Engineers Solving Food Insecurity

Engineers Solving Food Insecurity

From climate change to poverty and distance, food insecurity is complex and multifaceted. But how can engineers help to solve this global challenge? We tapped into the minds of some of Lithon’s experts to understand how engineers can contribute to tackling food insecurity.   Expert Insights from the Agricultural Engineer Willie Knouwds says that climate…

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What 2023 Meant for Engineering?

What 2023 Meant for Engineering

It’s always interesting to reflect on the year that was, to understand some of the key happenings that influence the way we work and the projects we undertake. We spoke with Lithon’s CEO, Gert Maritz, to gain insight into the developments of 2023 that are set to shape the future of engineering. Here’s what he…

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Engineers Solving World Problems – Providing Clean Drinking Water

Engineers Solving World Problems - Providing Clean Drinking Water

Water gives life to people, cities, and nature. While at times a plentiful resource, there are many places on earth where it is extremely scarce, or heavily polluted. As a result, millions of people around the world do not have access to clean drinking water.  Lithon has some smart engineers tackling this challenge. We weighed…

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The Art of Urban Engineering

The Art of Urban Engineering

Ever wondered how your city was designed and built, and who was involved in making those decisions? You may be surprised to discover that it was not only town planners, urban designers, and architects that designed your city. Engineers were involved too!  This sub-discipline of civil engineering is called ‘urban engineering’. We chatted to Lithon’s…

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How Engineers Can Help in Times of War

How Engineers Can Help in Times of War

War is catastrophic. It tears lives and communities apart as it upends the fabric of society itself. Infrastructure crumbles, homes become ruins, and places we once knew and loved turn unfamiliar and hostile.  While the emotional and physical scars of war are often permanent, rebuilding society, if we work together, is possible. Helping countries get…

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5 Things You Didn’t Know About Structural Engineering

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Structural Engineering

For many people, structural engineering conjures images of towering city office blocks, bridges spanning across rivers or sports stadiums with their awe-inspiring domed roofs. But these aspects of structural engineering are merely the tip of the iceberg. What really goes on is far more intricate than meets the eye.  We chatted to Lithon’s head of…

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8 Sustainable Transport Trends

8 Sustainable Transport Trends

In a world that’s always on the move, it’s important to pause and reflect on the environmental impact of our chosen mode of travel. While change may happen slowly, it’s the progress towards it that counts.  Changing our mode of transport might be a big weight for the average citizen to carry, but rest assured…

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5 Things You Didn’t Know About Roads

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Roads

Roads are the arteries of our cities, pumping life to and from the heart. While most of us experience roads on a daily basis, whether via car, bus, bicycle or foot, we often don’t give much, if any, thought to how they’re designed. If we did, we’d realise that the roads we take for granted…

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5 Key Insights into the Role of Project Management in Engineering

5 Key Insights into the Role of Project Management in Engineering

Engineering projects involve many moving parts with large teams of consultants and stakeholders. This complexity requires robust project management in order to ensure a high level of excellence is reached on time, and within budget. It’s not as easy to achieve as it sounds and requires a rounded set of skills. We chatted to Lithon’s…

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A Beautiful Bounty of Butternuts

A Beautiful Bounty of Butternuts

How one small farming project in Mariental is solving food insecurity in Namibia. Lithon’s founder, Adriaan Grobler, is passionate about venture engineering and the impact that comes from investing in these kinds of projects.    In essence, Venture Engineering brings engineering thinking and skills to innovative ideas and projects that can significantly improve the life…

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Meet Onesmus, our Energy Efficiency Pioneer

Meet Onesmus, our Energy Efficiency Pioneer

When it comes to merging electrical engineering with sustainable practices, Onesmus Shavuka shines brighter than the most efficient LED! As a seasoned part of the Lithon family from 2011, Onesmus isn’t just our in-house energy efficiency expert — he’s also a passionate mentor to the next generation of engineers. And when he’s not engrossed in…

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5 Exciting Ways Airports will Change in Future

5 Exciting Ways Airports will Change in Future

Air travel helps people and goods travel safely between sometimes far distances, at the fraction of the time it takes any other type of transport. It’s one of the great engineering achievements of the 20th Century. Think of the ancient sailing ships fraught with the dangers and health risks of lengthy time spent at sea,…

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What to Expect in 2023 and Beyond

What to Expect in 2023 and Beyond

It’s always fun to imagine (and predict) what the future might hold. Lithon’s founder, Adriaan Grobler, has a few thoughts about what the world of engineering might bring us in 2023…   Technology will disrupt Possibly the biggest catalyst for change across the world – technology – will continue to force us to evolve at…

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What’s Happening at Lithon Foundation?

