Releases

We will bring our expertise to bear on a project that will extend the lifespan of the Serra Azul Mine by 33 years ArcelorMittal has contracted Forship Group’s management, engineering, planning and commissioning support services for the Serra Azul Mine expansion project, in Itatiaiuçu (MG): the construction of a new pellet feed production plant (high-grade ore fines) that will triple production capacity and extend the mine’s lifespan until 2056.  “This first partnership between the Forship Group and ArcelorMittal was ‘built’ by executives who already had familiarity with our solutions, which have been applied in landmark projects at Vale, which uses HMSWeb© (Handover Management System) as a corporate solution in all its projects. There has been growing interest in this platform, which has opened up space for us to also integrate the engineering and commissioning planning services provided by Forship,” says Luciano Gaete, executive director of HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação. Tripled production The new production unit will process compact itabirite, which is more resistant and has a lower iron content, requiring special processing and concentration techniques. This would not be possible in the current processing plant, which will only process friable itabirite, an ore that is easier to crush, grind and concentrate, and which is practically depleted.  With the expansion work, the mine, which was at the end of its lifespan, will remain operational for more than three decades, producing a noble product with a high iron content, the iron ore classified as pellet feed. It will also be able to produce 4.5 million tons/year, almost three times the volume extracted so far (1.6 million tons/year). Adaptable solutions “This project is a unique opportunity to showcase the versatility and effectiveness of our technological solution. It offers exciting challenges that will illustrate the potential for innovation and improvement that our platform offers,” the executive points out.  “The application of the HMSWeb© solution means not only a transition to more efficient and integrated processes, but also the chance to consolidate our reputation as leaders in adaptable technological solutions,” he adds. Luciano Gaete emphasizes that the platform goes beyond meeting ArcelorMittal’s specific requirements for managing Pellet Feed commissioning. “Our participation in this project is a reflection of our confidence in HMSWeb’s ability to effectively manage the complex aspects of a large-scale undertaking, ensuring data security and regulatory compliance. Furthermore, we have the opportunity to contribute to ArcelorMittal’s sustainability goals, reinforcing the impact on the environment and the community,” he says. Sustainability Engineering The executive director of HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação says that the participation of HMSWeb and Forship in ArcelorMittal’s expansion project presents a strategic opportunity to highlight environmental and social responsibility, expertise in complex project management, and contribute to the economic and social recovery of the region, which has already been damaged by dam accidents. “Undoubtedly, this contract represents an opportunity for the Forship Group companies to bolster their skills and commitment to responsible management and sustainable development, facing the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities that arise in large-scale projects such as this one,” said Luciano Gaete. “We are excited to be working with ArcelorMittal, not only to deploy our solution, but also to strengthen the culture of adaptation and technological innovation. This partnership is a testament to our technical capacity and will certainly be a milestone in our mission to promote operational excellence through advanced engineering and technology solutions,” said the executive director of HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação.

Brazil’s ComBio Energia to use our commissioning management tool in the paper industrial plant of the German group HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação began its first partnership with Brazilian ComBio Energia, who develops projects of steam generation and co-generation of electric power with biomass, aiming to bring environmental improvement and reduction of costs for clients in the industrial sector. The first licensing contract and services of setting and training of the MSWeb© (Handover Management System) regarding the industrial plant of European group Klingele Paper & Packaging, one of Germany’s largest manufacturers of corrugated raw paper cardboard and packaging made from corrugated cardboard. “ComBio brought a smart business to the market, that is focused on sustainability, taking a lead part in energy transition (fossile vs. renewable),” observes Luciano Gaete, Executive Director of HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação, “Contributing to the growth of this segment is gratifying and important to Forship Group,” he highlights. New opportunities The executive sees the partnership with ComBio as a chance to show the potential of MSWeb© to the Klingele Group as well, who began its activities in Brazil in 2020, when they purchased Klabin’s industrial unit, located in Nova Campina (SP). “They are not our direct clients, but they will interface with HMSWeb©”, highlights Luciano Gaete. “We will show the potential and versatility of our solution to ComBio and Klingele, which will certainly have positive results, and will be able to create new opportunities,” he completes.  

