Matías Trucco has been 35 days since he arrived to install the Trefimet flag in this distant continent of contrasts, from the extreme poverty of Zambia, where we visited Mopani Mining, to the cutting-edge smelter of Anglo American in South Africa.
Based in Witbank, in the offices of our new distributor Neven Matthews, Matias is starting to tour the country, visiting clients such as Anglo Waterval, Anglo Polowane, Palabora and SMS Group.
What is it like in South African mining and smelting?
There is a great variety of smelters, mainly due to the different metals that are smelted. Unlike Chile where we have 99% copper and some steel, here there is a greater diversity, with Copper, Platinum, Ferromanganese, Ferrochrome and Titanium among others.
What other African countries will you visit?
We leave for Zambia, where we already have our second visit for testing of our TR25 lance. I intend to visit the Congo (bordering Zambia), Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
What kind of thermal lance are you considering to penetrate the African market?
Although we must look at the conditions of each customer (opening diameter needs and their oxygen conditions) to determine the type of lance to use, a market with needs for the TR 25 and the SuperOxibar is pre-defined.
What are your short-term goals?
To get to know and get to know the foundry industry as much as possible and to get to know all our current clients, in order to start presenting our company to the different foundries in this country, focusing on those materials we already know, such as Copper, Platinum, Titanium, Steel, Manganese and leaving the Ferrochrome industry for another stage, while looking for a partner client that will allow us to carry out our first tests.
What is the importance of having a Trefimet agent working side by side with NEVEN MATTHEWS?
I believe it is vital for the expansion and definitive positioning of Trefimet on the continent. As I said, in a country of contrasts, both social and cultural, it is key for Trefimet to be able to understand, know and develop in the right way in the industry, which without the help of Neven Matthews would be very difficult.
On the other hand, and understanding everything that a different culture means, we must be able to implement our project and commercial system that has brought us such good results, that is, BEING WITH OUR CUSTOMERS on the ground, getting our hands dirty, experiencing their problems and providing solutions. This must be the basis for the success of our project, as it is a way of working that is not known here.