DINGO mines opportunity from resources downturn

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MINING software developer Dingo is reporting an upswing in business, despite the doom and gloom that continues to plague the resources sector. The Australian METs company, which manages more than $7B of assets globally for its clients, is benefiting from a combination of industry cost-cutting and growth in international business.

Dingo CEO Paul Higgins explained that an increasing number of mining companies in Australia and overseas wanted to regain control of the maintenance and repair of their heavy equipment – which was something his firm could help with.

“During the peak periods, mining companies are happy to hand over their MARC (maintenance and repair contract) agreements to other companies and pay a premium for the service,” he said. “But during downturns like this, miners are looking to cut costs in any way they can. They stand to save about 40 per cent by managing their own heavy machinery and our technology and systems help them to do it.” Dingo’s software allows its customers to closely monitor the health and performance of their equipment, and identifies necessary steps to ensure their assets are operating at peak level. This significantly improves productivity and delivers significant savings.

Mr Higgins said the company had secured almost $700,000 in new business out of Latin America, the United States and Canada in recent weeks and was following up on several opportunities for new business in Latin America.

“We have had some big wins with major players like Newmont, Coeur Mining, and KGHM recently, and are very encouraged by the market conditions in Latin America. Things are certainly on the upswing,” he said.

Dingo recently launched a Spanish version of its Trakka software to help service the Latin American market and appointed Carlos Perez to the newly created position of International Partner Manager to generate new business.

Mr Perez – who recently returned from a four-week trip to Chili, Peru and Mexico – said there was a tremendous opportunity to help mines in Latin America implement predictive maintenance programs using Dingo’s industry leading technology. “Most of the companies that we spoke to had very little knowledge about what Australia or Queensland has to offer,” he said. “But there is definitely an appetite for new technology, as the Latin American sector is keen to find new ways of doing things more efficiently.” Mr Perez previously worked for Trade and Investment Queensland, with a focus on the export of mining and resources technology out of Australia. He has already established key partnerships on the ground in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru to help drive the business locally.

Mr Higgins, who was recently announced as a 2016 Northern Region Finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards, started Dingo from a Brisbane apartment more than 25 years ago. The company now spans three continents and delivers asset health solutions to mines across the globe.