As the old saying goes, what goes up must come down. This is true of life, and it is most certainly true of mining – an industry as cyclical as any, where market volatility and the accompanying booms and busts come as standard. With this in mind, you have to give credit where credit is due to JDS Energy and Mining. The Canadian mining services provider has not merely survived but thrived over the past 16-years, achieving year on year growth of 50% over the course of its first decade of business and a global reputation for excellence, even as the wider industry struggled with low commodity prices and collapsing demand when the boom times came to an end in the early 2010s. With major offices in Canada, the US, and Mexico, and with a footprint spanning from Latin America to Europe, Africa to Asia, JDS works hand-in-hand with clients through every step of the design-build process, from devising concept ideas right through to planning and development, before handing over the keys to a finely tuned, fully optimised operation upon completion of the project. The ability to deliver high standards of service excellence to clients in timely efficient fashion requires a similarly world-class supply chain division, of course. One that is automated, integrated, and capable of creating value-add across every link of the supply chain function, from purchasing and inventory management, to logistics and supplier relationship management. Just as importantly, a well-oiled and effective supply chain will tailor its operations to meet the unique requirements of each individual project, and have the right talent to deliver results. “Each project is unique and requires different processes in order to meet the Client’s needs. What I've worked on with JDS is building a playbook of vetted processes and templates that work from a foundation perspective,” explained Kaila Thomasson, Procurement and Contracts Manager for JDS. “What we do is tailor those processes to each project. Depending on the client, the project size, and the location, we identify the core requirements. Our strategy is to build custom solutions that integrate what JDS does and supply chain best practices. It is recognised within JDS that attracting young, ambitious talent is as important as attracting senior engineers and technical personnel. The union of experience and enthusiasm that this approach fosters has proven advantageous to JDS, enabling the company to successfully bring client projects to production quickly and safely in the near-term. Equally, there are the obvious longer-term benefits that instilling a culture which attracts rising stars like Kaila brings to the business. A precocious leadership talent who entered into supply chain just two years after graduating from University in 2011, Kaila turned away from a promising but ultimately unfulfilling career in law in search of a more adventurous career that was a better fit, personally and professionally. After cutting her teeth at New Gold, where she entered in at an entry level position and left a contracts supervisor with a reputation for taking on the big money projects, Kaila joined JDS Energy and Mining in 2018. She has since thrived in an environment that allows and encourages its people to flourish and develop - if executives and staff want to take on more responsibility and learn new things, the culture within JDS grants its people the agency to do so and grow. Her approach in regards to supply chain leadership is to challenge ideas, constantly looking to streamline processes and find efficiencies for her team. Mining requires a significant amount of problem solving and decision making. Taking a team approach, she focuses on understanding the views and needs of the team in order to drive forward with solutions and focus on the project goals. Working as a high functioning team, this style of leadership flourishes within JDS and ultimately results in success for our clients. Bearing in mind how JDS is engaged in multiple projects at any given time, developing and maintaining strong, fruitful relationships with suppliers and vendors is very much at the heart of JDS Energy and Mining’s supply chain strategy. In-line with the company’s source local sustainability drive, Kaila and the JDS team has cultivated longstanding relationships with local suppliers and vendors in the countries and regions where it does business, going so far as to support them in improving their capabilities and upskilling their employees: Kaila elaborated further, saying: “Our focus centres on local sourcing, utilizing local vendors and local contractors. Within the mining industry, every dollar spent by the mine brings wealth and benefits to the local communities. One of the key things JDS focuses on is building relationships with the local vendors. Some of them might come in and be less experienced and less familiar working in a mining environment. Specifically in regards to the structure needed in terms of quality control and reporting. We work closely with vendors and contractors throughout the project. We want to set them up for success and set them up to have sustainable futures in the industry. Most of the time it results in long-term jobs at the mine through employment or long-term contracts. One recent example of this is when we were working with a contractor in Africa, who is typically mining focused. The contractor was preparing to take on detailed construction earthworks and we worked closely with them to improve their quality control and their documentation. Now after a few months, they're able to take on more work on the project and also other companies, too, if they decide.” With a number of projects ongoing on home turf in Canada, such as the Magino Project in Ontario, Pure Gold’s Madsen Project, and Mt. Nansen in Yukon, as well as at the El Limon-Guajes Mine in Mexico and Lucara Botswana’s Karowe Mine, business is buoyant in spite of the turbulence caused by the coronavirus epidemic. Going into 2021, the key goals for JDS will see the company, amongst other things, working to strengthen relationships in Toronto and continue expanding into New York as well, where the company has increasingly generated new business. Kaila touched further on what lies ahead next year, concluding: “We have quite a few projects right now and we will continue to do an exceptional job on those projects. We will keep our clients engaged and keep them coming back to JDS by creating value. JDS’s priorities are building new relationships as well as strengthening existing ones. We don't take on every project. It has to be a good fit for JDS, our core values and our team. We are selective of our projects and we choose ones where we can highlight our core values and really shine.”