Going with the grain
Grain lies at the heart of the many offerings made by agricultural services provider Overberg Agri. Julia Smith discovers that the company has a special way of adding value to a staple commodity.
Overberg Agri, with its head office in Caledon in the Overberg, is literally rooted in the agricultural heritage of the area. Based in one of South AfricaÔÇÖs most significant grain growing corridors, grain is the lifeblood of the company and lies at the core of its many diverse activities.

Full time
With the World Cup now only six months away, the pieces are falling seamlessly into place, as Alan Swaby learns.

Destination of choice
A focus on quality and first-class facilities has paid dividends for one gaming oasis in the Kalahari Desert, as Alan Swaby learns.
When the South African black majority government invited applications for new gaming permits, they no doubt saw them as a lucrative tax stream. Nevertheless, there was no undue haste to throw out licences left, right and centre; instead, it was a serious, involved and time consuming process.

Firing the future
Coal India is the biggest coal production company in the world and one of the largest companies in India, with annual revenues in excess of $10 billion and more than 400,000 employees. John OÔÇÖHanlon talked to executive chairman Partha Sarathi Bhattacharyya.

The jewel in the innovation crown
In recent times, the words ÔÇÿenterpriseÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿIndiaÔÇÖ have become very much intertwined as the sub-continent emerges as the home of the latest technological innovations. One company producing its fair share of these is Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.

Growing from the ground
Vrystaat Ko├Âperasie Beperk (VKB) is one of the few remaining agricultural enterprises to adopt a co-operative business model. Managing director Koos van Rensburg talked to Jayne Flannery about the opportunities this affords.

Meeting the need
IndiaÔÇÖs need for steel is growing. To meet the demand, Tata Steel is making a multi-billion dollar investment in a new plant in the state of Orissa. Ruari McCallion spoke to Binay Kumar Singh about it.

Not cowed by the competition

Sonnendal Dairies is an exclusive supplier of dairy products to South Africa’s largest food retail chain, Pick n Pay. Ben Sansom finds out how the company has been achieving world class standards while fighting off the effects of falling consumer demand.

Rock solid
Investment in technology and marketing initiatives has helped SmartStone to become South AfricaÔÇÖs leading supplier of cast stone products. It is now looking to expand operations internationally, as Ruari McCallion learned from James Metcalf.
The early years of this decade saw a boom in the construction industry in South Africa. During this time SmartStone rode the wave to generate phenomenal growth for itself and its licensees. But itÔÇÖs a bit harder to grow turnover and to sustain performance when things turn down.

An act of alchemy
Even with a commodity as rock solid as gold, change has to be managed, as Alan Swaby learns.
One of the modules to be found in business courses covers the topic of marketing myopiaÔÇöor how businesses take their eye off the ball and allow a once thriving concern to wither away. The case often quoted is the demise of the rail transport industry in the second half of the 20th century.