JULY 2011 EDITION

ABRASIVE MATTERS

First-of-its-kind mobile application to calculate the

true cost of your blasting project
A first in the industry, the GMA Garnet Abrasive Blasting Calculator is the perfect tool for project estimators and contractors
to estimate their abrasive blasting budgets with just a few buttons and swipes on their mobile phones.

The Group developed a new mobile application, a

first-of-its-kind in the abrasive blasting industry for
calculating the true cost of a blasting project using GMA
Garnet™ abrasives as well as other existing abrasives.

Launched in June 2011, the GMA Garnet™ Abrasive Blasting

Calculator is available as a free mobile application and users can
download the application from Apple iTunes and Android Market.
A web version is also be available on the Group’s website.

Visit: www.garnetsales.com/gmacalc

“The calculator is the perfect tool for project estimators and

contractors to calculate the true cost of blasting with GMA
Garnet™ abrasives,” says Chief Operating Officer Aaron Williams. Among the features available are the flexibility to switch between Metric and US measurement
units, the quantity of abrasives required and time taken to complete a project.

Among the key features of the application are the flexibility to

select between Metric and US measurement units and enabling
the user to generate the total cost in either per square metre
or per square foot of the surface area blasted as well as the
total quantity of abrasives required and time taken to complete
a given project. (Calculations in this application were built using
U.S. military formula methods).
The true cost includes not only the abrasive, but also the cost of disposal, labour and
equipment hire, and takes into account the superior blasting performance of GMA
Garnet™ abrasives compared to other abrasives.
“The application also allows you to compare the true cost of blasting with GMA
Garnet™ against your existing abrasives, such as slag or staurolite,” Mr Williams added.
By Stephanie Cheong, Perth

Mobile Application Download Instructions

Apple iTunes Android Market

.Launch App Store from your iPhone .Launch Android Market from your mobile phone
.Search for GMA Garnet .Search for GMA Garnet
.Select GMA Garnet Abrasive Blasting Calculator .Select GMA Garnet Abrasive Blasting Calculator
.Activate the ‘Free’ button to install .Activate the ‘Free’ button to install

News highlights
GMA Garnet™ abrasives for SATORP [03] | Reserve plant a ‘Beneficial Use’ Facility [04] | Breakthrough in waterblasting application [05] |
 CORPORATE

Customer Focus
Message from the Chief Executive Officer

On its own, this is perhaps the most widely (mis-)used
business mantra that is found in most companies’
“Vision Statement”.
More often than not, Customer Focus is regarded
as a generic virtue to which management should
aspire, without the internal organisational and
policy structures to clearly identify and understand
the “customer”. At every level of the GMA Garnet
Group (GMA), however, from mining and production,
quality control, logistics and distribution to the final
end user, we focus on understanding our customers’
needs and circumstances as our strategic choice that
Torsten Ketelsen involves each and every employee of GMA – around
the world!
We connect with our customers through real-
time information, online interaction and, wherever
possible, in person at the customer’s premises and
work sites, to develop deep relationships based
on trust, performance and providing value. We
believe that the best investment is to prioritise
the understanding of our customers’ needs and
aspirations and to provide the best solution to meet
those needs.
GMA is recognised as the world’s largest producer
of the highest quality industrial garnet abrasives but
what our customers really require is not a tonne
of abrasive but an area of blast cleaned steel or
length of WaterJet cut marble. With this realisation,
GMA has over the past 20 years developed a global
GMA Distribution and Customer Service network
that integrates our products and services with
the operations of our key customers, based on an
intimate understanding of our clients’ problems
and objectives. GMA’s global presence in all of
our established markets enforces and ensures
the uniformly high levels of customer and technical
service that our customers rightfully expect from
the world’s leading garnet brand.
This proximity to our customers provides direct and
timely insight into our customers’ shifting perceptions,
requirements or objectives and we have in place
efficient feedback cycles that allow us to adopt
internal changes to meet that new situation on
the ground. Over the years, GMA has developed
specific products in response to specific customer
needs and introduced new product formulations for
special job applications that help our customers to
complete their workload faster,with less environmental
impact and at lower overall job cost.
Over the past 20 years, GMA has developed a
Recycling Strategy to effectively and efficiently
reprocess used Garnet from field operations for
re-use, directly responding to the challenge of our
customers’ needs for environmentally safe disposal
of used Garnet and the maximum utilisation of a
non-renewable resource. GMA now operates major
industrial Recycling Facilities in the Middle East,
Europe and the USA.
For all of us at GMA, Customer Focus is much
more than a trivial mention in a Vision Statement
– it is about truly understanding our customer and
working towards solutions with win-win outcomes.

