| Specialised Vehicle Solutions LIVING UP TO THE NAME
Specialised Vehicle Solutions | LIVING UP TO THE NAME Specia unde rienc dedicated t customers.
| Specialised Vehicle Solutions www.jmcgroup.com.au alised Vehicle Solutions (SVS) is a privately-owned company with a commitment to the erground mining industry. Their professional team has more than 80 years combined expece in the design, manufacture, and support of underground mining products, and they are to utilising that experience to develop innovative solutions that exceed the expectations of .
Specialised Vehicle Solutions | COMPLETE SOLUTIONS “We build relationships with our customers because we live up to our company name,” explains Managing Director Mal Watkinson, one of the founders and owners of the company. “They come to us because we can solve some unique problem for them within their operation.” “We take one of our standard platforms, and we customise it to meet their requirements,” he adds. “Our success at that is why we’ve been successful, and why our relationships last.” Mal and his partner formed SVS is 2009, when they saw there was a need in the underground mining industry for better supported and more reliable ancillary equipment. In the years since, they have built a reputation for supplying that niche with affordable, trustworthy, and extremely robust machines, and for earning the loyalty of many industry players both domestically and overseas. Over the last couple of years, SVS has grown both their product line and their customer base. Today, their offering includes a
| Specialised Vehicle Solutions
Specialised Vehicle Solutions | wide range of undergroundmining products, exhaust system products, hydraulic breakers, mulchers, buckets, and specialty vehicles. Their international clientbase includes industry leaders such as BHP Billiton, Newmont Mining Corporation, Glencore Xstrata, MMG Limited, and Freeport Indonesia. According to Mal, most of those relationships go back to the company’s inception – BHP, for example, bought the company’s first machine in 2009, and are working with SVS on a newmachine today. Some relationships stretch back even further, and were developed during the Directors’ time at their previous company. When it comes to specialty vehicles, SVS can custom design and manufacture solutions that can meet the client’s specific desires and requirements. Their design capabilities include conversion designs, structural designs, detail drawings, electrical designs, component designs, prototyping, project concepts, project renderings, and more. By working closely with the customer at an early stage, SVS’ design solutions can take into account everything from functionality and ease of use, to ergonomics, accessibility, space utilisation, durability, serviceability, as well as anything else a client might look for or need.
| Specialised Vehicle Solutions EXPORT SUCCESS SVS also works closely with Caterpillar, a global forerunner in the manufacture of construction and mining equipment. Prior to founding SVS, Mal and his fellow owner worked in senior roles at Caterpillar, and they continue to incorporate time-tested Caterpillar components and systems into their product range. As a result, customers can be confident in the knowledge that they are purchasing an integrated solution that is powered by the world’s leading component manufacture. Caterpillar also has a global network of “unsurpassed parts and service support,” Mal says, so SVS customers can also be confident that their product will always be supported. They can rest assured that no matter where they are in the world, parts and service are never far away. The Australian Export Awards is a national program that recognises Australian companies engaged in international business, honouring those who have achieved sustainable growth through innovation and commitment. It is one of the longest running business awards programs in Australia, and is supported by many of Australia’s leading corporations, export facilitators, and indus-
Specialised Vehicle Solutions | try groups. At the 52nd Australian Export Awards, Specialised Vehicle Solutions was recognised as a National Finalist in the category for Minerals, Energy and Related Services. The Australian Export Awards operates as a two-tier process, where exporters first achieve distinction through their local State and Territory export award programs. In the case of Specialised Vehicle Solutions, they previously won the 2014 Tasmania Government Minerals Energy and Related Services Award. The company has won past industry accolades as well. At the 2012 Tasmanian Export Awards, for example, they took home the Ausindustry Manufacturer Award for Small to Medium Businesses. “It’s gratifying to be recognised as one of the premier exporters,” Mal says. “That gives us some more credibility on the world stage when we’re marketing product. It proves we’re not some backyard operation – it proves we know what we’re doing and we know how to do it right.” “When we talk with potential clients, it’s
| Specialised Vehicle Solutions good to have something to point to that says we’ve been recognised as a leading manufacturer and exporter in Australia.” Mal credits that leadership to SVS’ ongoing relationship with Caterpillar, and the “highCaterpillar content” of their machines. He reiterates that Caterpillar has a strong presence virtually all across the globe, so service and support of SVS’ products is within quick reach for all customers. “Dealer personnel are familiar with how to maintain and repair the product,” Mal says. “And our products have the same sort of touch and feel as a Caterpillar machine for the end user. So if they’re running other Caterpillar equipment, it’s not too different. It really simplifies things when it comes to training and operations.” Mal also credits the company’s ongoing success to SVS’ dedication to achieving customer satisfaction. “We build a product that meets customer expectations, and performs the task it needs to perform,” he says. “Our products are also built last. Our first machine at BHP has done over 10,000 hours now, and done it relatively
Specialised Vehicle Solutions | SUSTAINABLE GROWTH fault-free. So clients see a benefit in using our product, and they keep coming back.” SVS achieves that kind of reliability by following stringent in-house quality processes at every stage of the process, right from the design through to the final build of the product. “We 100 per cent test all of our machines,” Mal explains. “We have a detailed test process that the entire machine goes through prior to dispatch, and we make sure the machine can do what it needs to do.” “We also get the customer involved,” he adds. “We don’t just take an order from a customer, build a machine, and ship it to them sight unseen. Customers are involved from day one, so they get to review and sign off on our designs as we develop them. They make sure it’s going to meet their requirements.” Moving forward, Mal hopes to continue earning industry recognition as SVS continues to grow worldwide in a sustainable way. “The opportunities we’re trying to seize are across the globe, not localised to Australia or
| Specialised Vehicle Solutions even the Asia-Pacific area,” he says. To fuel that growth, SVS is looking at expanding their product line. In addition to building highly customised equipment specifically to customers’ orders, they are investing indeveloping a more generic platform, which they can build more significant volumes of. “This year, we’ll build a prototype of that platform,” Mal says. “We’ve done a lot the design work, and we’ve selected and ordered components so we can start building. At this point and time, we’re trying to identify customers to work with on that prototype.” Beyond that, Mal says SVS’ vision is to become a medium-to-large manufacturer that supplies a significant amount of equipment to the world market. “We’re passionate about our work, and we’d like to see our more of our product out there,” he concludes.
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