R C Van-Es Associates

Africa (South, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland)
Reservoir and irrigation project at Harare, design & construction
Port facilities upgrade at Maputo Bay
Upgrading of truck body manufacturing facilities at Benoni
SASOL 2 refinery: design & construction at Vanderbijlpark
Slaughterhouse facilities at Mafikeng
Irrigation facilities at Polokwane and Makhado
Timber products manufacturing facilities upgrading at Empangeni
Harbour facilities, new build at Richard bay, including cold storage
Tourism & Hospitality assessment study at Mbabane, including micro enterprise development cottage industry

Middle East
Development of Red Sea Resort: El Gouna, Hurghada, Rasgharib (Egypt) - All activities up to first utility build.
Port Development, Suez, Port Said (Egypt) - Development of port facilities and oil loading/unloading facilities, container terminal and free trade zone at Port Said.
Port facilities development  (Saudi) - Facility at Al Khoubar and Jeddah - offices of H.R.H. Prince Abdullah Azis Bin Majib
Assessment  of business opportunities (Lybia) - Building and construction related - Egyptian delegation
Alexandria Women's Business Centre (Egypt) - Development of business centre in conjunction with European Info Centres and links to France and Germany centres of excellence.
Industrial Business and Operational Development (Egypt) - Private Sector Modernisation Programme - Sectors: Energy, Utilities, Water, Railways, incl. methodology design and hands-on implementation (Lead) of EU funded projects to improve cost, productivity, work-volume, asset reliability, safety, EU environmental compliance. Upon completion, the second contract was to find strategic business partners for co-production purposes.
Country Strategy Paper (Egypt) - SME Indicative Programme - integrated local development, financial & investment and technical    
Private Sector Development Projects (EU, Egypt)
Restructuring of 21 Egyptian companies: upgrading and establishing business links with EU partner companies.
Sectors: Soap & Detergent, Car & Truck Components, Tubing Pipes & Valves, Industrial & Domestic Paints, Industrial and Domestic Floor & Wall Tiling, Textiles, Agricultural growing & processing (Sugar Snaps & flowers).

Asia
Public Sector Company Privatisation (Central Asia) - Privatisation of 21 State Owned Companies on behalf of the World Bank in conjunction with the EU TACIS programme for cross-border cooperation and cooperation with EU companies interested in the Central Asian market.
Business Development Program (Bangladesh) - Establishing commercial links between EU based companies and companies in India and Bangladesh for co-manufacturing and export purposes
SME Inward FDI Development (Indonesia) - EOS - Foundation Australia, Indonesia: methodology design of action-proposals for the restructuring of the Indonesian SME-manufacturing sector as a basis for improving inward FDI, including proposals for Capacity Building.
Activities: company assessments, industrial diagnostics & feasibility studies and establishing Strategic Business Alliances with EU based companies and for joint production, marketing and sales and anchor investors.

EU - USA
Business Promotion (EU - USA) - Preparation and start-up of MRG USA in Europe, procuring first EU contracts (Poolbeg Electricity Station, Ireland and EDF Electricity Station in Le Havre), including staff training and development and developing commercial links with the Baltic States' Energy Authorities.
Business Development (UK) - Linking of UK cluster of companies in the Engine, Generator and Rotating equipment sector for co-production and commercial activities with Baltic strategic partner companies for the purpose of co-production and commercial activities, including joint marketing and sales in the Russian Federation.
Business Development (Netherlands, Germany and  Belgium) - Commercial operations, for, with and on behalf of the Netherlands EVD (Ministry of Economic Affairs, Development Agency) in the Baltic States, Slovakia and Macedonia, including Fact-Finding Missions.
Business Development Baltic Region (with World Economic Forum) - Commercial Fact-Finding Missions for and on behalf of Members of World Economic Forum in Russia and Baltic States. Assistance to Government regarding Central Banking and Currency Restructuring.
Business Development Program (EU) - Introduction and establishing commercial links in the Baltic States and Russia for the Swiss based company Suca-Fina.
Northern Dutch Provinces, Estonia, Latvian SME Business Development - Company diagnostics and SWOTs, Fact-Finding tours and implementation of co-production partnerships for the production of wood products, textiles and production of agricultural machinery.
Netherlands - Romania (Moldova) Industry Fact Finding Mission  - Humanitarian mission supported by the Dutch government and Surgeon General (Dutch Forces) to Romania and Moldova to assess hospital equipment supply and infrastructure improvement
Croatia & Bosnia Hertzegovena (European Commission) - Post conflict infrastructure (including facilities) assessment, reporting with recommendations
Macedonia - Country Trade Development Strategy Paper - implementation of first business-to-business operations: fruit and tobacco processing, building tiles and timber manufacture, restructuring of "11th October Bus Company". Partnership development of Skopje Chemical company (duPont).  Assessment of potential of Tourism & Hospitality sector including Lake Ohrid Resort. Reports on Road, Freight situation.
Macedonia - Bulgaria - Romania - Hungary - Germany  - Development of PIU - project information unit
Market Entry Reports (CEE & EMEA) 2006 - ongoing - Route to Market activities  -  SME, infrastructure, tourism, cross-border co-operation and industry sector projects.
Banking SME Workshops (Slovenia) - Information dissemination and workshops for the Banking sector in support of small business funds/Venture Capital for SMEs.
Private Sector Development Projects (Russian Federation) - Regional restructuring of "The Golden Ring" companies in the region  Moscow-Yaroslavl-Ivanovo-Vladimir-Moscow, including company assessments and feasibility studies of 146 enterprises; selection of 46 enterprises for production upgrading and strategic partners identification in the EU for joint commercial and manufacturing co-operation puposes.
Private Sector Business Development (Baltic States) - Assessment and upgrading of SMEs in preparation of co-production, marketing and sales activities with EU based companies directed at the Russian market.