In Memoriam
On 17th February 2011, Jebsen & Jessen Group of Companies South East Asia (JJSEA) company
founder and former chairman Mr Arwed Peter Jessen passed away at the age of 86 in his
hometown of Aabenraa, Denmark.
After a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease, AP Jessen departed peacefully surrounded by his
family. AP Jessen is the Father of Mr Heinrich Jessen, a co-owner of GMA Garnet Group.
AP Jessen started his career in the family enterprise Jebsen & Co in Shanghai. He was made
family partner in 1952 and moved to Hong Kong in 1954 where he lived until 1964. During his
time in Hong Kong, AP Jessen was chairman of the Hong Kong Philharmonics, founding member
of the Hong Kong Country Club and board member of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf &
Godown Company.
In 1963, AP Jessen incorporated what is today the Jebsen & Jessen Group of Companies South
East Asia in Singapore and Malaysia. As chairman and principal family shareholder, AP Jessen
oversaw his company’s affairs across the region. Four decades after the establishment of the
Jebsen & Jessen Group of Companies South East Asia, AP Jessen stepped down as chairman and
moved back to Aabenraa.
AP Jessen was an outstanding musician, passionate sportsman, great businessman and dedicated Mr Arwed Peter Jessen
father of seven. Mr Jessen will be deeply missed by his family, friends and colleagues.

By Laja Mensdorff-Pouilly, JJSEA, Singapore

02
 CORPOrATE / middle east

Abrasive Cost or Abrasive Value?

What really matters?
In your abrasive blasting project, what really matters is the cost per
square metre of blasted surface - not the cost per tonne of abrasive!

Higher Cost
per m 2
True Cost
of Abrasive Blast Cleaning

Lower Cost
per m 2 Great savings can be achieved by selecting a high performance abrasive,
Higher Disposal
DISPOSAL COST that uses less abrasive and does the job faster - covering more square
Lower Disposal metres in less time!

EQUIPMENT COST Lower Equipment

High performance garnet - GMA Garnet™ cleans the surface at twice
Higher Equipment
Running Cost the speed of slag and uses less than half the quantity of abrasive. At the
Running Cost Lower same time, you get superior surface finish while operating in a health and
Labour Cost
LABOUR COST
environmentally safe condition. By Torsten Ketelsen, Perth
Higher
Labour Cost B
Lower Abrasive A ABRASIVE COST Higher Abrasive Call our office near you or write to sales@garnetsales.com today
Cost per Tonne Cost per Tonne to find out how much you can save with GMA GarnetTM including
recycling options to help you save even more!
SLAG GMA GARNET

GMA Garnet™ abrasives for SATORP

GMA Garnet™ abrasives are being utilised for the construction of SATORP – one of the largest and most
complex petrochemical refineries in the world.

GMA Garnet™ abrasives are being utilised by a majority of

the contractors working on the construction of Saudi Aramco
TOTAL Refinery and Petrochemical Company (SATORP).

SATORP, which is targeted to be completed in 2013 will be one of the

largest and most complex petrochemical refineries in the world.

