ABOUT US

PIPER Ltd. was founded in 1990 in Požega, Croatia, and got the decision for performing of demining works in 1998 when it started working as a trade company for demining.
The Company is a 100% in a private ownership.
The primary activity of the PIPER Co. is DEMINING and training of mine detection dogs.
PIPER Ltd. is representative of an Austrian producer of metal detectors “SCHIEBEL” for 10 years and there is an authorized service for mentioned detectors.
Otherwise we are the only company which has founded a private center for breeding and training of mine detection dogs, in Croatia. (Picture on the right)
Since 2000 we are a member of the AMCHAM (American Chamber of Commerce).

The founder and a director of the Company is Mr. Željko Romić, a reserve officer of the Croatian Army, who participated in the civil war from 1991 to 1994 as an Engineer Corps Chief of staff. Most of the company’s employees were participators in the civil war with experience in handling with explosive means, mines and UXO.
The Company employs 66 people (21 deminers, 6 dog handlers, 6 machine operators, medical team… etc.)

 WORKING METHODS

In most cases the Company uses mechanical devices for demining as a first method wherever it is possible, because of the safety reasons.
After method with mechanical devices, we use specially trained mine detection dogs or manual method in areas with very high risk.

PROJECTS

During its work PIPER Ltd. demined and pyrotechnically surveyed more than 10.000.000 square meters of mine contaminated areas in the Croatia.
We destroy found mines and UXO at the place where mines are located or we destroy them mechanically during the work.
For every demined and pyrotechnically surveyed project, we got the Confirmation of demined areas, issued by CROMAC (Croatian Mine Action Center), and every control was done with specially trained mine detection dogs and behind us, they didn’t find any mine or UXO.
We are very happy and satisfied because we didn’t have any accidents or incidents on demining work on past performance.

DEMINING MACHINES

Behind the vehicles for transport of people, special trailers for transport of dogs and equipment, PIPER Ltd. owns demining machines: Scanjack 3500, Božena-4, Božena-3 and machines for cutting vegetation: Hydrema M1520. There are different types of tools – machines, but we want to use machines with flails, and if it is possible we use other tools (cutters and other different tools).
It is hard to do demining works with mechanical devices in stone areas, mountains, heavily wooded areas and in residential areas. Mechanical demining is only a part of process that increases the safety in the whole demining process. Manual demining is very necessary in the whole demining process because in working with machines “the perfect mistakes” can be corrected with human intervention. After mechanical demining reliability of mine clearance of some areas is insecure and in ideal conditions it is 95%. Machines are also big help in locating of largeness of mine fields in technical survey, in building of secure zones of working and working paths for dog handlers, in building of interventional roads for emergencies, in destroying of high vegetation etc.
According to the methods of managing with machines, they are divided in two groups: a) remote controlled, b) with human operators. They are also divided in heavy and light machines, and in machines with rears and caterpillars. Remote controlled machines have many advantages because of minimal risk for operators, but those machines usually have lower capacity and lower power.
Combination of those two groups of machines would be perfect according to the mechanical potential.
If we take into consideration that our intention is to survey and demine (depending of type of contract) areas, machines will do the survey of first mines, and in that way avoid human victims.

BOŽENA 4

Demining machine Božena-4 is used as a first method for mine clearing of mine contaminated areas. A producer of this machine marked Locust 1203 RC is Slovakian company WAY Industry. Demining machine Božena-4 is light (small) machine with weight of 4600 kg with a working tool as flail. On the construction of machine it is integrated a diesel motor Deutz BF 4L 913, with power of 106 hp (78kW). Machine is moving on 4 rears or on caterpillars. This is remote controlled machine (type CSB T3). The machine operator works with the machine from the safe distance (min. 200 m, and max 500 m) or from the coated cabin. It is built in the rotational flail width 2180 mm, in front of the machine. Deming machine Božena-4 is tasted by CROMAC and it showed perfect results during the ground preparation and during destroying of anti-tanks and anti-personal mines.

SCANJACK 3500

SCANJACK 3500, is heavy demining machine with weight of 26 000 kg.
Overall dimensions with working tools: length 14,27 m, width 4,95 m and height 3,7 m.
Machine working tools are two shafts with shock hammers, 73 hammers each. Machine is activated with water cooled diesel aggregate Perkins 1306-8TII, with 6 cylinders with 157 kW outgoing power on 2200 rpm. Tool is moved with specially diesel aggregate Scania DSI 14 turbo V8, outgoing power 405 kW on 1800 rpm. Machine operator is situated in coated cabin from which he manages with a machine. Cabin is coated with: 8 mm steel panel Armox 500S and bulletproof glass 41 mm. Cabin is acclimatized, sound-proofed and it has three exits. Rotation speed of shafts is 360-450 rpm. Hammers strike on the ground in space between 2,5 m in length and in width. Depth of ground preparation is 40 cm.

DOG TRAINING CENTER (PIPER – k9) – CENTER FOR BREEDING AND TRAINING OF MINE DETECTION DOGS

Center for breeding and training of mine detection dogs is situated in suburb of town Požega in Croatia in the place named Alaginci. It is extended on 35000 square meters at the area out of urban zone on the area with graze lands.
Except the accommodation of dogs, in Center there is also ensured accommodation for dog handlers who attend the training with dogs and who take care of them.
Behind the rooms with dogs, in Center there is also veterinarian ambulance with veterinarian who takes care of dog’s health, classroom, offices and all necessary for normal functioning of the Center for breeding and training of mine detection dogs.
Personnel for dog training we have in our company, but also in external subcontractors. We closely cooperate with an American unprofitable company U.S. Tactical Academy from Texas, and together work on training of dogs.
With our investment and with help of sponsors, we made our own breeding line from which we do the selection of dogs for further training. That was of working is slow and lasts for about 2 years but also gives quality necessary for safe work of mine detection dogs.
They use two methods of training of mine detection dogs:
Method of moving the dog handler next to the dog
Method of moving the dog controlled by dog lead.
The first method we use for a longer time, and with small imperfections. This method is very credibly, because the dog handler has the full control of dog, and visually he can look over the area in front of the dog, and with stick he shows to dog the area which is necessary to survey. This method we use only in control after demining machines.
The second method with dog lead, we started to use lately, with new dogs which are in the last process of training. We have plans to start to use this method as a first method working with mine detection dogs at the areas where demining machines can not work.