Reference Projects and Programmes

Press release
 
15th July, 2010: Hereford Times
AN EXCITING bid to help Gurkha families settle in Britain will be launched in Herefordshire next month.
 
The Gurkha Action Fund (GAF) is holding a street event in Ledbury on Sunday, August 15, to mark its official launch.
 
The event will be opened by the Mayor of Ledury, Paul Winters and CEO and Founder of the UK National Defence Association, Cdr J. Muxworthy R.N.
 
Committee members are finalising a programme for the High Street event having won permission early this month to close off the centre of Ledbury.
 
A parade and fly-past is planned, along with live bands, a high-quality raffle, and plenty of Gurkha entertainment, drinks and food.

The event follows months of talks between community-minded people from across the Marches and former Gurkha soldiers.
 
But they all share one common goal - to help Gurkha families settle in Britain without relying on handouts.
 
The GAF wants to provide the estimated 12,000 Gurkha families with a £1,000 relocation fund to settle and a number of means towards employment .

They insist that Gurkha families are not looking for sympathy, and have a five-point plant to help them integrate and develop businesses and services.

Their members include ex-Gurkha, Keshar Sherchan, who now runs the Roadmaker Inn in Gorsley Common.

Mr Sherchan fought alongside British forces in Kosovo and Bosnia, and appreciates the bid to help his countrymen.

"This is a very interesting project and I'm very excited with all the work being done by this very small group," said Mr Sherchan.

"There are still a lot of problems to be solved and many Gurkhas have to leave their families behind. I am determined to help them.
I am assisted in this by Robert Van-Es, who has worked extensively on development projects on behalf of international agencies in the Asia".
 
Proceeds will partly come from the sale of military memorabilia and Gurkha-branded alcoholic beverages from the Three Choirs Vineyards in Newent.
 
There will be also be a collection during the Ledbury event, while a handful of celebrities have been approached.
 
The GAF will release more details in the coming weeks - for information about the Fund, visit www.eureconnect.co.uk

7th July 2010, Hereford Times
 A NATIONAL campaign to help Gurkhas settle in Britain could be launched in Herefordshire.

Ledbury Town Council has backed an early plan to launch a Gurkha Action Fund (GAF) in the market town.

The project is the brainchild of several local figures and ex-Gurkhas who run a Nepalese restaurant near Newent.

They want to give £1,000 to the estimated 12,000 families moving to Britain following their well-publicised campaign.

Proceeds will come from the sale of military memorabilia and Royal Gurkha-branded alcohol from the Three Choirs Vineyard.

The charity also wants to provide training and skills, while helping Gurkhas to support their families in Nepal.

Organisers want to launch the fund in Ledbury partly due to the town's connection with the UK National Defence Association. The pressure group receives funds from the sale of military paintings produced by Ledbury artist Derek Durham.

Mr Durham and Ledbury solicitor, Robert Van-Es, want to launch the Fund in Ledbury High Street later this summer.

The co-organisers believe the launch would be a major coup for Ledbury, and would attract several high-profile military figures.

"What we have here is a grand opportunity to do something for the Gurkhas and to give something back," said Mr Van-Es.

Ledbury Town Council agreed last week to allow a launch party under the Market House later this summer.