For this project, Garnet Arabia Company provided an environmentally

friendly package programme that was well received by customers and
supported by the management at SATORP. The package comprised of
the supply of GMA Garnet™ natural abrasives and the collection of
used garnet from the site.

SATORP, also known as Jubail Export Refinery Project (JERP) is a joint

venture between Saudi Aramco and TOTAL of France. It is one of the
world’s largest refinery & petrochemical projects under construction in
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Upon completion, the refinery will be the
seventh most complex refiner in the world.

The refinery located in Jubail Industrial City on the eastern province of

the Kingdom is expected to be fully operational by 2013 with a projected
output of 400,000 barrels per day. It will produce a high proportion of
white products such as diesel, gasoline, LPG, petrochemicals and jet Garnet Arabia Company provides an environmentally friendly package programme
fuels from Arabian heavy crude oil. By Soni John, Jubail comprised of the supply of GMA Garnet™ abrasives and the collection of used garnet.

03
 UNITED STATES / MIDDLE EAST

State government approves Reserve recycling

plant as ‘Beneficial Use’ Facility
The recognition by the Louisiana Department of Environment Quality provides a healthy boost to the plant’s
ongoing GMR recycling programme.

The State of Louisiana Department of Environment Quality

(LDEQ) has approved the Group’s recycling plant in Reserve as
a ‘Beneficial Use’ facility for returned garnet on 4th May 2011.

The Beneficial Use Plan is a green initiative by the state government to

turn waste material into reusable resources.

According to GMA Garnet USA Vice President Matt Cain, the application
to be part of this initiative commenced in November last year.

“The certification goes hand in hand with our ongoing GMR Recycling
programme where we encourage our customers to send their used garnet
to our facility to be processed for reuse and therefore, saving precious
resources from going to landfills. The recognition by LDEQ provides the
added legitimacy for us as a certified facility and a healthy boost to our
recycling programme efforts,” Mr Cain said.

Customers participating in this programme will be awarded with a The certification goes hand in hand with the Group’s ongoing GMR
“Certificate of Recycling” every year as an acknowledgment to their Recycling programme where customers are encouraged to send in their
ongoing support. The certificate, which is certified by the State will reflect used garnet to be processed for reuse.
the tonnage of used garnet that has been processed and saved from landfills.

Currently, there are around 20 participants in this programme although

the participants are expected to rise, especially from major garnet users in
the sandblasting and waterjet industries. By Aaron Williams, Houston

Roots Group to expand garnet distribution to the

abrasive blasting sector in Saudi Arabia

From left: RGA Managing Director Asia Pacific Fouad M. Ghandour, RGA General
Manager Marwan Ghalayini, GMA Garnet Group CEO Torsten Ketelsen, RGA CEO
Ousama Fansa and Garnet Arabia Company General Manager Soni John.
Over 70 professionals representing Saudi Aramco and major contracting
companies attended the event held in Al Khobar.

Roots Group, the GMA Garnet Group’s
(GMA) distributor for waterjet cutting
abrasives in Saudi Arabia will be expanding
its garnet distribution to some users in the
abrasive blasting sector in Jeddah and Riyadh.
The Roots Group Arabia Company Limited
(RGA) formerly known as Arabian Roots Stone
Industry Supplies Division is a long standing and
dedicated distributor of GMA Garnet™ waterjet
abrasives for over 15 years.
Sales of GMA Garnet™ 80 Mesh waterjet abrasives
have steadily increased over the years. RGA holds
and impressive market share for GMA Garnet™ in
the Saudi waterjet abrasives market.
GMA ships containerised cargo to RGA warehouses
in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam as well as directly
to their customers in Saudi Arabia. GMA Garnet™
80 Mesh is also available from Unimar Trading in
Egypt, a distribution arm of Roots Group.
GMA CEO Torsten Ketelsen and Garnet Arabia
Company General Manager Soni John visited Roots
Group headquarters in Jeddah on 30th May 2011
for discussions with Roots Group CEO Ousama
Fansa and General Manager Marwan Ghalayini,
aimed at strengthening and expanding the excellent
business relations between the two companies.
By Soni John, Jubail & Mary Fay, Perth

04
 UNITED STATES

Breakthrough in waterblasting application using

GMA Garnet™
An exclusive case reference on a wet abrasive blasting project where the combination of GMA Garnet™
abrasives and GEOBLASTER equipment had successfully performed on par with dry blasting techniques
by John McIntyre Sr., President and owner of GEOBLASTER company.