EuroChem broadens scope of services supplied by Forship in the Mineral-Industrial Complex Serra do Salitre Switzerland’s EuroChem Mineral & Chemical extended a contract with Forship, who has been operating on the 2nd phase of the Mineral-Industrial Complex of Serra do Salitre (CMISS) since the beginning of 2023, being responsible for the management of commissioning. The enterprise is part of the strategy for the Swiss company’s consolidation in Latin America, where it controls EuroChem Fertilizantes Tocantins (10 units) and Fertilizantes Heringer (14 units). “The contract is being extended due to the increase in Forship’s scope and, consequently, expanding our team,” says the Director of Operations, Marco Antonio Kronemberger. EuroChem had already signed a contract in standard template for licensing and related services of setting, training and support of HMSWeb©, tool by HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação, subsidiary of Forship Group. “Forship’s commissioning method aligned with the use of HMSWeb© is providing a more assertive rhythm to delivering systems to the operations team. On the current stage of the enterprise, as expected, the commissioning team becomes the driver of the activities. With that, we are reinforcing our field team and the planners,” he adds.   “The challenge remains acquiring even more expertise on such plants,” the executive points out. “Signing this extension is the merit of the team at the front of the services, leaded by the Executive Manager, Marcelo Prata, Project Manager, Marcus Vinicius and Coordinator Helder Batista dos Santos. Operating license In December, the Board of Environmental Policy of the State of Minas Gerais granted an operating license to the chemical plant of Complexo Serra do Salitre, whose construction had started on the second half of 2022.  The Mineral-Industrial Complex of Serra do Salitre will be in charge of 15% of national production of phosphate fertilizers, addition 1.2 million tons to the market, equivalent to 15% of the national production. The enterprise will reduce the dependence of Brazilian agriculture to imported fertilizers, which now stand at about 85%.

Team has done specific courses and training to perform the activity expected on the contract started in September On November, 2023, Forship took over the flight safety services for the operations on UN-SEAL’s platforms, which cover helicopter take-off and landing teams with agent (ALPH), aerial firefighters (BOMBAVS) and radio operator.  “Until now, those activities were done by employees of Petrobras. There was a transition period and trainings, between September and November, when we fully took over those activities. With that being, all the communication between airport and aircrafts are now done by Forship employees,” explains the Project manager, Hudson Azevedo. New qualifications and competences This is all part of the scope of the contracting of operation, maintenance and inspection services in systems and production facilities; building and assembly of metallic structures and operational support to supply for the fixed platforms of UN-SEAL and Petrobras, which are under decommissioning. “This contract has been a huge challenge to Forship, as it involves activities that we had not yet developed, such as flight safety. We are also in charge of all offshore hospitality, in addition to the services in which we already have acknowledged expertise, which are of Operation & Maintenance (O&M),” highlights Hudson Azevedo. Forship promptly prepared for the new challenge: the safety technicians went through the MCIA (Aerial Maneuver and Firefighting) Course and CACI (Advanced Firefighting Course) and the radio operators went through the CNS014 (Communication, Navigation and Surveillance), the Aeronautical responsibility, and the GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System) courses, for registration with the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel). The main platform (PCM-09) is the only landing one, which means there is no regular frequency, as the flight is the option for embarkation or disembarkation when there is no condition for transportation through vessels.

Extensive Participation in VALE Projects Across Regions Resulting from a Corporate Contract Signed 12 Years Ago We have launched a new project with VALE at the Itabira Complex, the second oldest iron ore production center of the mining company, which has been operational since 1957. With this addition, we now have more than ten projects with VALE in the Iron Quadrangle region of Minas Gerais. HMSWeb© (Handover Management System) will be implemented to replace the ER-7001, ER7004 Reclaimers, and EM-6701 Forklift at the Conceição Mine, part of this mining complex “We have previously conducted other projects with VALE to replace equipment, aimed at increasing stacking and recovery capacity, achieving efficient and automated management of material piles, enhancing active storage, and improving homogenization capacity,” notes Luciano Gaete, CEO of HMSWeb and IT Director for Forship Group. All projects with VALE, under the corporate contract in effect since 2011, include licensing of HMSWeb©, as well as services related to implementation, configuration, training, and support. “The new projects are governed by service orders under the corporate contract, with an estimated number of licensing months. There is no need for a contractual amendment to extend the use of our solution for these projects. The customer simply indicates the extension duration, according to the needs of each project,” adds the executive.

