Moving mountains together

Moving mountains together

BiA from 1902 until today...

Strength through values for over a century. It is already the 4th generation of our family that is active in the company but the roots of our heritage are gradually disappearing. It is especially important, therefore, to restate the values we believe in and to reinforce the knowledge and passion which has inspired us for more than a century. Our commitment to these values has been a major contribution to our development, prosperity and the conquest of new markets. It has also allowed us to adapt easily to a constantly changing world. Our business culture is based on: - A total respect for commitments - The highest professional standards - Determination and tenacity - Enthusiasm and dynamism - An entrepreneurial spirit This book is an opportunity to inspire our own team and our future partners to work with enterprise, passion, perseverance, respect and audacity, while never forgetting where we came from and that nothing can ever be taken for granted. It is the loyalty of some, the trust of others and the commitment of all which allows us to grow and embrace the future with the highest of hopes. Vincent Bia CEO BIA Group

A fascinating never-ending adventure! The BIA family has long played a pioneering role in the distribution of civil engineering and construction machinery. It all started in 1902 when Georges Bia decided to open a sales office in Brussels. However, it was in 1948 that the business really kicked off, going from strength to strength to become a key player in the public works, quarry and mining sectors in the Benelux countries and Africa. Reflecting a time gone by, the following photographs, advertisements and documents will enable you to find out about a century of hard work and a never-ending search for quality and effectiveness. You will learn about our quest to find opportunities for innovation and the creation of values, a challenge that has been taken up thanks to the efforts of our teams, our partners and customers. We would like to take the opportunity here to thank them all.

1902 Georges Bia, a mining engineer, opened a sales office in Brussels to cover the Belgian and Congolese markets. He was chosen to represent the aviation-related activities of the Wright Brothers. 1930 A distribution contract was signed with Nordberg, a crushing machine manufacturer, for quarries and mines in Belgium and the Congo. 1902 BIA very soon became a leading light in catering for mining and quarry-related crushing and screening requirements and succeeded in achieving a dominant position in the market, a position which it still holds today. 1935 Against the background of constant technical progress and the tremendous development of the Congolese mining industry, Georges Bia began operating in the Congo. 1947

1948 Jacques Bia, Georges Bia s son, also a mining engineer, founded three companies: two distribution companies based in Brussels and the Congo (the BIA Technical Office), and a mechanical repair company in the Congo. 1953 Jacques Bia extended the company s activities in the Congo as a result of purchasing a sandstone quarry, close to Kinshasa, to supply gravel to the construction industry in the region. BIA subsequently set up a coating plant in Kinshasa. Exclusive contracts involving several product ranges were signed for Belgium and the Congo: - Road Machines monorail system, - Lima cranes and draglines, - Vickers bulldozers, - Stothert & Pitt rollers, - Austin Western levellers and the first telescopic cranes. 1948 1960

As part of its expansion drive, BIA consolidated its exclusive representations portfolio in Belgium and Congo to cater for the equipment requirements of several sectors: public works, mines, quarries, agriculture, transport and engineering workshops. New representations: - Aveling Barford levellers, rollers, wheel tractor-loaders and dumpers for quarries, - LeTourneau diesel-electric wheel tractor-loaders, - Holman mobile compressors, for sites and quarries, - Poclain hydraulic shovels and PPM hydraulic cranes in Congo, - Yale lift trucks, - Sotres sand-washing and water clarifier system, - Cummins diesel engines, 1961 - Phoenix gravel spreader for road works, - Straddle carriers from Valmet, a pioneer in the port sector, - Broyt hydraulic shovels, for quarries and sites, - Unit Rig heavy diesel-electric dumpers - White Oliver and David Brown farm machinery in Congo. 1967 The company relocated from Brussels to a new building in Overijse in order to be able to offer its customers an even better after-sales service. 1980

1981 BIA took over the distribution of John Deere in Belgium to boost its range of public works equipment. 1987 Took over the distribution of Benford rollers and dumpers for sites. 1988 Distribution of the CMI brand, a manufacturer of planing machines and sliding forms for making concrete roads. Over in Africa, BIA successfully expanded sales of Aveling Barford and Unit Rig dumpers, Cummins engines and Bucyrus cable shovels, to be used in the Katanga copper mines. After 10 years overseeing the BIA Technical Office in Kinshasa, Serge Dubois became group manager. 1981 1989

1990 BIA became a distributor for Demag, a leading manufacturer of hydraulic shovels for quarries and mines. 1992 METALUBIA was created in Burundi. 1993 BIA bought up MOES DIESEL, a manufacturer of generating sets and an importer of Hatz engines for Belgium and Luxembourg. MOES DIESEL was operating in Belgium and Africa. 1997 Took over the distribution of Rammer hydraulic drills, now known under the Sandvik name. 1998 BIA signed an exclusive distribution contract with Komatsu for six French-speaking African countries and celebrated its 50th anniversary. Launch of the BESTMAT company, which took over the activities of Case Belgium to strengthen BIA s status as a key player in the Benelux public works sector. 1990 1999

