of the railroad, and encroachment into work areas.
The first safety caravan was launched in January 2011 as part of ArcelorMittal Liberia’s community safety program, but this year’s caravan was different for many reasons.
First, we combined the caravan’s journey and schedule with other activities that were part of ArcelorMittal Liberia’s community safety month. Second, we made more stops along the route, travelling along countryside paths that had not been used for more than 20 years during the civil war - but that are now seeing a hike in activity and traffic. Third, we also used videos and audio messages in the local dialects to promote the arrival of the caravan and further spread our safety messages.
April 2012’s caravan was the first one to take place since we
officially launched operations at ArcelorMittal Liberia in September last year and since we shipped our first million ton of iron ore from here.
Radio broadcastThe response to this caravan was overwhelming – thousands came to listen to our message. As the radio messages about the caravan had been playing for a few weeks, the local communities were expecting us and gathered in their hundreds in the villages we stopped at. We also used a cultural drum beat to call town people to the public square where caravan activities were taking place. More than 1,000 locals attended our event in Bunadein town, Nimba County
Golden rulesThis years’ activities included the promotion of our seven golden rules of rail and road safety, as well as a quiz in which participants had to answer a series of questions related to safety and had the opportunity to win prizes. It was great to see how aware they became about being exposed to rail and road accidents which could result in serious injuries or death and to see how eager they were to learn more about safety.
But it is not just the adults that we engaged with; it was important for us to get the message across to children, too - and from as early an age as possible. With two trains travelling along the tracks in the
morning and two in the evening, the tracks are no place for the kids to play lappa (a game similar to dodge ball but played with socks instead of a ball); something they quite like doing.
Bong partyOverall, I would say that this caravan was the most successful yet. In Zoweinta, Bong County, we were entertaining 650 people till 2am;
they just did not want to leave.But for me one of the best
moments of that week came when in Grand Bassa County, a little boy who was probably about eight years old, told the gathered crowd what he had learned: “Whenever I reach the train track, I will stop, look and listen. If there is no train coming, I will run and cross. The train can kill. I don’t want to die; I want to live and go to school.”
During a ‘solidarity holiday’ in Liberia organised by the ArcelorMittal Foundation, nine ArcelorMittal international volunteers, together with ArcelorMittal Liberia employees and community volunteers, built a school for 200 children in Makinto Village near the Tokadeh Mines in Yekepa, Nimba County. As a follow-up to the project, ArcelorMittal Liberia, with the collaboration of the ArcelorMittal Foundation, donated 50 chairs to the school.
Education first At a handover ceremony, the chief operating officer of ArcelorMittal Liberia, Charl van der Merwe thanked the people of Makinto for their cooperation during the solidarity holiday project. He told the audience that he was impressed with the work done and promised
continuous support to the school: “ArcelorMittal prioritizes education above all”, said Mr van der Merwe.
Also speaking at the ceremony, county education officer, Beatrice K. Bonner said: “I salute ArcelorMittal for a great job done.” She added that the company is bringing vast improvements to the children of Makinto and Nimba: “This is a lifetime investment that will be passed to so many generations,” she said. In conclusion, she challenged the community to take advantage of the school, and ensure that all children attend for a brighter future.
A long walk Makinto - a town of just over 800 inhabitants - is located 21 miles outside Yekepa, where ArcelorMittal currently operates its iron ore mining concession in Liberia.
Prior to the building of the new school, which caters for around 200 students from the village area, children took lessons in a one-room, dilapidated mud hut. Other children had to walk more than two kilometres to attend school in the nearby Sehyigeh Village.
ArcelorMittal donates 50 chairs to furnish Makinto School
Corporate responsibility>
Thousands of people learned the road and rail safety messages during a week-long campaign
Corporate responsibility team members hand out road and rail safety information to passing traffic.
Ballet Calabash Dance Group of Buchanan travelled from town to town, dancing, singing and dramatizing the’ Road and Rail Safety Campaign’ messages as part of the month-long caravan.
Local news1 | ArcelorMittal Liberia | June 2012 7
Stepping above the glass ceiling: Liberia’s women dare to operate yellow machines
Having worked as a chef for 14 years, learning the trade from his father who worked as a Liberia Mining Company (LMC) cook, Jackson Wah today is the man behind the scene in the Yekepa canteen kitchen. Wah, from Grand Bassa, began working with his father in the kitchen when he was 20. In 1997, he landed his first job at Anchor Bar and Restaurant in Monrovia, as a dishwasher – and has since worked his way up to being a chef.
Today, Wah’s cooking experience is global, from Indian, South African, Spanish, to his native Liberian dishes. Biryani, the Indian rice dish, is a particularly popular dish at the ArcelorMittal Liberia canteen.
