This article marks the opening of a venture that will not only improve business, production, projects and interaction with the natural environment for clients, but that will also create a platform wherein like-minded professionals can be guided to practise their chosen professions for their own account.

 

On that note, welcome to Virdus Consult S.L. A company started by a South African engineer in Navarra, Spain. A company that will act local while thinking global, wherever it operates.

 

What does the name “Virdus” mean? The “VIR” of Virdus stems from the Latin word, Viridis, which means green, young, fresh, lively or youthful. The “DUS” of Virdus stems from two different sources. Firstly, it refers to the Indus River which flows through South Asia, originating in the Tibetan plateau, running through China, India and Pakistan and finally ending its travels in the Arabian Sea. Secondly, the “DUS” includes reference to the words industrious and industry. Combined, the name means green, fresh, industrious, uniting and life-giving which is exactly what Virdus Consult aims to be. To unite industry and economic development with sustainability and conservation of the natural environment. To serve and optimize the industries that develop, consume, manipulate and affect the world’s resources. Achieving all of this through the provision of a high level of service that will optimize how business, industry and governmental services function, ensuring that their activities are sustainable, efficient and of minimal impact to the natural environmental.

 

So, why establish this company, and why specifically in this field? The simple answer is: the topics Virdus Consult plan to tackle are points of passion for all the people that are getting involved from an early stage in the company’s activities.

 

After having worked on a variety of projects, such as: well water polishing, waste-water treatment and desalination of start-up uranium mines in Australia and Namibia; beer filtration systems of green- and brownfield breweries in countries including India, Mexico and Ethiopia; seawater to potable water desalination plants from China to Chile; and petrochemical carbon capture projects in South Africa; the following became clear:

• The project world is not as healthy as it could be. Money is often wasted on less than optimal project execution, opportunistic tenders, and an unhealthy hunt by end-users for the cheapest offer.

• Production plants are often neglected due to a lack of understanding of the financial benefits of preventative maintenance and good system-optimization. This is not only true of production lines but also of the projects tackled within an already operational plant.

• Even though awareness of the need to improve humanity’s relationship with the natural environment along with the actions being taken is improving, a lot more can and needs to be done to ensure a successful and sustainable relationship.

• Too often people and companies are trying to solve problems without first trying to understand the actual root cause of the problems.

 

At Virdus Consult there is already a team of professionals with significant experience covering water and wastewater, desalination, petrochemical, mining, environment, food and beverage, forestry, vine and wine, and various other sectors. This experience covers the project, construction, manufacturing, production, municipal, tertiary education, research and development, communication, and linguistics disciplines. It encompasses experience gained in over 30 countries on all the habitable continents. It includes people who speak English, Spanish, Dutch, Afrikaans and Portuguese. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface there is a vibrant culture of inquisitiveness, self-development and continuous education in every person involved.

 

The only unsolvable problem is one that is badly defined. This is Virdus Consult’s core philosophy. Combining logic, experience and understanding with current tools of the trade Virdus Consult will provide service, designs, systems and products that will impact its client’s organisations in such a positive way that they will continue to pursue financially and environmentally sustainable yet practical industry solutions. Virdus Consult plans on continuously developing and delivering new and ever more innovative solutions to the problems faced by organisations globally. When the world has stopped having such problems, Virdus Consult would have reached its ultimate goal.