The main highlight in the year was the excellent safety performance, reflected in a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of 0.15. This is the lowest TRIR since AECI commenced measuring this metric. The Group is also on track to reach all its published 2025 sustainability targets.

AECI is investing US$31 million (± R505 million at today’s exchange rate of R16,29) in two strategic growth projects that will double the profitability of AECI Schirm USA on an ongoing basis moving forward.

AECI Agri Health generated 25% of the Group’s total revenue in 2020. It is a key strategic growth pillar and it has played a pivotal role in a three-year pilot project.

A new addition to AECI Mining Explosives’ IntelliShot® system, the high accuracy Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) is bringing autonomy to the blast hole tagging process.

AECI Food & Beverage has a new warehouse in Linbro Park, marking a change in strategy by the business which used a third-party service provider previously.

AECI Much Asphalt and Origin Materials have launched a programme to create a novel low-carbon bitumen that is expected to create considerable value in the developing African market. It could also revolutionise global bitumen production.

Charmaine Du Preez, Product Manager: AECI Specialty Chemicals, is the President of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists South Africa (COSCHEM). At the same time Jacques Strydom, Technical Manager: AECI Specialty Chemicals who was previously the Chair of the Cape Town Chapter, is a member of the Council, Chair of the Afternoon Lecture Committee and a Lecturer in Basic Chemistry and Surface Chemistry.

Only 20% of rubber tyres are recycled in South Africa, so the reuse of waste rubber in asphalt has the potential to significantly increase this figure and support greater sustainability.

A skid-mounted, solar-powered Online Real-time Remote Monitoring system/unit is now available from AECI Water.

AECI Mining Explosives’ IntelliShot® electronic blasting initiation system is delivering significant efficiency and safety improvements to Indonesia-based PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC), one of the largest open-pit mines in the world with coal resources of 9 275 million tonnes (Mt).

AECI Mining Explosives is exploring a range of technologies to help mines improve their blast planning, initiation and analysis, using a range of digital tools such as digital twin, blast design, smart mobile manufacturing units (MMUs), virtual reality (VR), digital classroom and automated supply chain.

Polymeric emulsifier technologies that enable customers to use waste oil in blasting have been developed by AECI Mining Chemicals. This is particularly desirable from an environmental management perspective.

AECI Mining Explosives has developed PowerBoost™, a high-powered explosive booster manufactured from non-explosive raw materials.

Although the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic presented some heightened or new challenges, AECI Mining’s global distribution network still achieved On Time In Full (OTIF) delivery above 95% at the height of the resulting disruptions!

AECI Mining, AECI Much Asphalt, AECI Spraypave and AECI Specialty Chemicals

In AECI’s first-ever focused Sustainability Report published earlier this year, we formalised our commitment to shaping “a better world” through our wide-ranging products and services as well as our processes and systems in four business categories namely Mining, Water, Agri Health and Chemicals.

AECI has invested EUR2,5 million in a strategic collaboration with Clariter, an international cleantech company with a revolutionary upcycling technology that transforms plastic waste

AECI Australia (Pty) Ltd has been awarded a further five-year contract extension by Thiess (Pty) Ltd for the supply of bulk emulsion explosives, initiating systems and related services to mines in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia.

AECI’s range of hand sanitisers and surface disinfectants that protect people against the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) have received important credentials confirming their efficacy and quality in the fight against COVID-19!

G-user preventative maintenance technology, developed in-house by AECI Specialty Chemicals, is ensuring minimal downtime on two excavators at the B2Gold mine in Namibia.