CMO

Welcome to the future of forestry. Welcome to CMO!

Established in 2014 by visionaries Michal Brink, Ben Potgieter, and Andrew Mc Ewan, CMO embarked on a journey focused on enhancing the global forestry industry. What started as a consultancy firm has blossomed into a multinational powerhouse, operating across nine countries and leaving a positive impact in over eighty nations.

With offices strategically located across the globe, from South Africa to Belgium, CMO boasts a truly international presence. Our physical presence in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Gabon, Malaysia, Thailand, and Belgium allows us to serve our clients with unmatched efficiency and effectiveness.

Our founders, each distinguished in their respective fields, recognized the immense potential in leveraging our forestry expertise to develop innovative software solutions. Michal Brink, our CEO, brings a unique blend of academic brilliance and industry experience to the table. With a Ph.D. in Forestry and an MBA from prestigious institutions, Michal’s leadership drives our commitment to excellence.

Joining Michal are Ben Potgieter and Andrew Mc Ewan, both stalwarts in the forestry domain. Ben’s four decades of experience in forest operations and fire risk management make him Africa’s leading expert in his field. Meanwhile, Andrew’s academic achievements and practical insights make him a valuable asset, particularly in timber harvesting and forest engineering.

OUR VISION

Our vision at CMO is simple yet profound: to empower small growers and businesses globally, facilitating their access to the mainstream market for sustainably produced forest products. We believe in creating opportunities that not only benefit individuals but also contribute to the greater good of our planet.

What sets us apart is our unique ability to blend decades of forestry expertise with cutting-edge technology. Over the past two years, we’ve seamlessly integrated software solutions into our consulting and training services, offering holistic support to forest owners worldwide. Our software solutions, born out of complex concepts simplified by our team, are revolutionizing the forestry arena one step at a time.

At CMO, we’re not just a consultancy firm; we’re a community driven by passion, innovation, and a shared commitment to sustainability. Join us in our mission to empower millions of small growers to grow billions of trees, and together, let’s change the world for the better.

OUR PURPOSE

Our purpose is to improve the performance of our customers throughout the forestry value chain by focusing on solutions in the performance areas of:

• Safety
• Productivity
• Environmental responsibility
• Quality of operations
• Social accountability

We focus on the whole management cycle to ensure the establishment of lasting solutions through continuous improvement:

• Planning
• Doing
• Checking
• Acting (PDCA)

We provide risk-based solutions. Companies need to focus their attention on hazards that pose intolerably high risks to the SPEQS performance areas. It is an integrated approach to risk management that covers all our performance areas, referred to as:

• Hazard Identification
• Risk Assessment
• Control measures (HIRAC)

For more information visit our website cmogroup.io

AARTO Training; Agricultural Training; Airstrip Loading Crew Training; Basic Business Principles (for workers); Chainsaw Mechanics Course; Chemical Storage Management; Chemical Weed Control – Annual Scheduling; Chemical Weed Control – Operational; Dangerous Goods Training; Fire Crew Leader Training; Fire Crew Leader Training; Fire disaster management (ICS); Fire extended attack fire suppression; Fire Fighting Training; Fire FIghting Training; Fire initial attack fire suppression; Fire lookout guards; Fire prescribed block burning; Fire prescribed under canopy burning; Fire prototeam; Fire Risk Assessment & Mitigation; Fire Risk Assessment & Mitigation; Fire simulation sessions; First aid levels 1 / 2 / 3; Forest inventory field teams training; Forest law enforcement, governance & trade; Forest management training; Forest Valuation training; Forestry Training; FSC FM & CoC training; FSC® Chain-of-Custody Training; FSC® Forest Management Training; Harvest Planning – operational; Harvest planning – tactical; Harvesting supervisor training; Harvesting: Managing mechanised operations; Incident & Accident Investigation Training; ISO standard 19011 training: Auditing techniques; Log Scaling Training: sawlogs & poles; Machine operator simulation training: forwarder; Machine operator simulation training: harvester; Maintenance: Chainsaw – chainsaw & guide bar; Maintenance: Harvester – chain & guide bar; Managing productivity in forestry; Managing quality in forestry; Managing safety in forestry; Managing social issues in forestry; Managing the environment in forestry; Mechanical training for mechanised harvesting; Medical and Safety Training; Medical and Safety Training; Operational harvesting planning; Operator Training: Bell; Operator Training: Brushcutter; Operator Training: Bulldozer; Operator Training: Cable Skidder; Operator Training: Cable Yarder; Operator Training: Chainsaw; Operator Training: Chainsaw Felling techniques; Operator Training: Chemical Spraying; Operator Training: Chokerman; Operator Training: Clearing Saw; Operator Training: Defensive / Advance Driving Skills; Operator Training: Driver (basic); Operator Training: Dumper Truck; Operator Training: Earth Moving Equipment; Operator Training: Excavator; Operator Training: Forklift; Operator Training: Forwarder; Operator Training: Front End loader; Operator Training: Grader; Operator Training: Harvester; Operator Training: Lifting Machinery; Operator Training: Loader; Operator Training: Skidder; Operator Training: Tipper Truck Driver; Operator Training: Tractor; PEFC Chain of Custody Training; Pest control officer training; Processing plant supervisor training; Processing plant training; Roads: Forest road design & construction; Silviculture supervisor training; Silviculture: Managing mechanised operations;