This is what we are ‘building’ with the PGDL (Leadership Development Program The value of our human capital is immeasurable, which is why we created the PGDL (Leadership Development Program) to enhance skills in management, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making. Through this initiative, the Forship Group aims to improve operational efficiency, reinforce Forship’s culture, strengthen organizational leadership skills, boost team motivation, keep leaders updated with the latest concepts and best practices, and foster a healthy and trustworthy work environment Developed between late 2022 and early 2023, the PGDL has been progressing, as explained by Clarice Diniz, HR Coordinator for Forship Group. “Internally, we revisited our skills, assessed our needs, and developed the ‘Forship Way of Leading,’ the first phase of the PGDL. It was structured around two main axes: ‘Looking at Yourself’ and ‘Leading People,’ and was implemented through in-person sessions in Santos (SP), Rio de Janeiro (RJ), and Aracaju (SE),” she notes. Externally, we partnered with IAG – PUC-Rio Business School to conduct a fully online PGDL, focusing on the concept of Ambidextrous Leadership. “This program included 12 workshops and 3 rollout meetings, where we addressed real Forship issues in group settings. We will conclude the PGDL with a Sprint, from which we expect to emerge with actionable solutions. In 2024, we will conduct follow-up meetings to track the progress of the action plans developed by leaders to further their leadership skills,” adds Anita Figueiredo, HR Manager for Forship Group. She emphasizes that the “Forship Way of Leading” achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 93.* *What is NPS: The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a customer satisfaction metric used to measure the likelihood of customers recommending a company’s products or services.

Our Expertise Will Be Applied to the Araguaia Nickel Project, Horizonte Minerals’ Largest Greenfield Investment in Brazil The excellence of Solution 4.0 has been established through our partner Pöyry, part of the AFRY Group, which has signed a contract with HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação to work on a landmark venture in the mining industry: the Araguaia Nickel project. This project, located in Conceição do Araguaia (PA), is the largest greenfield nickel investment in Brazil by the British company Horizonte Minerals (HZM). “The Araguaia Nickel project from Horizonte Minerals represents a new chapter in the partnership between HMSWeb and Pöyry. Previously, our corporate contract with Pöyry covered projects in the pulp and paper sector in Brazil. Due to the success of our past collaborations, which expanded into the AFRY Group (Sweden), Pöyry has now adopted HMSWeb© (Handover Management System) for the Araguaia Project,” says Luciano Gaete, CEO of HMSWeb and IT Director at Forship Group. Differential that creates opportunities “The HMSWeb© represented a differential for Pöyry together with the final customer, the Horizonte Minerals, once we have a robust portfolio of mining projects and know-how on this industry, already incorporated to our solution”, adds Gaete. In the executive perspective, in addition to further consolidate this partnership, it represents an opportunity to show the HMSWeb© potential to Horizonte Minerals, which has ventures in several countries. “Possibly, throughout this project, we may join other HZM international assets”, Gaete mentions, who also expects the adoption of HMSWeb© by Pöyry, in a corporate manner, in international projects. Pöyry/AFRY already uses the HMSWeb and is happy with our actuation in Smelter Complex, under its responsibility in Sweden”, he says. Customized solution “HMSWeb© has been a key differentiator for Pöyry with our client, Horizonte Minerals. Our robust portfolio of mining projects and industry expertise, already integrated into our solution, has been pivotal,” adds Gaete. From the executive’s perspective, this opportunity not only solidifies the partnership but also showcases HMSWeb©’s potential to Horizonte Minerals, which has projects across various countries. “Through this project, we may potentially engage with other HZM international assets,” Gaete notes. He also anticipates that Pöyry will adopt HMSWeb© corporately for international projects. “Pöyry/AFRY already uses HMSWeb and is satisfied with our involvement in the Smelter Complex under its management in Sweden,” he concludes. Project Araguaia Níquel Horizonte Minerals, which is developing the Araguaia Project in southeastern Pará, is also active in Brazil with the Vermelho Project, focused on nickel and cobalt, located in Canaã dos Carajás and currently in the feasibility study phase. The Araguaia mine, with a projected service life of 28 years, aims to produce 14,500 tons of ferronickel annually to supply the stainless steel market. Additionally, a Feasibility Study for Line 2 could potentially double production to 29,000 tons per year and extend the mine’s operational life by another 25 years. As of July, more than 65% of the construction work has been completed, and the first metal is expected in the first quarter of 2024. This expansion will enhance the production of a metal crucial for the clean energy transition, which is experiencing increased demand due to the established stainless steel market and the burgeoning battery market for electric vehicles. Nickel is a key metal in the transition to clean energy and has shown rising demand, driven by both the stainless steel industry and the growing electric vehicle battery market. Through these projects in Brazil, Horizonte Minerals aims to position itself as a major nickel producer, with a combined annual production target exceeding 60,000 tons of nickel.

