Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you couldn’t have missed that July was a big month for celebrating industry. The Bowen Basin Mining Club hosted the biennial Queensland Mining Awards, as part of the already-significant Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition in Mackay.
There was such a great atmosphere at QME – a real ‘buzz’ while everyone from small business to multinationals enjoyed the experience of getting out and about at a trade show once again. Who could forget the blue fuzzy ‘Safety Monster’, dreamed up by Mackay business 4PS Software!? And of course, the chance to frock up for the night for the Awards is always spectacular, as the MECC transforms into a gala destination.
It was certainly mentioned at QME that the signs of a boom were around – big gear being trucked in by Caterpillar, Komatsu and Kinetic, plus a great corporate and site-based staff presence.
It’s two years until we get to do all of that again – and while I don’t have a crystal ball to see where the industry will be by then – there are two lessons we can take away from a successful QME and Awards season.
The first is to remember that behind every business deal, partnership or new product is a team of people. The expo and Awards lifted spirits, generated leads, but importantly reminded everyone (after a lonely few years of doing business via Zoom) that there are other humans at the end of our working relationships. So if you go straight back to the Zoom life, let this be your prompt to reach out and get together face-to-face with a real person every so often. It’s good for you and it’s good for business!
And the second is a rightful sense of regional pride. Multiple regional Queensland businesses were named Awards finalists for their innovation and dedication to safety and productivity – from Mackay’s Manuplex, BlackRock Mining and SMW Group to Toowoomba’s KAM Mining Products. Regional exhibitors at QME held their own and presented some excellent products and demonstrations, showcasing what we do best. It’s the reason why I love putting the Bowen Basin industry on display however I can – we’re a friendly, clever bunch of people who see a problem and solve it.
In my opinion, there’s no better place to do business.
Jodie Currie
Director, Bowen Basin Mining Club