DOG HANDLERS

During our past performance of demining work, we didn’t use methods with mine detection dogs as a first method because of the safety reasons, but we use them as a control after demining machines, and after deminers.
During demining work, a dog handler always uses two dogs, to be sure of quality of his survey. One dog can work 3 – 5 hours per day, depends of weather. Before starting with work, dog handlers must do the daily testing of dogs on test fields. If dogs don’t satisfy the tests, they are not used that day. Dogs need exceptional care and attention, and from that reason we use special thermo isolated trailers on terrain, which protect them from all adverse weather conditions. In our several years work with dogs we didn’t have any accidents on terrain, and we can make a conclusion that dogs can be very helpful during demining works.

DEMINERS

During discovering of mines and unexploded means, deminers use metal detectors, and metal poles called “pipalica”. For cutting vegetation they use scissors, swords, trimmers and power saws.
During demining activity, all personnel must wear equivalent protective cloths.
This protective cloth is equivalent and attested equipment as listed below:
Ballistic protective vests with a groin pad.
Ballistic clothes
Protective helmets with visors
protective gloves
strengthening for knees
protective shoes
protective working clothes (summer, winter)
Quality, technical propriety, usage and length of life of protective clothes is under control of debt services in the Company.

DONATORS

The Humanitarian Initiative was founded like totally unprofitable foundation, and its founding members are different businessmen from Croatia.
The Foundation is committed to leveraging money from the Croatian and International business communities and using those resources to try to solve issues directly related to the war.
The first initiative, which started in February 2001 within «American week» in organization of American Chamber of Commerce in Croatia, is action of collecting money for sponsoring a training of demining dogs. With collected money the Initiative helped the opening of the Private Dog training Center «PIPER – k9» from Požega.
The Humanitarian Initiative with other sponsors, collected 1 000 000 kn, as a support for Dog Training Center, and with that money they opened the Center under the sponsorship of the President of Croatia Stjepan Mesić, who joined in sponsoring of one dog.
Dog Training Center PIPER-k9 returns sponsorship monies that are raised by a gift of free humanitarian demining by the dogs to demining projects in Croatia.

SPONSORS:
AMCHAM
HRVATSKA GOSPODARSKA KOMORA
MARET SCHOOL – WASHINGTON DC
NAŠICECEMENT D.D.
IMAGE HADDAD
QUATTRO D.O.O.
DINERS CLUB ADRIATIC
EUROPA PRESS HOLDING
VIP-NET GSM D.O.O.
PREMISA D.O.O.
HYPO ALPE ADRIA BANK
HRVATSKE TELEKOMUNIKACIJE
PRIVREDNA BANKA
CONING D.O.O.
RAIFFEISEN BANK AUSTRIA D.D.
UNIQUA OSIGURANJE
DJD ZAGREB D.O.O.

FOUNDING MEMBERS:
NADAN VIDOŠEVIĆ (Croatian Chamber of Commerce)
MIRJANA ŠLAT (H. Neumann International)
ŽARKO KRALJEVIĆ (Diners Club International)
GORDANA BULJAN FLANDER (Klaićeva hospital)
ŽARKO PUHOVSKI (Helsinki Watch)
DANIEL VIDIŠ (Exportdrvo)
ANTE BOGDANIĆ (Albatros Media)
DARKO MARINAC (Podravka)
IVAN FATTORINI (Klaićeva hospital)
ZRINKA HADDAD (Haddad Fashion)
DARKO PREBEŽAC (University of Zagreb)
ZDENKO ADROVIĆ (Raiffeisen Banka)
ŽELJKO DERVIŠ (Law Office)
DUBRAVKA JURANIĆ-KNEZ (DJD Zagreb)

FRIENDS OF HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE

ŠTEFANIJA BALOG – (Office of the President of Republic of Croatia)
ŽELJKO FRID – (Public Notary)
LJUBICA BIJAKIĆ – (Public Notary)
MARET SCHOOL – WASHINGTON DC American Chamber of Commerce in Croatia
GUIDE DOG ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND CROATIAN MINE ACTION CENTER JAMES MADISON
UNIVERSITY US STATE DEPARTMENT – Humanitarian Demining

OUTSIDE COLLABORATOR

LYNNE MONTGOMERY – Patty Espy English

PRESENTATION OF DANGEROUSNESS OF MINES

Behind the basic activity of demining, our company also does the actions of meeting people with dangerousness of mines by placards, leaflets and showing of deactivated mines and explosive means.

CONTACTS

Address: Alaginci bb, 34000 Požega, Croatia
Main Office: Runjaninova 3, 34000 Požega, Croatia
Telephone: +385/34/275 705
Fax: +385/34/275 706
e-mail: zeljko.romic@po.htnet.hr
Account No.:
2500009-1101001154 – HYPO-ALPE-ADRIA BANK d.d. Zagreb, Croatia
2405004-1120010232 – POŽEŠKA BANKA d.d. Požega, Croatia
2393000-1102069604 – SLAVONSKA BANKA d.d. Osijek, Croatia