The ISO 27001 series certification confirms the all-round excellence of Forship Engenharia and HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação.  The commitment of the Forship Group teams was decisive for the first certification in Information Security (IS) of Forship Engenharia and HMSWeb Tecnologia da Informação. The companies already had the ISO certification series 9001 (Quality Management), 14001 (Environmental Management) and 45001 (Occupational Safety Management). “We are always looking for absolute excellence in all our activities and operations. That is why we sought this certification”, says the president and CEO of the Forship Group, Fabio Fares. ”It took six months of hard work that resulted in both companies being certified in the 27001 series (Information Security) with the 27701 (Privacy) and 27018 (data privacy in cloud computing) extensions. We are one of the first Brazilian companies to achieve certification in the most recent version, from 2022, which contains a modernization of several controls and concepts”, celebrates Luciano Gaete, CEO of HMSWeb and IT director of the Forship Group. The executive highlights that the certification is extremely significant, particularly technically, but also for business and the image of the Forship Group. “It was imperative that our processes, procedures and information systems were reviewed from the perspective of information security, protection and privacy of personal data and corporate data, including certifying our compliance system with the LGPD (”Brazilian General Data Protection Law“),” adds Gaete. METICULOUS WORK According to him, over the course of approximately six months the team from both companies carried out a thorough analysis of information assets, internal and external threats and vulnerabilities.  “We mapped hundreds of actions to mitigate or eliminate such risks, thus raising the Forship Group’s level in these areas as well”, he points out. He states that, from a commercial point of view, the level of demand from customers is increasing in terms of the confidentiality of the information handled, in addition, of course, to its availability and integrity. On top of this, there are the privacy requirements of the LGPD.  “In this sense, the new certifications are already giving us and our customers the assurance that we treat the data to which we have access and which we store in our systems very seriously and professionally, improving, for example, our image and reputation in the market, not to mention a better score in vendor lists, explains the executive. CHALLENGE OVERCOME Luciano Gaete points out that the great challenge was to cross reference the enormous amount of information assets with internal and external threats, analyzing and implementing, case by case, the best mitigation, elimination or even acceptance action, as the case may be. “Another big challenge is everyone’s training and awareness! The most important point in IS, contrary to what it may seem at first, are not the IT systems and tools, but us, the users!”  The big challenge now, according to the two executives, is not to let one’s guard down, to maintain focus and constant concern with IS, incorporating IS practices into the company’s culture and day-to-day activities, in all areas of activity, following the procedures of our brand new ISMS (Information Security Management System), maintaining a continuous evolution of the system, according to the needs of the Forship Group and customers.