"African and Asian markets are remote, and they carry a number of risks for our exporters. However, companies should realize that those who don't take healthy risks and just keep waiting for a lucky opportunity may eventually miss out completely," says Ilja Mazánek Sr., chairman of the foreign section of the Czech Chamber of Commerce and commercial director of Transcon Electronic Systems, a global leader in airport technology production and supplier of the unique concept of modular airports.
Despite its low-key media profile, the company with many successful implementations of airports and heliports in Europe, Asia, America and North and Sub-Saharan Africa (Egypt, Libya and the Republic of South Africa), has won some attention with its projects in Senegal. In 2017, the company signed a contract with the Senegalese government as the main contractor for the reconstruction of five regional airports. A major infrastructure project for Senegal, it is also the biggest project in Sub-Saharan Africa over the last seven decades both for Transcon and the Czech Republic.
As the main contractor of this unique industrial work, Transcon negotiated a majority share for Czech subcontractors. "For our Czech partners, taking part in the project brings about major benefits. They can in fact enter the local market without a tender, establish themselves and acquire first contacts. For us, working with other Czech entities is a service to our country and business sector. Succeeding in state tenders where they face competition from large multinationals is extremely difficult for businesses from smaller countries, however developed and industrial they may be," the commercial director points out.
For us, working with other Czech entities is a service to our country and business sector.
Chinese and French companies, who have remained very active in the region, were too optimistic about this particular tender. A medium-sized tech company from Frýdek-Místek offered a world-unique solution to the Senegalese: a "turnkey" delivered modular airport. A system consisting of terminals including passenger halls, a control tower, hangars, office buildings with built-in utilities and technologies. Ground infrastructure, such as the runway, taxiways, aircraft stands and car parks in front of the main airport building, is built simultaneously.
"With proper organization and logistics, we can build and put into operation an airport the size of Pardubice or Ostrava in about 18 months, compared to three to four years in competitor projects, and at a lower cost," explains the director of Transcon's Senegalese office Ilja Mazánek Jr.
(Left to right) Stanislav Martinec, founder and owner of Koma Modular, Tereza Hankeová, economic diplomat of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Dakar, and Marek Skolil, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Senegal, present the Prusa Research 3D printers as a gift to representatives of the University of Touba
At the end of 2019, the project, well thought-out and prepared in detail, got off to a very promising start, as did the well-coordinated ecosystem of renowned Czech subcontractors. However, in February 2020, the whole world was caught off guard by the covid pandemic, which brought about a major disruption of global supply chains.
"We felt the negative impact mainly in logistics. China, heavily affected by covid, with its huge shipbuilding and container capacities, and the war in Ukraine complicated our business plans as well. Besides renowned Czech companies, our subcontractor portfolio also includes businesses from various parts of the world. For example, air conditioning units are produced in the United Arab Emirates, refractory panels for the construction of terminals are built in Italy, radio navigation is developed in Norway, some cabling is manufactured in Poland and control towers are built in Banská Bystrica."
Our delivery dates and prices are unmatched by local competition.
We were also struggling with limited component availability and high energy prices to some degree. "To ensure smooth production, we continuously keep relatively large stocks of materials for projects that are in our pipeline. But we still noticed the longer delivery times as well as higher prices of semiconductor components. On top, these components have become harder to get, and this could remain a problem moving forward. However, unlike most of our subcontractors, we are lucky in terms of energy prices, because our production is not energy-intensive," Ilja Mazánek Sr. explains.
Arabist and manager Ilja Mazánek Jr., a man of all professions that are currently needed, has had personal experience with the African and Middle Eastern environment and mentality since childhood. In his current role, he finds a lot of valuable experience in the otherwise challenging circumstances.
"You can't do much planning in Africa. If you make an appointment for Monday, you end up meeting the other party on Thursday. To do what you have intended, you have to adopt some army-like processes in a way. You must respond to any changes swiftly. When I asked my then newly installed deputy to pack her suitcase, as we were going to leave Dakar for a construction site the following day, the colleague – who is otherwise very reliable – did have some objections. Today, she always has a small suitcase at hand," the manager laughs.
The Czech party handed over the Saint-Louis airport to their Senegalese partners for commercial operation in November 2023
"I work with both reason and intuition," says Ilja Mazánek Jr. after three years in Senegal. "Like other expats who have worked in this region for a long time, I have gradually refined the ability to distinguish a serious entrepreneur from a less serious one. There are very few suppliers who would meet Western standards. You typically choose between two or three candidates. Unlike in Europe, where we usually look at both quality and price, in Senegal we also emphasize reliable delivery in addition to price, in order to avoid problems with deadlines. If possible, we check the partner’s technical maturity, and besides references, we always try to inspect the company's manufacturing premises and machine equipment."
Local workers, trained by Transcon along with its Czech partners, take part in the airport installation under the supervision of Transcon people. These technical staff trainings are another major contribution to the modernization of the country.
Written by Věra Vortelová
Photo credits: Transcon Electronic Systems and Marek Jenšík
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