Page 17 -

*5((1(' 83

JEPPESTOWN

PARTNERSHIP

Successful teamwork is evident in the
partnership between engineering
specialists BMG and entrepreneurs Agri
Arts & Construction (AAC). Jeppestown
is home to both companies and together
they have greatly improved the area.
The gardens and pavements around
BMG’s head office and warehouse facility,
BMG and AAC have teamed up for a clean environment in
BMG World, are now regularly cleaned Jeppestown
and manicured by the eight man AAC
gardening team, all of whom were
previously unemployed. With BMG’s now live in revamped apartments in the keeping the environment clean, giving
assistance, AAC now has a corporate area. Bjala’s programme also involves the recognition and a sense of belonging to a
identity design, working uniforms and the provision of education, skills development community.
appropriate tools to do the work.
and job creation, as well as improved
safety and a clean environment. BMG is committed to sustainable
The team enjoys a close association with development and instils in its team
Jeppestown’s urban developers, who are A key motivator of these initiatives – a responsibility for health, safety, the
committed to improving the quality of life Malibongwe Sithole of AAC and Bjala’s environment and local communities.
for this community. The Bjala Foundation community liaison officer, said that the
is currently developing affordable housing partnership with BMG had improved lives, For more information contact
and a healthy urban environment in the and they were playing an active role in Lauren Holloway 011 620 7597
city, and many of BMG’s staff members

INTERNATIONAL HONOURS FOR

SA INDOOR PLANT GROWER

South Africa’s largest grower of indoor A system of rainwater catchment dams
pot plants, LVG, is one of ten nominees for storing 70 million litres of water supply
the 2020 International Grower of the Year all the automatic irrigation requirements
Award to be held at IPM Essen, the world’s which, together with fertigation, heating
leading horticultural trade fair in Germany, and cooling is centrally controlled through
in January 2020. It is a world first for a sophisticated computer system for
South Africa because LVG Plants, leading optimum use of resources.
supplier to Plantimex (the marketing and
distributing arm) is the first South African Headed by MD Geert van Geest, this family
horticultural company to be nominated owned business has been operating
for this award. Other nominees are from in the Krugersdorp area for more than
China, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Israel, Kenya, 35 years and employs 400 people from
the Netherlands and the UK. The award surrounding areas. He acknowledges all
recognises best practice in ornamental their staff who over the years have made
horticulture, especially in innovation, it possible for the company to be a world
sustainability, human resources and class wholesaler of horticultural products
market insight. in South Africa. Its range of indoor and
outdoor plants distributed throughout
LVG plants near Krugersdorp has 110 000 South Africa include phalaenopsis,
m2 of thermal greenhouses. To reduce anthurium, pot roses, begonia, cyclamen,
their carbon footprint, the company poinsettia and arum lilies as well as a huge
has invested in a R25 million on site range of foliage plants featuring different
solar energy collecting field to heat the varieties of palms, Ficus, dracaena, ferns
greenhouses. To further reduce carbon and succulents. LSA
emissions, their internal transport policy
has replaced cars and motorbikes with For further information contact Geert
bicycles and battery powered golf carts. van Geest on 011 956 6092

Poinsettia greenhouse at LVG

Landscape SA • Issue 92 2020 15