Pipeline transportation and energy storage company - Kinder

Morgan has over 6,000 linear feet (1,828m) of “sheet piling” at its
South EastTerminal on the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake,Virginia.

Installed in 1922, these interlocking style pilings are old and stand 10 to
12 feet (3 to 3.7m) above the waterline.The company was looking into
cleaning these sheet pilings 6 feet (1.82m) under the mean tide mark.

The surface preparation method to be selected was based on the I began to search for a more aggressive and clean media and through
capability to clean with little or no dust, effectively remove 40 mils a business associate, I was told GMA Garnet™ natural abrasives work
of existing coating and to create a 2.5 mil to 3.5 mil profile to allow a very well with GEOBLASTER units. I contacted GMA Garnet USA for
heavy specialty coating that is 100% solids to be applied under water. some GMA Garnet™ 30/60 mesh and put it to the test.

Precon, an experienced surface preparation contractor recommended
wet abrasive blasting as a viable solution in view of the unique situation
where the cleaning was performed on water in an environmentally
sensitive area of the river.
GEOBLASTER was contacted to perform a blast trial.The GEOBLASTER
systems use air pressure and abrasive media combined with water that
are then pressurised to 120-130psi. This new technology has been
proven effective in cleaning and surface preparation without dust.
The initial blast trial was performed using medium-grain recycled
crushed glass and results from the trial were not promising. The
removal was far too slow to be considered effective and the profile
was less than desirable. The GEOBLASTER equipment is originally set
up to run with softer abrasives such as recycled glass, plastic beads and
corn cobs. It is also a common industry perception that waterblasting
technology is best suited for cleaning surfaces and not for profile and
deep anchor patterns for technical coatings.
During the testing, I knew from the first blast that this was going to
meet the needs of the project.
Using GMA Garnet™ 30/60 mesh, we doubled our production speed
and met the necessary 3.5 mil profile requirement. GMA Garnet™
abrasives has successfully placed GEOBLASTER toe-to-toe with dry
blasting techniques without the dust!
The GEOBLASTER, GB 400 unit was able to achieve 150 ft2 (14 m2) per
hour at consumption rates of a very reasonable 1 litre of water per minute
and 0.8 kilogrammes of GMA Garnet™ abrasives per minute.
Since the first successful demonstration with GMA Garnet™, we have
placed GMA Garnet™ as the recommended abrasive media and each
new GEOBLASTER unit delivered comes with a few buckets of GMA
Garnet™ 30/60 mesh.
By John McIntyre Sr., GEOBLASTER, Ontario and Carl Borgh, GMA Garnet
Group, New York

