Over the last decade, PIMS Group has grown to become a leading mining services company and has forged a formidable reputation in the industry. We dig deeper into the business’ success story with COO, Bradley Watson Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton
C OA L IS THE GOAL 2 | Mining Outlook Issue 5
PIMS GROUP ASIA PACIFIC
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oal is a benchmark of Australia’s economy, and it is forecast to remain so well into the future. The history of coal, its use, and mining applications in Australia date back to well before the earliest years of European colonisation. Based in Mackay, Central Queensland, PIMS Group (PIMS) is a leading provider of mining services to the Australian underground coal industry. Privately owned, the business was established in 2008 by its four directors, who brought together their diverse professional backgrounds with the aim of providing a higher level of service than was on offer at that time across the industry. That mindset has not changed in more than 15 years of operation, and from its small beginnings of providing individual professional consulting services, PIMS has grown impressively to become a significant employer with more than 700 staff across seven projects spread 4 | Mining Outlook Issue 5
“OUR TEAM IS MADE OF QUEENSLANDERS AND NEW SOUTH WELSHMEN, SO SUPPORTING LOCAL CHARITIES STRENGTHENS THE COMMUNITIES WE WERE RAISED IN” – B R A D L E Y WAT S O N , C O O , P I M S G R O U P
throughout Queensland and New South Wales (NSW). Having historically been providing services in Queensland, where the company’s head office is based, PIMS has continued to grow its footprint methodically in NSW through contract extensions, expansions, and the award of new work. “Traditionally, as an industry, we have not been great at championing our contribution to growth, employment, and the national economy. There is a lot of negative
media regarding the coal mining industry in general, and much of that criticism does not recognise how important our sector really is and the positive outcomes it delivers,” introduces Bradley Watson, COO of PIMS. Today, the company is incredibly proud of its business and continues to partner with its clients to create new work opportunities, particularly in regional areas where the coal mining industry is vitally important in supporting communities.
Bedrock Mining Equipment is an industry leader in its field, with an extensive catalogue range and database of QDS Attachments and mining equipment options to choose from. Servicing the entirety of Australia, the company offers comprehensive, high-quality, and cost-effective design and engineering services while also distributing and maintaining a wide variety of underground mining equipment. Bedrock prides itself on being a trusted partner to both large and small mining operators – with a focus on efficiency, safety, and delivering superior outcomes.The company’s service team is on standby in Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) to ensure any problems or situations that may arise onsite can be dealt with promptly and cost-effectively.
SUPERIOR ENGINEERING
Today, Bedrock Mining Equipment is at the forefront of its industry, involved with a highly proficient spectrum of specialty hire, fabrication, and equipment maintenance. The company is strategically based in Mackay to offer comprehensive, high quality, and cost-effective design and engineering services that include light to medium fabrication, refurbishment in all aspects of mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminium, abrasive blast and protective coating facilities, drafting, design, and engineering. As well as this, Bedrock boasts capabilities in the categories of manufacturing and the overhaul of OEM parts and components, project management, and numerous other forms of required support. Bedrock achieves competitive pricing and prompt service by offering a ‘one-stop-shop’ at its fit-for-purpose workshop. These integrated capabilities, together with highly skilled staff and extensive specialty equipment, allow the company to produce the highest quality products at affordable prices.
EQUIPMENT HIRE
Bedrock Mining Equipment also offers a large range of quality underground equipment for long or short-term hire. Being an OEM of its fleet allows the company to design and manufacture the right equipment required for its clients’ project needs. All Bedrock hire equipment includes all relevant plant safety files, along with site introductory documentation to support while using. If the gear you need is not on hand, Bedrock has the ability to build and supply as required
VENTILATION PRODUCTS
PARTS AND CONSUMABLES
All VCD consumable products are available as requested including:
The company’s extensive range of consumables is continually expanding and now includes:
Bedrock supplies a full range of VCD products to meet mine-specific requirements – these products can be customised for all solutions as per any client mine site or project needs. • Overcasts • Vehicle doors • Regulators
• Airlocks • Coffin seals • Man doors
Bedrock’s products comply with the highest safety standards – to keep you and your team safe.
Bedrock Mining Equipment offers full support, all the way through to store stock supply options for all parts and consumables that may be required.
• Mining consumables • OEM and aftermarket parts • VCD consumable products Bedrock’s range of consumables that suit mining equipment for surface and underground mines throughout Australia is ever-growing based on new client requirements.
Bedrock Mining Equipment is always here to answer your questions and provide any information you may need.
www.bedrockme.com.au
PIMS GROUP ASIA PACIFIC
WHAT IS COAL? • Coal is a non-renewable fossil fuel that was formed in the earth over hundreds of millions of years. It derives from sedimentary rock formed by the remains of ancient organisms and organic plant matter. This matter decomposes very slowly and creates peat bogs, which in turn transform into coal when subjected to extremely high levels of pressure and heat. • Coal is formed into underground “seams” or “beds”, and these can be as large as 1,500 kilometres long and 30 metres thick. • Coal is rich in carbon and hydrocarbons; it is combustible and can be burned as a fuel to generate electrical power.