When asked what his favorite aspect of working at ArcelorMittal Liberia is, Wah says: “I love working in the mining sector, because it is where I started. It’s the same as LMC.”
Jackson’s favorite dishes are:* Indian - Pori and chapati* Italian - Lasagne with mushrooms* South African - Thapi * Liberia - Collard Greens
George D. Kennedy
They all had just one goal in mind: to ensure that they did their respective assignments properly, especially since the company was gearing up to export its one million tons of iron ore just within a couple of days.
An eye-catching scene soon popped up. And it was when a young woman was spotted driving a D988 yellow machine. The amazing thing about this had to do with the fact that it is often assumed that such heavy-duty equipment is only operated by men, not women who are perceived to be the weaker ones. Careers like driving heavy-duty machines, mechanics, engineering, and other technical works are no-go areas for women. They are often reserved for men. Any woman daring to venture in these fields is always considered as being ‘masculine’.
“Wow! That is a woman turning the engine of the Liberian economy. How did she learn that?” inquired one ArcelorMittal expatriate.
Mrs Mardea Shagbeh is one of two Liberian women who are among
several men operating the D988 yellow machines that convey iron ore from one point to the wharf at Buchanan Port for export. Already, a Chinese vessel, GMT Phoenix, and other European vessels have begun sailing to Liberia to convey one million tons of ore from the country to other parts of the world.
Mrs Shagbeh is a mother of five children, two girls and three boys. She started her driving career at age 20. She drove a taxicab in Monrovia for two years before nailing a new job with ArcelorMittal. Earlier, Mrs Shagbeh worked as a light-duty driver at a local firm for a couple of months. Though she is not lettered, Mrs Shagbeh remains undeterred in life. “I didn’t go to driving school. I had a friend at a mechanic shop who taught me how to drive when I bought my car at age 20.”
Mrs Shagbeh, 38, is well grounded in her understanding of the different parts of a vehicle, including the yellow machine she currently operates.
“I know all of the parts on it. I can tell if the machine is losing oil or taking in air. I know nearly everything about this machine. If the air conditioning is not working, I know it will affect me. Even if it
doesn’t have grease, I know because I can read it on the machine’s dashboard.”
According to her, she is trained to read the dashboard on the yellow machine because it helps her to get basic information about the state of the machine.
“I can tell if the machine doesn’t have oil by looking at the dashboard. Everything about this machine registers on the dashboard. So, to operate this machine it is not only about sitting in it and control the steering. It is about you having an understanding of its dashboard,” she said.
Her dream is to one day train others, mainly women, in yellow machine operation.
“I want other women to follow my example, not for them to sit and wait for others to do for them when they can do for themselves. They have to come out and compete, not sit there doing nothing,” she stated.
Mrs Shagbeh normally changes shift with her co-worker, Ms Odelia Quayee. The good thing is that Quayee too, has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to operating the yellow machine. She has been at it for only eight months, however. She joined ArcelorMittal in
2008 and is now studying at the Grand Bassa Community College. She is reading sociology as her major and public administration as her minor. Her first assignment was to drive the company’s small utility jeep.
“I started in 2008 as a driver of our small utility jeep. I later took advantage of an advertisement the company published; seeking qualified drivers - mainly females - to operate its yellow machine. I applied and got the job. I have been operating this machine for eight months now.”
“I have learned new things and have become a career person in these few months.” Quayee also added her voice to that of Mrs Shagbeh; encouraging other women to not sit down supinely and depend on their male counterparts to do everything for them.
“They shouldn’t sit at home and depend on the pockets of men. They can do something and even do it better,” she said in a serious mood.
This story originally appeared in the Daily Observer newspaper on Tuesday, March 20 2012. Reprinted with the permission of the Daily Observer Newspaper.
Jackson’s Spicy Tomato (served on a bed of rice)• 1 can chilli tomato• 2 tsp tomato paste• 1 cup whole tomato• 2 cloves garlic• 1 or 2 onions• 2 cups of chicken broth• 1 whole chicken cut into pieces
Fry and stir all ingredients together in a skillet (frying pan), then add chicken broth. Before the mixture begins to boil, add cut chicken pieces. Steam for 15 minutes and it’s ready to serve. Serve with french fries, rice, or potatoes.
On May 1, ArcelorMittal held the official dedication of the Warmah Town Public School in Bong County – one of our company’s social mitigation projects. The old school, housed in one of the old LAMCO structures in Green Hill Quarry, where ArcelorMittal runs its rock crushing operation, had about two
to three rooms. Relocated to Warmah, the new six-classroom building includes a storeroom, two offices, a hand pump and a four-room toilet.
