[hr]The inaugural Queensland Mining Contractor Awards are just around the corner, creating a buzz in one of this State’s most important industry sectors. Organiser, Jodie Currie from the Bowen Basin Mining Club gives her take on what the Awards are setting out to achieve.[hr]
[insert_menu title=”Menu”] [link to=”Judging Panel”]Judging Panel[/link] [link to=”The Big Night”]The Big Night[/link] [link to=”About The Awards”]About The Awards[/link] [/insert_menu]After a tough couple of years, standout contractors have adapted and delivered real outcomes for mining, exploration and production companies, especially in Queensland.
The idea for the Queensland Mining Contractor Awards came from recognition of the fact that the best mining contractors do much more than complete projects on time and in budget.
Mining contractors drive innovation in our sector as they compete to get their projects completed safer, smarter, faster and more efficiently. The Awards are a chance for these companies to showcase their achievements and be recognised for the improvements they bring to the mining industry in Queensland.
Contracted projects in Queensland are managed by some of the smartest operators in the world.
The mission of the Bowen Basin Mining Club (BBMC) is simple: to open a communication pipeline for contractors and suppliers across all facets of the Bowen Basin mining sector.
There are two important aspects to the Club – contacts and collaboration.
For any contractor, large or small, getting face-to-face with key movers and shakers and building the right network is priceless. Just meeting one person who can give you the right name for a new contract or opportunity can boost a business from break-even to breakthrough.
But then imagine the potential in a room full of contractors and suppliers, where six times a year you get to get together with new and existing networks to talk shop. Talking to someone who’s been where you have or who is where you want to be and swapping ideas with them – you can’t beat that for business development.
When contractors get together to share their ideas around innovation and best practice while making genuine connections…that’s where the real magic happens. In fact, it was out of one of these meetings that the inaugural BBMC Mining Contractor Awards was born.
There we were, a regional communications firm and the director of a networking organisation, talking about how contractors need to be recognised for their achievements.
And before you could say ‘let’s make this happen’, one thing led to another and here we are, with the first Awards in the midst of being judged ahead of their presentation at the Queensland Mining Exhibition (QME), in Mackay this July.
The resource sector contractor and supplier market is a fascinating place, and in some ways contractors can be greatly underestimated. The companies that are innovative, flexible and dynamic often contribute to mining operations in extraordinary ways. These are the guys that react to market conditions and get projects completed safely, faster, smarter and more efficiently.
This is the rationale behind the various categories of the Mining Contractor Awards – we couldn’t possibly just pick one area of excellence for mining contractors. The Awards focus on innovations, processes and best practice, all the way from Tier 1 contractors right down to mum-and-dad operations.
Gearhard Ziems, BMA’s Head of Finance, spoke at our Moranbah luncheon in March, and a huge part of his speech focused on how important it is to be operating in a cost-efficient environment.
Contractors across the country are undertaking cost saving initiatives to make their offering more attractive and win work, more likely a way of life in our current market. But documenting these cost saving processes and initiatives, entering Awards and even winning a category could make a massive difference to their business prospects going forward. Imagine being able to put on your next tender that you were the winner of the Queensland Mining Contractor Cost Saving Initiative Award. Not too many procurement officers would argue with that!
But it’s not all about money – there are categories for time saving initiatives, new technology and project innovation, community or staff engagement, and equal opportunity initiatives.
I could go on all day about the brilliant contractors and suppliers out there and the opportunities that are available to them by entering the Awards. But unfortunately, the Awards have closed to entries for this year as of April 30th.
If you’ve missed out, there’s still a chance to come along to the Awards Dinner during QME in Mackay in July. Maybe you can be in the room with these contractors and swap stories…who knows what might happen from there, and that’s the whole point![top][hr]
[title from=”Judging Panel”]Judging Panel[/title]
Trevor Davies
Trevor Davies, former Chief Executive Officer of Golding Contractors Pty Ltd and a Civil Engineer by profession, is now semi-retired maintaining consultancy work with the construction and mining industries. Over the course of his career Mr Davies held senior roles with Leighton Contractors, Transfield and John Holland. Mr Davies has overseen many significant projects including the Skitube (near Thredbo), Pacific Motorway and Pacific Highway upgrades, Sun Metals Zinc Refinery, Boyne Island Expansion and the expansions at Ensham, Gregory and Hail Creek Mines. Mr Davies knows how contractors operate and will bring a practical approach to judging entries.
Michael Gray
Michael Gray is an executive leader in the mining industry and the Managing Director of Bandanna Energy. Prior to his current appointment, Mr Gray was Chief Executive Officer of Middlemount Coal Pty Ltd, where he took the first greenfield coal project developed in Queensland since 2007 from exploration phase to an operational mine. With more than 20 years experience in the planning and development of major mining infrastructure projects, including high-level involvement in resource feasibility and development, project finance, project execution, environmental management and native title issues, Mr Gray will bring a sharp-eye, lateral approach and real world context scrutiny to find the best entries.
