The focus of S.A. TALKE is to provide first-class logistic services for the chemical and petrochemical industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with safety as a top priority, the company's Managing Director, Makhlouf Benzahia, tells OGN

S.A. TALKE was established in 2003 as a joint venture between ALFRED TALKE Group from Germany, Saudi Arabia’s Sisco Group (Jeddah) and Al-Jabr Group (Eastern Province).

'S.A. TALKE is able to provide end-to-end logistics solution for companies in the chemical and petrochemical industry. We can operate complex onsite operations, maintain state-of-the-art machinery and equipment to ensure smooth production. We also provide seamless offsite logistics solutions to cater for every client’s need,' says Makhlouf Benzahia, Managing Director, S.A. TALKE.

'Presently, S.A. TALKE operates 16 projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including two recent projects won in 2020. In 2019, our volume throughput was more than 18 million tonnes of chemical products in Saudi Arabia. The TALKE Group also has a strong presence in Oman, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain.'

He says: 'Our in-depth understanding of the specific needs and requirements of the petrochemical industry is a result of many years of successful partnership with our clients. Our logistic solutions team are able to put together efficient supply chain solutions, optimise processes and maximise value for our clients.'

'Our expertise also extends to the design, construction and operation of logistic facilities and we have been involved in several turnkey projects on behalf of our clients. Our involvement from the start means that our clients can benefit from our expertise in putting together the most efficient solution in the industry and dealing with a single contact from the start.'

Benzahia

'Our clients can also benefit from a wide range of storage solutions suited for a large diversity of products. We offer silos for bulk storage, ambient and temperature-controlled storage solutions for hazardous and non-hazardous goods, bonded warehouses, and chemical storage facilities. All of S.A. TALKE’s facilities are designed to achieve optimal utilisation, flawless material flow, and are all equipped with state-of-the-art safety systems.'

'We are able to maintain some of the most sophisticated packaging lines in the world. Our skilled employees are able to deal with a variety of specialised maintenance requirements like PLC programming and robotic palletizers.'

'Planning activities are one of the key areas of focus to achieve efficient supply chain. Our team is executing inbound and outbound planning activities of all kinds of material and products on behalf of our clients. The control tower concept is applied efficiently and effectively to achieve best customer service at a competitive cost,' says Benzahia.

10 MILLION SAFE MAN-HOURS

Recently, S.A. TALKE celebrated a new milestone — the achievement of 10 million safe man-hours without lost time injury (LTI).

S.A. TALKE has created an organisational culture where safety is a core value and always comes first. All employees are continuously encouraged to drive its safety performance forward and are rewarded for generating creative ideas. The Act Safety Program (ASP), behaviour-based safety, and leadership safety are a few programmes implemented in S.A. TALKE with the central focus being its people, seeking to continuously improve awareness through a series of focused and interactive quarterly safety campaigns.

The achievement of 10 million safe man-hours without LTI in mid 2020 was remarkable considering that our team had to deal with various challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic while serving clients without interruption.

'This achievement demonstrates the commitment of our people towards safety. Our aim is to continuously improve our safety systems and empower our people to share their best safety practices,' says Andreas Goebels, Corporate HSSEQ Manager, S.A. TALKE.

He continues: 'Our safety record is something we can all be proud of, something that sets us apart, and what matters for us at the end of the day is that everybody goes home safe. We have created a work environment where our people are empowered to take actions, recognise their new ideas and celebrate success together. With open communication, we have built a relationship with our people based on trust and mutual respect and we have developed a ‘can do’ attitude enabling us to continue improving as a team.'

Furthermore, S.A. TALKE is assessed according to Gulf SQAS for transport and warehouses in Saudi Arabia. S.A. TALKE is also a member of Responsible Care, the chemical industry’s unique global initiative that drives unceasing improvement in environment, health, safety, and security (EHS&S) performance, together with open and transparent communication.

S.A. TALKE is also regularly engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by partnering with GPCA and local communities. Various waste-free environment campaigns are conducted, demonstrating commitment to the environment, and preservation of the community.

During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, S.A. TALKE took organisational safety culture to new heights. By taking the lead in designing and implementing prevention measures to stop the virus from spreading, S.A. TALKE has supported its clients, business partners and employees in every situation.

'We are taking business continuity very seriously during the pandemic and we have planned for contingencies to continue operating every single project in KSA. By displaying outstanding safety leadership and committing to precautionary protocols, our employees feel more secure in their workspace and were able to continue business as usual,' Goebels says.

S.A. TALKE has been a valuable member of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) since its formation and has been actively participating in all its supply chain conferences and annual forums under the flagship of ALFRED TALKE Logistic Services.

Based on the positive experience, the GPCA collaboration provides an ideal platform to S.A. TALKE for knowledge exchange between the producers, traders, and service providers on an international level.

In conclusion, Benzahia says: 'For S.A. TALKE, the focus is on continuous enhancement of safety standards, social responsibility initiatives, development programmes for employees and further expansion in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

'Over the next couple of years, we will be investing heavily in increasing our warehouse capacity, diversify our services portfolio so we can offer additional services to existing and future clients. We will also be focusing on attracting local talent to continue building a strong local team. Our midlevel management and fast track programs have both proved to be successful in developing local talent and we wish to see more locals joining the logistics industry and building a career in this key area.'