05
 EUROPE
New Sales Manager (designate) for United Kingdom
Mr Cliff Hall joined the Group as the new Sales
Manager (designate) for GMA Garnet United
Kingdom on 1st April 2011.
Cliff will head the implementation of Group strategies
for United Kingdom and to further develop and expand
the sales of GMA Garnet™ abrasives within the
Waterjet and Blast Cleaning industries.
In addition, Cliff will be responsible for the daily
operations of the office including full after sales
customer support as well as the performance of the
Cliff Hall business in the country.
New warehouse in Casablanca to enhance market
presence in Morocco and North African Region
In cooperation with Quimialmel Maroc S.A.R.L., the Group established a new warehouse in Casablanca to enhance its market presence
in Morocco as well as in the North African Region.
The new warehouse, which is also the Group’s first facility in the North African Region began its operation on 1st April 2011 and will cater for customers
in the whole of Morocco and beyond to Algeria and Tunisia. A range of GMA Garnet™ waterjet cutting (80, 120 and 200 Mesh) and blast cleaning abrasives
are available in 25kg bags on one metric tonne pallets. By Tiziano Cher, Frankfurt
06
Trained in computer aided engineering design and
engineering drawing, Cliff has spent a number of years
in the machine tool industry handling customer support
and direct sales. Prior to this appointment, Cliff was a
Product Manager for a multi-national waterjet cutting
company for five years.
The Group welcomes Cliff on board and wishes him a
great start to his new role.
By Andreas Höfner, Hamburg
Warehouse Address
Quimialmel Maroc S.A.R.L.
c/o GMA Garnet ( Europe ) GmbH
Parc d’Activités Oukacha 1
16 Allée des Lauriers, Hangar N° 56
Ain Sebaà - Casablanca, Morocco
Attn: Mr.Yassine Lemsagued
Tel: +212 522342587 / 88
Fax: +212 522342590
t GMA Garnet Europe Sales Manager Tiziano
Cher (right) with Quimialmel Morocco General
Manager Yassine Lemsagued (left).
 staff
staff
news
news

25th year milestone for Wayne

Mr Wayne Dawson has accomplished
many milestones in his career
journey with the Group.

Starting as a plant hand, Wayne

has progressed and developed his
career to his current management
position as HSE (Health, Safety and
Environment) and Quality Manager.

In March this year, Wayne attained a significant milestone -

25 years of service with the Group.

Through the years, Wayne has been involved in most aspects of

the Group’s dry plant operations in Geraldton and has shown
particular aptitude, largely self-motivated, in setting up and
administering health, safety and environmental systems for all of
the Group’s Mid-West operations.
Wayne (3rd from right) being congratulated for his 25 years of service by CEO Torsten
Ketelsen (4th from right) and German Parliamentary Delegates on a site visit to the plant.
Wayne has been instrumental in obtaining and maintaining the
plant’s accreditations for Quality (ISO 9001), Health and Safety
(AS/NZS 4801) and Environment (ISO 14001) standards.

On top of career growth, Wayne cites that the flexible work
hours enabled him to enjoy a balanced life of work and play.
“I get to do plenty of surfing and windsurfing and spend time with my
family,” Wayne added.
Wayne is also well-known for his community work.Together with his wife Sandra, they are
closely involved with Variety Club charity fund raising events. Wayne also dabbles in oil
paintings which sell well at Variety Club auctions.
By Martin Taylor & Dean Schwarz, Geraldton

Getting to know the people, place and product

Logistics Representative Thomas Heinrich travelled across continents from Europe to Australia for a short work and holiday visit during
the end of summer in March this year. Here is the account of his first Down Under experience.

My first impressions of Australia are…beautiful, huge and hot.

It is very different from Europe. Even the plants
and animals are different.
Perth is a beautiful and calm city and the people are
very kind and relaxed. Our Group’s head office is
located in a beautiful building in the city, very near
the Swan River. The colleagues in the office are kind
and helpful and welcomed me like a member of the
family. I can see that all are very happy to work with Prior to this trip, my understanding of garnet begins
the Group. at the point where we receive the garnet at our
At the office, it was interesting to observe the daily office in Hamburg and now, I have a good grasp of
operations and ongoing activities and I found in how it is being processed, stored and transported.
particular, the weekly meetings to be very helpful in I can now identify myself with the product more,
keeping everyone updated on current matters and knowing what it is and where it comes from.
to discuss new issues as well.
As with the friendly and relaxed environment in
I also had the opportunity to visit the garnet mine site Perth, the business culture is very much different
at Geraldton in the Mid-West of Western Australia. It from what I expected. Meetings with the customers
was an eye-opener to see the entire production cycle are conducted in a manner more like visiting a friend
starting from the mine site to garnet processing and than a business partner. By Thomas Heinrich, Hamburg
packaging at the plant.