What’s Happening at Lithon Foundation?

Lithon Foundation acts like a bridge – and engineers love building bridges! Our strategy is to support, guide and strengthen organisations (receivers) that are already making an impact in people’s lives and communities. Part of that strategy involves connecting these organisations with willing and able companies and individuals (givers) who believe in a cause, but…

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What Does an Industrial Engineer Do?

What Does an Industrial Engineer Do?

Industrial engineers focus less on making actual things, and more on designing efficient and cost-effective processes. Ever been mesmerised by watching an automatic assembly line at a factory? Well, there’s an industrial engineer to thank for making that work.   They figure out how to use primary resources – people, machines, materials, space, information, and energy…

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6 ways engineers are leading the way to a greener future

6 ways engineers are leading the way to a greener future

Engineers have provided innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems, and in so doing, have shaped the course of history. Can we rely on them to help us transition to a greener and more sustainable future? The answer is, a resounding: YES! Here are some ways that engineers are already helping to…

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5 Amazing Facts About Civil Engineering You Probably Didn’t Know

5 Amazing Facts About Civil Engineering You Probably Didn’t Know

Civil engineering is one of the oldest, yet least understood professions. These engineers are the backbone of every society – responsible for designing and constructing buildings, bridges, roads, dams, and other structures. But that’s not all!  Here are some awesome facts about the history of civil engineering that you probably didn’t know.   1. It…

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What Does a Civil Engineer Do?

What Does a Civil Engineer Do?

From the Pyramids at Giza in Egypt, to the Great Wall of China, civil engineers have played an important role in creating the world we know.    Civil engineers design, construct and maintain the civil infrastructure that allows us to live in our homes without fear of our roof caving in, drive on our roads…

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What Does a Mechanical Engineer Do

What Does a Mechanical Engineer Do

From inventing the wheel to perfecting flight, mechanical engineering has been responsible for major inventions that have shaped the world as we know it.  Mechanical engineering revolves around motion and energy transfer and uses mathematics, science, and technology to solve real-world problems.  Read on to find out more about what mechanical engineers do.   What…

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7 Characteristics of a Successful Engineer

7 Characteristics of a Successful Engineer

Engineers are the inventors, designers, problem solvers, and builders of the world we live in. They are often called ‘unsung heroes’ because they design products that we use every day without even knowing it. But engineers also invent new technologies that change our lives in big ways. Here are some typical character traits that help…

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What does a structural engineer do?

What does a structural engineer do?

The Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, the London Underground, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Taipei 101 all have one thing in common – a structural engineer turned them from an idea into a reality. Structural engineering is part of the broader field of civil engineering. It ensures that the ‘bones’ of a structure can confidently stand…

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7 things to know about engineers

7 things to know about engineers

Ever wondered what engineers are really like? Let’s take a lighthearted look at these complex problem solvers with some insight from someone who’s been married to a civil engineer for almost 15 years. They can be masters of DIY. This will depend on their field of engineering, but it’s likely that home DIY projects will…

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What does an electrical engineer do?

What does an electrical engineer do?

It’s almost impossible to give a short answer to this question, but if we had to try, we’d say that electrical engineers are the brains behind anything to do with electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. So that’s how it comes to be that power stations, the internet, navigation systems, and telecommunication networks – seemingly very different…

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What does an engineer do?

What does an engineer do?

Engineering is all around us. And we engage with it every day in almost every aspect of our lives. From the smartphone that connects you to your world to the car that gets you from A to B and the office building you work in – all of these require the specialised skills of an…

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Tsumeb Urban Eco-Village

Tsumeb Urban Eco-Village

At the Lithon Group, we are passionate about new venture creation through greenfield deal-making and development services. To illustrate this, we’re introducing an initiative of our own – and it’s not only a first for Namibia, but it’s also quickly become Lithon Holdings CEO Adriaan Grobler’s all-time favourite project. This is none other than the…

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Why every company needs an X-team

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…

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Meet Amarildo Paulo, Oshakati Branch Manager

Meet Amarildo Paulo, Oshakati Branch Manager

Smart, confident and charismatic, Amarildo Paulo was introduced to Lithon in June 2009, when the company gave him a bursary to continue his civil engineering studies in Cape Town. More than a decade later, he’s still with the consulting engineering firm, managing its Oshakati branch remotely from Windhoek. We spent some time with him recently…

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