Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1031063
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 SEPTEMBER 2018 19 COMMERCIAL FARSONS Group's investments car- ried out over the past decade yielded the improved results presented in the interim report for the six months ending 31 July 2018. These invest- ments generated an increased capa- bility in meeting customers demands both in terms of quantity and diver- sification of products and packag- ing, which have benefited the results achieved. Whilst turnover exceeded €51 million, an increase of 4.1% over the same period last year, profit af- ter tax from continuing operations amounted to €6.1 million, exceeding last year's figure by 6.9%. Farsons Group Chief Executive Norman Aquilina said: "that the positive performance across all seg- ments within the Group has yielded improved results also when com- pared to the robust results regis- tered in previous years. This was made possible following Farsons' multi-million Euro investment pro- gramme over the past decade that has enabled the transformation of the brewery, kegging and packaging facilities, logistics centre and its cor- porate offices. Farsons will continue to invest in its human resources, op- erational assets and innovation to ensure excellence in performance and to further enhance its competi- tive position. At the same time, it is evident that apart from experienc- ing increasingly varied consumer preferences and greater awareness about health, wellness and the en- vironment, there are growing com- petitive pressures in all sectors. The key focus remains on our ability to respond to these continuously devel- oping market requirements." The Group's Chairman Louis A Far- rugia agreed with Aquilina's caution- ary overview, further reaffirming the Board's focus on internationalising the business. "We remain cautiously optimistic of the growth potential in both existing and new markets. The results for the first six months are indeed encouraging, notwithstand- ing the growing competitive and cost pressures, however the Group is also realistically conscious that continu- ing to achieve growth at recent levels will be challenging given the com- petitive environment the Group is operating in." Farrugia said that the investment in the transformation of the Old Brew- house into a visitor's attraction centre and the creation of a micro-brewery which will enable more efficient product innovation are in their final stages of evaluation. The Board of Directors is recom- mending a net interim dividend of €1 million (2017: €1 million) in respect of the financial year ending 31 Janu- ary 2019, equivalent to €0.0333 per share. Such dividend will be paid on 10th October 2018 to the ordinary shareholders as at 26th September 2018. D3PG and the local community SOMETHING exciting has been hap- pening in Marsaxlokk over the past four years. Certainly, the air is cleaner, and the environment is much healthier – but there is also an interesting cross cultural exchange with investors from distant China, as well as a new dynamic collaboration which is creating a better understanding by developing relation- ships. Located within Delimara Power Sta- tion, D3 Power Generation Ltd (D3PG), endeavours to achieve efficiency and notably cleaner energy, whilst collabo- rating with Maltese suppliers and de- veloping a good rapport with the sur- rounding communities. D3PG is a subsidiary of Shanghai Elec- tric Power (Malta), founded four years ago as an energy cooperation platform with the Maltese Government with the objective of becoming a diversified energy provider, offering reliable, eco- nomic, and clean energy products that constitute the backbone of the socio- economic development of any modern and forward-looking nation. Following the conversion of the en- gines of what used to be called the BWSC plant from heavy fuel oil (HFO) to work with either liquefied natural gas (LNG) or light fuel oil (LFO), emis- sions from D3 are now drastically be- low the required minimum levels, con- tributing to a healthier environment. And D3 has obtained the ISO14001 certification for the controlled impact on the environment. (Please refer to Emissions Table hereunder) D3PG's Chief Executive Zhichao Chen said, "We are already fulfilling the vision of our company 'Greener Energy, Better Life'. The practical ben- efit for the neighbouring communities, first and foremost, is that both resi- dents and visitors, are today enjoying clean air 365 days a year. In a tangible and meaningful way, D3PG, working hand in hand with its counterparts in Delimara Power Station, is enhancing the quality of life here.'' The D3PG daily operation signifi- cantly relies on Malta-based suppliers therefore community relations were given a great weight by D3PG from the outset. Chen explained how the com- pany remains grateful for the invalu- able input from the local community since the early planning phase. During the application process for the Inte- grated Pollution Prevention and Con- trol (IPPC) regulatory system, which employs an integrated approach to control any potential environmental impacts, D3PG received plenty of good advice from residents in nearby locali- ties. "At D3PG, we are equally commit- ted towards maintaining the level of understanding that has been generated in such a short span of time'' he said. D3PG believes that its sustainable de- velopment has to be valued in the con- text of the local community as the resi- dents' interest and concern are always shared. During the public consultation, for example, local residents expressed their concern for safety, and this is a top priority for D3PG as well. The en- tire D3 power plant is CE certified, and it meets all the requirements of ATEX Equipment Directive 2014/34/EU and ATEX Workplace directive 1999/92/ EC, among others. At present, the company is also instituting all the nec- essary measures to achieve ISO9001 certification. In addition, specific safe- ty training courses catering for the gas operation environment are provided for both the employees and the com- pany's contractors on a regular basis. "D3PG employees and contractors hail from six countries. Most of the maintenance and operation person- nel in the plant are from Malta. Irre- spective of nationality and background however, employees share and uphold the company's values," Zhichao Chen said. D3PG and the local community: breaking barriers, developing relationships Farsons cautiously optimistic of steady growth The dedicated robotic arm handling beer kegs at Farsons' new kegging plant