The new school, which meets the standard size of classrooms set by the Ministry of Education, provides the children with an environment that is more conducive to learning. The project was undertaken by ArcelorMittal Liberia’s corporate responsibility team.
Employees>
In the kitchen with chef Jackson Wah
Communities>
Chef Jackson Wah cooks up a feast at the Yekepa canteen kitchen
The importance of reputationAt the year-end performance reviews of the company’s business units last year, both safety and reputational risk were a common theme in all discussions. While safety will always be the number one priority of our company, what are the risks to our reputation and how can we protect it? Emmanuel [email protected]
Reputation is important. While sometimes overlooked or underestimated, what the year-end management meetings in 2011 underlined was that reputation can have a significant impact on business results, and the effects of a damaged reputation can be devastating.
Our response to the needs of governments, communities, individual citizens, vendors, employees and other stakeholders, if not given the right priority, can have adverse effects on the perception people have about the business. We must therefore take deliberate and purposeful steps to strengthen our relationships with stakeholders.
The task of our government affairs and corporate responsibility departments is to be the first line of
defense against negative perceptions of our company. On a daily basis, we encounter the public and seek to build strong relationships with people and communities.
Our company’s reputation, however, cannot be protected solely by one person. Each employee has a role to play in protecting the business. The quality of our customer service will win us respect and trust from our customers. Employees who are proud to work for ArcelorMittal, who see ArcelorMittal as a company which provides opportunities and protects each person’s individual rights and dignity, become our ambassadors. When our regulators see that we report in a timely and transparent manner, we win ourselves the respect of governments. When the community sees us involved in issues that matter to them, their appreciation is a reward that cannot be bought.
Corporate responsibility>
Odelia Quayee, a sociology student, began working at ArcelorMittal eight months ago as a yellow machine operator.
Thirty eight year-old Mardea Shagbeh, mother of five children, is one of two women operating the D988 yellow machines at the port where ArcelorMittal operates.
1 | ArcelorMittal Liberia | June 2012Local news8
InternationalArcelorMittal publishes fact book 2011 A user-friendly reference tool for internal and external stakeholders, the fact book provides key information about the company on everything from operations, facilities and financial results to the board of directors. View it online at www.arcelormittal.com 14.05.2012
Distribution Solutions supplies steel for Chernobyl ‘New Safe Confinement’ project The new safe confinement project involves the construction of a new steel shelter to contain the destroyed nuclear reactor and help prevent further leakage of radioactive material. Delivery of our steels for a covering arch to be slid over the existing shelter will start in July 2012 and be completed by end of March 2013. 26.04.2012
AmericasNew heat treat line installed at ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor The state-of-the-art heat treat line installed at the 160” plate facility in Burns Harbor, Indiana, USA, produces a full range of heat treat products while enhancing quality, productivity and customer delivery, resulting in both cost and energy savings. 22.03.2012
How Lázaro Cárdenas limits earthquake damage Located in one of the most seismically active regions on earth, ArcelorMittal’s asset risk management department has helped our Lázaro Cárdenas site to install seismic shut-off valves in order to mitigate potential damage from earthquakes, by automatically controlling the incoming gas mains. 03.05.2012
ArcelorMittal USA earns fifth Energy Star award Our facilities in the US receive their fifth Energy Star award by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy for their energy management and commitment to energy efficiency. 15.03.2012
EuropeFCE builds energy saving and cost reduction programme Energize is a new programme devised by operational excellence and strategy and innovation in Flat Carbon Europe (FCE) to help sites cut their energy consumption. The programme targets savings of 9% on its 2011 energy cost baseline by the end of 2015. 29.03.2012
ArcelorMittal Belval recovers old tyres in steelmaking process By using old tyres instead of coal to feed their electric arc furnace (EAF), our Belval site in Luxembourg is decreasing costs as well as preserving natural resources. This innovative project won Belval an ArcelorMittal Environment Excellence award in the ‘resource efficiency’ category. 09.05.2012
Ostrava develops new road safety barrier The research and development team at ArcelorMittal Ostrava has developed a new steel element for road barriers to alert road users in the event of an accident. If final tests prove successful, the new barrier will receive an EN 1317 European standard certification for use on all EU roads. 04.05.2012
For more information, go to www.myarcelormittal.com
Children’s competition> 1 | ArcelorMittal Liberia | June 2012
1 is a publication for ArcelorMittal Liberia employees, its partners and communities. Editor:Hesta Baker-PearsonProduction team:Hesta Baker-Pearson, Lynn Robbroeckx, Sophie Evans, Charlotte RodawayGuest contributors:Rajesh Goel, Loveness Hoyange, Eric Swen, Helena S. Massaquoi, Marcus Wleh, Emmanuel Dolo, George D. KennedyPhotographers:Jasper Kai, Hesta Baker-Pearson,wide.luDesign:Yves ClaudePrinter: FaberCirculation:2,200Contact:ArcelorMittal Liberia15th Street, Tubman BoulevardMonrovia - Liberia
Cover story:Working together for sustainable steel: from providing the steel for iconic buildings, to cutting energy use at our steel plants – our sites around the world have been working hard to help build a lower carbon world.
