Following is an interview with B.Naranbaatar, CEO of 'Khanbogd Khurd' company. Naranbaatar is a native of Khanbogd soum in South Gobi aimag. He majored in state administration and management from the national military college. He began his working career with a company called 'Dornyn Govi' and then later worked as a driver for the national customs office in the border port of Gashuun Sukhait. He is married with two daughters, his wife Ch.Enkhmaa is the human resource manager in their family company.
Tell us briefly about your company?
Our transport company was set up in 2012. We run a bus service between Khanbogd soum and Oyu Tolgoi mine but prior to that from 2006 onwards I used to transport workers from the soum to the mine in a small van. Realizing the window of opportunity I decided to set up a bigger company and here I am now managing a bus company.
Where did you obtain the license to run this business of yours?
Last year Oyu Tolgoi announced a tender and we won the win. In the beginning I was not very confident that I would be contracted by Oyu Tolgoi. I know that Oyu Tolgoi has tough requirement to become a contractor and also that the bidding process is fair. And since April last year we have been transporting workers to the mine.
How big is your company?
We employ some 50 workers and own about 20 buses. Most of the drivers are from Khanbogd soum. Our company deals directly with about a dozen local companies. We have made safety our company’s core value and we feel proud at our safety record. In short, we strictly comply with Rio Tinto C3 standard for vehicles and driving. This is one of the key requirements put by Oyu Tolgoi.
You graduated from a military college but you chose do a completely different job, why so?
Since I was a small boy I had a fancy for cars and vehicles and started driving when I was in grade five in school. I was also fascinated by racing cars. This was my hobby, so to say. If I feel that any of my drivers is not feeling well and may not be able to drive, I’d sit behind the wheel of the bus.
How have you benefitted working with Oyu Tolgoi?
Thanks to Oyu Tolgoi I have been able to create new jobs in my soum and my life has also improved. Our drivers earn more than a million tugrig a month and being a local company we receive a lot of support from Oyu Tolgoi. We regularly receive constructive recommendation regarding our service and safety, and our performance is also rated according to Oyu Tolgoi standard which is pretty high and I feel proud that our service has reached that standard. We take pride in this accomplishment.
You said your company own about 20 buses, where are they made?
Last year we renewed our busk park with buses from South Korea and China, each costing from MNT 50 to 120 million. Our company also has a parking lot, a maintenance center and housing for our workers amongst whom we have qualified auto engineers, electricians and repairmen. Our drivers realise full well risks related to people transport and so high priority is given to safety standards and we make it a point that all vehicles driven for work purposes are subject to appropriate pre-operation safety check. We have two transport coordinators who are responsible for the safety of the drivers. The drivers undergo regular medical check-ups and every morning the drivers are checked if they have taken any alcohol or not. Even their driving speed is monitored as Oyu Tolgoi has installed GPS in all our buses. Commercial banks also have full trust in us as we work with this world-class mining company. This is a matter of honor for us and we have high hopes for our future.
In what ways is “Khanbogd Khurd” living up to its social responsibility being a local company.
The local administration comes to us for scholarship and medical support, as well as contributions for local competitions and other favors. Just last year our company had paid more than MNT 100 million in taxes to the local budget. This year will mark the 90 years of establishment of our soum and we are planning to sponsor some of the anniversary activities.
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