Thomas has been with the Group for almost four years. He joined sister Group Jebsen & Jessen
Hamburg for two years before coming on board to GMA Garnet Group in 2009.

07
 staff news

Appointments
United States
Ms Ernestine McDaniel, also known as Ernie joined the Group as Abrasive Blasting Sales in Houston, Texas late
last year.
A former board member of NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) Houston section, Ernie has
been working in the mineral industry for over 35 years with experience in various abrasives such as garnet, sand,
slags and bicarbonate soda. With her sound knowledge of the abrasive blasting market, Ernie will be instrumental
in promoting the benefits of using GMA Garnet™ natural abrasives in the industrial sector.

Ernie McDaniel

Middle East

Mr Saneesh Joy joined the Group on 4th
April 2011 as Sales/Accounts Coordinator
for Garnet Arabia Company in Jubail,
Saudi Arabia.
Saneesh holds a Master’s Degree in
Commerce from India and has previously
worked as a Financial Analyst for a Global
Outsourcing Company based in the
southern Indian city of Trivandrum for
Saneesh Joy three and a half years.
Within the same month, Mr Abdullah
Al Zain joined the Group as the new
Receptionist for Garnet Arabia Company
on 21st April 2011.
Prior to this appointment, Abdullah was
employed in a similar position with a
local company for one year.
Abdullah Al Zain

Europe

Mr Fabien Reneaux joined the Group as Sales & Marketing Assistant for France and North Africa on 17th January this year.
Reporting to the Sales Manager for GMA Garnet in Europe, Fabien is responsible for the administration and sales activities
of the Group’s branch office in Griesheim, Frankfurt.
Fabien holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Foreign Languages and prior to joining the Group, he has a brief working
engagement with Rolls Royce Deutschland in Project Risk Management.

The Group welcomes Ernie, Fabien, Saneesh and Abdullah on board and wishes them a great start to their careers.

By Pete Mitchell, Houston,Tiziano Cher, Frankfurt and Soni John, Jubail

Fabien Reneaux

Anniversary
Leading Hand Donald Rex Hook celebrated 10 years of Happy Anniversary to employees who have achieved 5 years
service with the Group in April this year. of service from January to June 2011.
Donald, also known as Rex joined the Group on 2nd April
Geraldton
2001 as a Plant Operator and in June 2008, he was promoted
to Leading Hand at the mine site in Port Gregory, Australia. Amanda Gundry & Jeffrey Allan Brockwell

Prior to joining, Rex was working away from home and
could only travel home every three months. Working with
GMA enabled him to enjoy a better family life and being able
to come home every night.
Donald Rex Hook
“GMA is a reasonably good company to work for”, Rex added.
Dubai
Ajay Thanki
The Group values your contribution and looks forward to your
personal and career growth with the Group for many years to
come. By Aaron Williams, Perth & Dean Schwarz , Geraldton

GMA GARNET GROUP Level 18, Exchange Plaza, The Esplanade, Perth, Western Australia 6000
Tel: +61 8 9287 3200 Fax: +61 8 9287 3201 Email sales@garnetsales.com
when your abrasive matters!
Website: www.garnetsales.com

GMA Garnet Group is the leading producer of industrial garnet for blast cleaning and waterjet cutting with advanced mining and processing operations established within Western Australia and
strategically located warehouses worldwide.The Group has pioneered the operation of large-scale garnet recycling facilities in Italy, Saudi Arabia, UAE and USA offering an environmentally friendly solution
to the disposal of used garnet. Headquartered in Perth with GMA Group of Companies in Europe, Middle East and America, the Group is supported by a dedicated and professional global distribution
network offering professional solutions and extensive technical support to the industry for over 20 years.

• Australia • Denmark • Germany • Italy • Saudi Arabia • United Arab Emirates • United Kingdom • United States