Posts Tagged ‘Engineering’
Why every company needs an X-team
When Namibia recorded its first cases of Covid-19 in March 2020, Lithon was perfectly positioned to meet the pandemic’s challenges head-on and seamlessly transitioned to remote work within a single weekend. And that’s largely thanks to the company’s strategic planning and its earlier deployment of an X-Team – a group of young employees tasked with…
Read MoreMeet Cilliers Steyn, Graduate Civil Engineer
Cilliers Steyn was introduced to Lithon in 2015, when he completed a year of in-service training with the company while studying civil engineering. The encounter was a win-win – Lithon found a young engineer passionate about his chosen field, while Cilliers found a company with a culture that spoke to his heart and a team…
Read MoreThe rise of the aerotropolis
Dr John D. Kasarda tells us that “airports will shape business location and urban development in the 21st century as much as highways did in the 20th century, railroads in the 19th and seaports in the 18th.” If you haven’t come across the term aerotropolis before, this is what is meant by it. The aerotropolis…
Read MoreTowards a renewable future
Harnessing the power of renewable resources like wind, sunlight and rain may not be a new concept, but it is one that’s becoming increasingly critical to the survival of our planet. As a key enabler of sustainable development, renewable energy is highlighted in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims to “ensure access to…
Read MoreA favourite project: the Husab Mine Access Road
When our Husab Mine Access Road project was completed in June 2014, it boasted the longest bridge to be constructed since Namibia’s independence and was recognised for how it handled an environmentally sensitive area. But this infrastructure project is notable at Lithon Namibia for another reason – and is an all-time favourite of CEO Gert…
Read MoreMeet Bartle Rautenbach, Engineering Technician
Bartle Rautenbach (affectionately referred to by his colleagues as Oom Bartle) was born in Usakos, a small town on the banks of the Khan River in the Erongo Region. He joined the Lithon office in Swakopmund (just 140 km away from his birthplace) in January 2009 at the peak of his career – one that…
Read MoreFrom the desk of Adriaan Grobler
What is impact investing? Over the last decade, impact investing has been seen more regularly, by both business and public sectors, as a new asset class, capable of providing market related returns on investments. In fact, it’s recently become a megatrend in the investment world as impact investors seek financial returns while making a positive…
Read MoreEngineering for good: sustainable development projects changing lives
In her foreword for the Engineering a Better World conference programme, Dame Ann Dowling, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, outlines the critical role that engineering must play as civilization moves ahead. After calling attention to the breakthrough achievements of the engineering industry in the 20th century, she notes that, “we are far from…
Read MoreFrom the desk of Adriaan Grobler
The impact and effectiveness of Development Finance Institutions Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) aim to bridge the investment gap between commercial investments and state development aid in developing countries. Given their public funding and developmental mission, DFIs tolerate more risk with their longer view on investments. They’re also not constrained the way private investors are. This…
Read MoreMeet Richard Laborn, Head of Civil and Transportation
Coming from a family of Caterpillar mechanics, Richard bucked the trend by becoming an engineer. In his 30-year career, he’s worked on a number of large-scale projects, including the Tati Nickel Activox project in Botswana and the Sishen South Mine development in South Africa. With a wealth of expertise and three decades of on-the-job experience,…
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