“If this report for 2021 is particularly encouraging, the awareness of the conditions we are called to manage today reminds us that there are rarely ideal conditions for our industry,” said in his message the president of the Association of Mining Companies Mr. Athanasios Kefalas at the General Assembly report of the Association which took place in a central Hotel in Athens.
“Since the middle of last year, health and logistics difficulties and new challenges such as the energy crisis, shortages of machinery and spare parts and the range of inflation have been gradually added, while since the beginning of 2022 Europe, mainly, and the rest people are facing the consequences of the first war on the European continent in the current century.
In this highly fluid environment we are obliged to act prudently, to protect human capital and to ensure our resilience. Any forecasts for the near future are very precarious, but we must move to be well prepared to deal with supply chain difficulties, high energy costs, the inflationary environment and the challenges to the smooth supply of our customers, the adaptation to the requirements of tackling climate change and possible geopolitical changes “, stressed the president of SME.
The overall performance of the sector is reflected in an increase in production volume and sales by 10% and the value of exports by 15%, accompanied by an increase in productivity.
Regarding the individual trends in our activities in 2021, we point out:
increased demand for metals and stoneware products, which led to significant price increases during the year, but with a significant increase in production costs due to high energy prices
the recovery of industrial minerals at the levels of 2019, with similar challenges in the formation of production costs and the operation of the supply chain
the significant demand for Greek marble abroad, the resurgence of consumption in the domestic market but with the high cost of energy and materials absorbing a significant part of the economic results
the continuing increase in demand for aggregates, mainly due to the construction activity and the projects of the Regions, while large construction projects are still expected to begin.
the significant support of lignite in ensuring the adequacy of electricity in critical periods, which led to an increase in its extraction by 10% compared to 2021.
The regulatory framework is particularly critical for the effective operation and development of the activities of our members and our industry. The Association, institutionally representing the industry, gave special weight to the identification of obstacles and the systematic communication of the proposed solutions at multiple levels and opportunities. Meetings and written exchanges were organized with the competent ministries, participations in policy-making days and in public consultations of legislations that concern us.
Evaluating these actions, we estimate that we had the opportunity to be heard, but the results during 2021 do not leave us satisfied because the list of requests and unresolved problems is growing, creating obstacles to the development of a resilient and important sector of the national economy.
Our Association will continue:
-the persistent effort to continuously improve health and safety performance with a view to eliminating accidents
-the systematic upgrade of the skills of the employees of the sector but also the pursuit of the quick solution of the chronic problems in the issuance of professional licenses that have led to significant shortages in machine operators and fillers and which threaten the smooth production
-the systematic communication of the importance of our industry for our country and Europe, in the new environment created by the Green Agreement but also the global redistribution of work and power
-mobilization to solve chronic problems in our regulatory environment that hinder the full development of our potential
-to participate in ensuring the energy adequacy of the country by maintaining adequate lignite production
Through our actions and interventions last year we proved that the mining sector with the Association of Mining Companies must have a place at the table of discussions regarding a new productive model of our country that will be characterized by innovation, productivity, extroversion and respect for the principles of sustainable development.
A great saying goes: “If you want to get there fast go alone, if you want to go far go with others”.
This concerns both us in the mining industry and the leadership of our country, concludes the message of the president of SME
Source: Capital
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