PBE Group is renowned across Australia for its in-house power solutions and unfaltering cable services for the country’s mining industry. Managing Director, David Meyn, and Group Vice President, Steve Christie, tell us more.
MINING’S TRUSTED TURNKEY PROVIDER
As Australia’s one-stop shop for mining services, PBE Group (PBE) provides a diverse range of electrical products and solutions which cater for mining, tunnelling, and heavy industry and infrastructure projects.
Due to the company’s strategic geographical location, PBE’s team specialises in delivering turnkey, high-voltage infrastructure, spanning a plethora of services including design, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning across the resources sector, heavy industry, and government activities.
As such, its in-house capabilities shine through as the company’s defining differentiator in the saturated landscape of Australian mining services. Additionally, PBE prides itself on its ability to simply get the job done efficiently and quickly, through close collaboration with clients.
“We often enter into a partnership arrangement with our clients to ensure that we both go in the same direction with the project and get the required results,” opens Group Vice President of PBE, Steve Christie.
MAINTAINING GROWTH
PBE as a group consists of three subsectors that cover the needs of the entire mining industry, from generators to communications. A division of the group, PBE Rutherford (Rutherford) was first acquired by PBE in 2018 to expand the entity’s capabilities.
Previously, Rutherford had been an active part of the Australian mining landscape for approximately 30 years. Initially starting with cable repairs, the division flourished with its cable services before expanding into manufacturing with greater projects.
Today, PBE is riding on a wave of prosperity as the nation’s mining industry enjoys a current boom after taking a dip in previous years.
“I’ve been in this industry for three decades and it’s the busiest I’ve ever seen it,” Managing Director, David Meyn tells us.
As a testament to the frequency of the company’s projects and operations, PBE has branched out into other industries in the last year, including the closure of a power station, which further involved a bypass and switch-out installation.
This was a highly significant operation as it meant the company could transition into the energy market, with the first 330 kilovolt (kV) project to be completed by PBE.
“The fact that the closure was outside of the coal industry is a gamechanger for our organisation, as it opens us up to the energy market,” Meyn adds.
Furthermore, this particular project signified a step towards renewable energy for PBE, as the coal-fired power station is set to become a renewable energies hub and pave the way for other sustainable and environmentally-friendly projects.
Greater expansion is also evident in the development of its manufacturing workshop, which has resulted in substantial contractual partnerships with some notable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of mining machinery, including Sandvick Mining and many other key players.
TOP-QUALITY TURNKEY SOLUTIONS
PBE goes above and beyond to ensure that each project exceeds client expectations and further bolsters its reputation with in-house, industry-leading mining and engineering capabilities.
“PBE is a turnkey solutions provider – whatever the need is, we have experts arrive on-site and provide the full solution from design, supply, construction, and conditioning, through to ongoing maintenance,” highlights Meyn.
“We pride ourselves on getting things right, as we support our products in the market and are not scared to address any issues that arise, which is one of the many reasons why we have lots of return business,” Christie proudly tells us.
One particular project is Whitehaven Coal’s Narrabri mine, in which PBE partnered with Narrabri Coal Operations to design, install and construct a 66kV switching station as part of an upgrade to the existing facility. Thanks to PBE’s diligent and comprehensive services, the mine entry point now has greater protection and a consistent supply to the existing underground longwall face.
Even though the overall timeline for the Narrabri mine occasionally proved challenging, the project was completed to the utmost health and safety standards, achieving no hazards, equipment damage, or injuries throughout.
Moreover, the design and installation process was completed to the highest standard and within a good timeframe, subsequently having attentive and efficient follow-ups and maintenance services conducted by the PBE team.
“PBE is a turnkey solutions provider – whatever the need is, we have experts arrive on-site and provide the full solution”
Steve Christie, Group Vice President, PBE Group
GOING GREEN
As the company looks ahead to 2024, the Australian renewable energy sector is a great priority. Already, PBE is very conscious of its environmental footprint, as it is a proactive player within the corporate government model for larger businesses that encapsulates environmental monitoring of waste output and recycling.
“We operate a ‘cradle-to-grave’ model, where we ensure the sustained efficiency of a cable we have supplied, right through its lifecycle, to the point where it can’t be repaired.
“Subsequently, we recycle our cables in a specialised facility, where the different metals are processed, rather than going through a run-of-the-mill processing plant,” Meyn explains.
“There is currently a major focus on energy sustainability, as the Australian power network is stretched due to outdated and aging infrastructure. Therefore, the government is encouraging entry into the green engineering space,” Christie informs us.
As the company begins to plan for next year, PBE’s priority is to provide a secure supply of power to its customers across the nation, which can be achieved with a quality service offering as seen in its ability to design, build, deliver, and install critical solutions.
PBE GROUP PARTNER