Jan Anfrans
Jan Anfruns has recently joined the Queensland State Government in the role of Principal Economic Development Officer – Process Specialist, based with the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning in Mackay. Until recently, Jan was Director of a local firm working across government and the mining industry specialising in stakeholder engagement, economic development and local procurement particularly in the Bowen Basin. Mrs Anfruns has held high-level roles across local government including Executive Director and Regional Director of Governance and Community Services. She has over 20 years experience in the mining sector across the areas of HR and HSEC, in particular stakeholder management, economic and community development for BHP Billiton and supply chain processes for Anglo American Metallurgical Coal. Her grass-roots knowledge and forward thinking will test the sustainability of project entries and their benefits to the broader industry and supply chain.
Leave the steel-capped boots and hi-vis at home – the inaugural Queensland Mining Contractor Awards is your chance to dress up nice for a night on the town! The winners of the awards will be announced at a gala presentation dinner to be held on Wednesday 23rd July 2014 at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre. Pre-dinner drinks will begin at 6pm.
Awards Presentation Dinner tickets are available for $170pp or $1600 for a table of 10. The entry price includes a 3 course meal, beverage package, live entertainment, MC, awards ceremony and more.
Tickets are selling fast so be quick to book Visit https://bbminingclub.com/awards/ for more details on how to book.
[top][hr] [title from=”About The Awards”]About The Awards[/title]The QLD Mining Contractor Awards are designed to recognise project excellence and achievements particular to the unique and highly competitive work environment of industry contractors.
Award winners will be announced at a presentation dinner on Wednesday 23 July 2014 in conjunction with the Queensland Mining Exhibition (QME) held in Mackay. Profiles on the winners will be published in the next edition of Queensland Mining and Energy Bulletin.
The Awards will highlight and reward contractors who have demonstrated operational excellence in relation to:
- improved efficiencies in project timeframe deliverables
- improved efficiencies in project budget management
- improved relationships.
Awards will be presented in the following categories:
Greyhound Resources
COST SAVING INITIATIVE:
The most cost effective, value for money project OR innovation/process which resulted in a significant reduction in initial budgets (or estimates).
Autocorner
TIME SAVING INITIATIVE:
The project completed within the best timeframes OR innovation/process which resulted in a significant reduction in initial estimated timeframes.
JCB Construction Equipment Australia
PROJECT INNOVATION:
The most original and ground-breaking approach to a project including new concept, technology and/or innovative process that was instrumental in increasing operational efficiency or project delivery.
CMC
COMMUNITY OR STAFF ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE:
The most outstanding community or internal consultation and engagement project that helped to facilitate successful completion of a project.
Generic Induction Safety Program
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY INITIATIVE:
The most outstanding initiative to promote equal opportunity (whether indigenous, women in mining or community initiative).
Queensland Mining & Energy Bulletin
CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR
This winner will be selected from category finalists/winners above.
QME
BEST PRODUCT LAUNCH
Please note you must be a 2014 QME Exhibitor to enter this category. A separate submission form and judging criteria also applies.
The Government backs a winner
The Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDIP) has officially recognised that the Queensland Mining Contractor Awards closely aligns with their goals in working with local resource sector suppliers.
Nikki Wright, the DSDIP’s Regional Director – North, says that local businesses shouldn’t neglect the opportunity to be recognised on a statewide platform, especially during an event as significant as QME.
“The local DSDIP industry development team’s role is to help businesses to profile their strengths and demonstrate their capabilities and performance, along with improving the integrity of their management systems. The function of the BBMC and the Awards is very closely aligned with these goals and we are active in supporting great industry initiatives.”
Jodie Currie said the State Government’s support is direct evidence that the resource sector is holding up as one of Queensland’s ‘Four Pillar’ industries.
“The DSDIP does great work in encouraging local businesses to define their capabilities and take advantage of supply chain opportunities, and the Mining Contractor Awards take this one step further by recognising their efforts.”
“In supporting the Mining Contractor Awards, the State Government is giving a real-world explanation of how they plan to empower the resource industry.”
“The current state of the contractor market means that businesses have to innovate in order to meet market expectations and drive down costs. But with the backing of programs like the DSDIP’s Accessing Supply Chain Opportunities (ASCO) initiative, these innovations can actually be turned into a market advantage.”
“Whether they realise it or not, contractors are already undertaking many initiatives to make their offering more attractive. They also have the flexibility to be dynamic to provide service which reflects current market realities”, said Ms Currie.
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