When Africa Meets Michigan
Magnesia Specialties Strengthens Bonds with International Customer
The Magnesia Specialties Division
continued to bolster its global
reputation recently while hosting a
team of visitors from Africa.
The visitors were employees of Magnesia
Solutions, a valued Magnesia Specialties
customer for nearly a decade. They had
traveled to Martin Marietta’s Manistee,
Michigan, plant to meet with division
leaders, review the site’s equipment and
processes, and discuss future growth
opportunities.
“This visit was very much about
relationship building,” said Magnesia
Specialties Vice President of Sales Doug
Bopst. “They came to gain a better
understanding of our operations and to
meet some of our people. For us, this visit
further confirmed what we already knew:
that from a cultural perspective, Martin
Marietta and Magnesia Solutions fit
together so well.”
Based on Mauritius, an island nation
east of Madagascar, Magnesia Solutions
focuses on providing material and
technical support to the global mining
industry with a concentration of activity
on the African continent. More specifically,
the company specializes in managing
the complicated logistics of material
deliveries to its customers, many of whom
operate in extremely remote geographies.
Jim Reithel, Magnesia Specialties
vice president of operations, said Martin
Marietta products travel on trucks, rail
cars, and container vessels to overcome the
span of two continents and the Atlantic
Ocean before arriving at Magnesia
Solutions’ primary warehouse in Africa.
“As you might imagine, the delivery
of our products is measured in weeks as
opposed to days,” he said after the
November visit. “Despite the obvious
hurdles created by delivery logistics,
demand for our products continues to
grow as Martin Marietta’s unique raw
materials and processes continue to
provide our products’ end users with
increased value and efficiency.”
With the idea of increased demand at
remote locations in mind, leaders with
both Magnesia Solutions and Magnesia
Specialties spoke about the importance of
trust in their professional relationship.
Justine Stubbs, a founding member of
Magnesia Solutions and general manager
of its parent company, Axis House, said
she ended the Michigan visit certain that
strengthening ties with Martin Marietta
over the years was the right decision.
“It is very important to us to know
that we have the full backing of the
(Martin Marietta) team and after a few
days in their company, we left feeling
very motivated and excited about 2018
and the future,” she said through email.
“It is encouraging to know that we work
with a strong company that has the
same values and work ethic as we do.”
Bopst echoed Stubbs’ sentiments,
noting that he and others at Martin
Marietta value the opportunity to host
such visits and that leaders across the
division also look toward the future with
a great deal of enthusiasm.
“Magnesia Solutions manages our
business interests across the entire
continent of Africa, so we have a great deal
of trust in Justine and her team,” he said.
“We have a deep history with Magnesia
Solutions and they’ve evolved into one
of our most valued customers. I’m excited
to see how that relationship will continue
to evolve in the years to come.” ▼
www.martinmarietta.com | January/February 2018 The Conveyor 11
From left: Doug Bopst; Alex Ligowski and Jasmine Tahir of Magnesia
Solutions; Manistee Plant Manager Kurt Krueger; Justine Stubbs and Bernard
Oostendrop of Magnesia Solutions; Director of Engineering Services Bob
Gutowski and Vice President of Technical Services Aileen Gibson.