From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George Forrest is a Belgian entrepreneur, of New Zealand descent, who is active mostly in Europe, oriental Africa, and Arabia.
Forrest is the head of "Groupe Forrest" of "Malta Forrest," "George Forrest International S.A.", etc. Malta Forrest was founded in 1922 by George Forrest's father in Katanga, and acts as a mother company of the other groups. The companies consist of diverse industrial activities, including mining, cement manufacturing, public works, hauling, and munitions manufacturing.
[edit]Controversies
George Forrest's activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been objects of great controversy.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has been ravaged by more than ten years of war, and particularly in the city of Lubumbashi, Forrest has been appreciated as one of the few contractors and a large provider of employment and stability. He operates the last cement factory in the country (located in the province of Bas-Congo), has repaired the principal roads in Katanga, and has inspired remarkable progress in Lubumbashi. He notoriously restarted exploiting the "Terril de Lumbashi" (loosely translated as 'Treasure Heap of Lumbashi'), recycling the numerous rejected pieces of precious metals in the city.
In Europe, Forrest is generally criticized both for feeding the war economy of the country, and for his activities in the munitions industry (one of his munitions companies was refused an export license by the Walloon Government on June 30, 2005).
COMMENTS:
I had earlier asked a question about anybody that has substantive information to back-up claims that George Forrest is a major enterprise (i.e., billion dollar + enterprise...consider the huge bid for FSY). Although I appreciate the person providing this link it answers only a few minor questions and leaves many questions unanswered.
1) The fact that this organization was established in 1922 is good to know, but when it was started is less important than how big it is.
2) Wikipedia says it has a diverse industrial activites. Clearly, in George Forrest's website it lists many business divisions, including a mining and cement plant division. But Wikipedia may only be making a listing of known facts. It didn't seem that either its mining operation or its cement plant look like big operations.
3) Wikipedia says large employer, but you can employ 1,000 workers doing certain tasks and revenues wouldn't be substantial. Saying it is a large employer isn't strong enough to suggest that this is a billion dollar + enterprise.
4) It seems that Wikipedia just provides a glimmer of info and it doesn't appear to have much knowledge or details. Granted there was more info here than found anywhere else outside of the GF website, but if this is the only info to back-up claims that GF is a substantial enterprise it falls way short of doing so.