Global news in brief
Prince Blango wins Liberia e-card competitionPrince Blango, son of Joseph Blango, ArcelorMittal Yekepa B School’s vice principal, took home $500 as the first place winner in our national e-card competition.
Now in its third year, the ArcelorMittal Foundation’s annual e-card contest is a global drawing competition. The children of ArcelorMittal employees as well as children benefitting from a project supported by the Foundation, are invited to submit their drawings for ArcelorMittal’s New Year greetings cards. The winning entries are featured on cards that are sent to families, friends and business partners around the world. This year’s theme was: ‘My dream of a happy world.’
In an award ceremony held on February 18, Blango from Yekepa,
along with second and third place winners Alexander Davies (son of Bobby Davis, security chief in Buchanan) and Jonathan Monu Jr. (son of Jonathan Monu Sr., community liaison assistant in Buchanan) respectively, were honored with cash prizes and school bags. Presenting Blango with his award, administration manager Emmanuel Dolo urged him to always strive for excellence and to work hard.
A total of 45 children from Liberia took part in the contest, with entrants from Grand Bassa, Nimba and Bong counties. First, second and third place winners were selected from the three locations to enter the final draw, with our national winner and runners-up chosen by a panel of judges.
Awards
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? “I wanted to be a school teacher.
Who were your childhood heroes?An Australian businessman called Kerry Packer. Born with severe health problems, he managed to run a successful business empire. He always gave back to people.
What has been a turning point in your life? Finding my love of music. It allows me to express myself and helps me to relax.
Where did you go to college? What did you study and when? I studied engineering and psychology in Australia, from 1982 to 1990.
If you could be or do anything, what would that be?I would have really liked to be a musician and song writer. Music has the ability to cross all boundaries.
What one word would you use to describe yourself? Passionate.
What one word would your friends use to describe you? Sociable.
How would you like to be remembered? As an empathetic person who could empower people to try their best and never give up.
What do you like most and least about your job? Being able to create and empower. What I like least is when things don’t go according to plan – like if it rains before the wet season!
When did you join ArcelorMittal?January 2010.
Prior to ArcelorMittal, what did you do? I have worked in many different countries. My last job was on a rail project in South Africa, as a project manager.
Why are we here? I believe we are here to make a difference to everything that we touch. We all want success and we all want to succeed.
Currently, what precautionary measures are in place for pedestrian and driver safety on the railway tracks? Each locomotive operating on the railway has a five trumpet whistle (horn), used to warn people of oncoming trains. When the driver activates the whistle, a bell also rings. Also, every locomotive has a very bright headlight, which remains
on at all times when the locomotive is in motion. There are signposts in advance and at railway crossings. Additionally, there are security guards at many crossings in highly frequented areas.
Are more measures planned for the future? Several rail and road crossings currently have security guards. Some other crossings have boom gates that the security guards put down to prevent pedestrians and vehicles from entering when trains are approaching.
As an expert on railway management with experience from many other countries, what else could be done to enhance safety on the tracks? Education, education, education - starting at the youngest level in schools. If we make it fun, informative and interactive, children will pass on the message to their parents and families. Also, installing warning signposts in areas where people cross the line. Preventing the theft of signposts is also very important.
How fast do the trains move? Trains are currently moving at 40 kilometers per hour. This speed will increase in August this year, to 75 kph.
How many times a day do the trains move along the tracks? We have two empty trains going to and two loaded trains coming from Tokadeh each day. Also - and this is very important - there is always a possibility of extra trains or machinery moving in either direction on any day. We have track maintenance operations ongoing every day and this necessitates the movement of trains and machines on the line.”
Sixty seconds with Geoff Jolly, rail and port manager, ArcelorMittal Liberia1 Magazine chatted to Geoff Jolly, Liberia’s head of rail and port and discovered that this tough Australian has a soft spot for music.
“Music has the ability to cross all boundaries,” says Geoff
Prince Blango, Alexander Davies and Jonathan Monu Jr. collect their prizes