2003 Komatsu contract extended to 11 African countries. First Full Service contract signed for a new fleet comprising 25 Komatsu machines for bauxite mines in Guinea. 2004 BIA took over the exclusive distribution of Komatsu equipment for the Benelux countries and terminated the contract with Case. The BESTMAT team was incorporated into the BIA organisation. BIA b.v. took over the existing team in the Netherlands. Market share gains were soon achieved as a result of the new strategy developed to reposition Komatsu in the marketplace. 2006 The BIA export department became BIA OVERSEAS s.a., a separate company created to step up our activities in Africa. A Cummins engine refurbishment workshop and a technical training centre were built in Dakar, Senegal. 2008 Spare parts storage space (+1,000 m²) created in Overijse, Belgium. Launch of the Komatsu Dakar Service Support Centre tasked with providing fast technical solutions in response to requests from our customers and teams. 2000 2008

2009 Launch of MATRENT s.a., a Komatsu public works vehicle rental company, to meet the increasing demand from our customers. Launch of the 2MAT division to offer recent second-hand equipment manufactured by Komatsu. MOES DIESEL continued its expansion in Africa through a dealership network. On the basis of a partnership with Komatsu, the Dakar Training Centre became the Komatsu Dakar Training Centre, the Official Technical Training Centre for West Africa. Launch of BIA Burkina in order to boost sales of public works equipment, while guaranteeing a local after-sales service. 2010 Investment in the HANS VAN DRIEL b.v. group, which has specialised in the distribution of public works equipment in the Netherlands for over 60 years. BIA b.v. incorporated the HANS VAN DRIEL b.v. group The Komatsu contract was extended to 14 African countries. BIA OVERSEAS won an exclusive distribution contract for Bomag products, covering nine territories in West Africa. The AREVA Group awarded BIA an outstanding contract for a new mine in Niger. This key Komatsu fleet will be backed up by a full service contract. 2009 2010

2011 MOES DIESEL signed an exclusive distribution contract with the TecnoGen generating sets manu facturer for Belgium and several African countries, thereby offering a comprehensive range of generating sets producing up to 2,000 kva. Launch of a Komatsu Component Refurbishment Workshop in Dakar to lend support to the fleet of machines in the region. BIA OVERSEAS developed a new spare parts logistical centre in Belgium to enhance its service in Africa. Delivery in Belgium s Tournaisis region of a 63 (305 tonnes) primary gyratory crusher made by Metso Minerals (formerly NORDBERG), a brand BIA has been distributing on an exclusive basis for the last 80 years. BIA OVERSEAS became a finalist in the «Business of the Year 2011» competition. A distribution contract was signed with Sandvik for several West African countries to allow BIA OVERSEAS to consolidate its position in the public works, quarry and mining sectors. 2011

2012 BIA SERVICE s.a. opens for business in Fleurus in a new 3,000 m² workshop. This new company provides customers with a specialist construction site equipment repair and refurbishment service. The Komatsu Mining Support Centre in Dakar launches a call centre, open seven days a week. BIA OVERSEAS delivers the first machines as part of an outstanding order for the First Quantum company to equip a new copper mine in Zambia. The Komatsu fleet includes 46 giant dumpers with a 150-327 tonnes capacity, 3 hydraulic shovels weighing 540 tonnes and 30 or so machines for mine support operations. Our Vision We want to be the preferred solution provider to shape a sustainable earth. Our Mission We are a reliable partner, leader in the sales and service of equipment for Construction, Quarrying, Mining, Recycling, Handling and Power Supply. We deliver premium solutions to allow our customers to reach their goals. Our Values Professionalism, respect of commitments, entrepreneurship, team spirit, open mind, passion. 2012 NETHERLAN NETHERLAND BIA Company BIA Representative BIA Company BIA Representative BELGIUM BELGIUM LUXEMBURG

We are still looking for new mountains to move Our teams can be counted on for their unflagging efforts and enthusiastic attitudes, our customers can be relied upon for placing their confidence in us and our equipment and facilities can be trusted to live up to the highest standards. These are some of the factors that have enabled us to start the year 2012 with a record high order book covering the 2012-2014 period. Against the background of economic uncertainty, this outstanding situation offers us a tremendous opportunity. However, sustained value creation means continuing to build professional and flexible organisations that are able to achieve our strategic objectives: - Become more visible in all our catchment areas - Enhance our service offering and quality - Increase the effectiveness of the organisations and expand our strategic capabilities - Extend our technical and logistical infrastructure - Offer our employees incentives to take initiatives and accept responsibilities - Achieve our financial goals Our growth also has to be underpinned by a never-ending search to create value-adding opportunities for our customers, an effort to improve employee safety, skills and welfare and a policy based on adopting a responsible approach towards the environment. The company s long-term future is dependent on meeting this exciting challenge. We will succeed because we are all fired by the same enthusiasm for the business and driven by the same entrepreneurial spirit. Vincent Bia CEO BIA Group

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