“As a business, we are heartened that the profile of our industry is starting to progress for all the right reasons with a focus on the value generated,” he adds. It is the unwavering goal of PIMS to provide industry-leading support services to stakeholders by living by its five team values of professionalism, loyalty and commitment, integrity, mutual respect, and awareness.
A GUARANTEE OF RELIABILITY PIMS has worked diligently to become an experienced underground mining contractor specialising in underground coal projects and excelling in delivering quality people, equipment, and innovative solutions for its business partners. “We have amassed a proud history of developing long-term relationships with our major clients by providing win-win solutions,” Watson excites. Over the last decade, PIMS has successfully won 20 contracts
throughout Queensland and NSW, nine of which were awarded within two years of expanding into the latter region. “Our reputation of reliability and productivity with our clients permeates our employees,” he asserts. PIMS offers services across all aspects of underground coal mining, including roadway development, longwall mining, outbye services, conveyor installation, and ventilation and secondary support. Complemented by equipment hire, engineering, and professional consulting divisions, the company provides clients with end-toend service delivery comprising everything from discrete work scopes to whole-of-mine services. A key area of differentiation from its competitors is PIMS’ specialised knowledge of place change mining services, a key growth area for the business and an area where it anticipates the industry will continue
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to grow as reserves not amenable to longwall mining are reassessed for viability with modern, high-capacity cut and flit mining. Furthermore, the company has expertly developed a significant amount of in-house, specialised knowledge of the mining equipment, systems, and processes that deliver safe, productive cut and flit systems.
PROVIDING EXPERTISE AND SUPPORT Most recently, PIMS has been awarded two whole-of-mine contracts to deliver place change mining services. These projects mark the culmination of a strategic decision the business made to build the technical capability in-house to operate the mines and formulate a value proposition for the client who made PIMS the service provider of choice for place change mining. Simultaneously, the company has worked closely with its clients
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for both operations to understand their exact requirements and design an engagement that meets every specific need. “One of the really exciting projects we are working on at the moment is our partnership with Coal Services to develop a virtual reality (VR) training package for application at our place change operations,” Watson elaborates. “Given that we have recruited team members for these operations with varying levels of exposure to the mining method, we determined early on that we would need to develop a training system that enabled employees to be trained in the mining method and the potential hazards that are unique to this method of mining,” he tells us. Now nearing the final stages of this project, PIMS is beginning preparation for the roll-out of this initiative across its sites. Elsewhere, the company has a
generous contribution programme that supports several organisations based in the communities in which it operates. From local sporting clubs to the Australian Street Aid Project, the business likes to re-invest in supporting the associations and charities that provide aid for the communities where PIMS’ clients are based and where its employees reside. “We sponsor a variety of organisations to directly support the regions local to us. Our team is made of Queenslanders and New South Welshmen, so supporting local charities strengthens the communities we were raised in.” PIMS also supports CQ Rescue, a community-funded rescue helicopter service based in Mackay, which provides a lifeline to anyone, anywhere, at any time across Central and North Queensland. Without CQ Rescue, many lives would be lost or changed forever.
PIMS GROUP ASIA PACIFIC
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SHAPING A NEW GENERATION OF EXPERTS PIMS believes that its business plays a vital role in bringing new talent into the industry, and the company has a resolute commitment to supporting people who reside locally to the operations it partners with. “One aspect of our employment opportunities we have placed particular focus on and are really proud of is the new to industry programmes we run across our projects,” Watson explains. “Some of these programmes are administered in-house and for others, PIMS partners with clients to offer opportunities and pathways into the industry for people from diverse backgrounds and industries,” he continues. “It is really heartening to see these employees progress from their first days on a site through to the multiskilled and professional underground mineworkers they become at the end of their programme.”
FUTURE OF AUSTRALIAN COAL Resources industry experts predict that global demand for Australian coal will continue to expand well beyond 2030, assuring the future of coal in Australia. Additionally, the consumption of coal and demand for products is estimated to grow in the coming years, particularly in China, South Korea, and India. The Australian coal mining industry is committed to continuing to meet demands for enough products internationally, providing local employment opportunities, and further boosting the nation’s economy. To this day, coal generates billions of dollars for federal and state governments in the form of taxes and royalties, and the coal mining industry employs more than 50,000 Australians, a sector that PIMS is proud to be a part of. “After a period of rapid growth
in 2023, our strategic focus for this year is to optimise our current suite of projects and continue to deliver on our commitments to our clients,” Watson concludes.
Tel: 07 4969 3900 admin@pimsgroup.com.au
pimsgroup.com.au
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HEAD OFFICE MacKay 43 Evans Avenue North Mackay QLD 4740 Tel: 07 4969 3900 admin@pimsgroup.com.au pimsgroup.com.au
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