In it for the long haul

Martinus’ drive to provide customer-centric support is seeing the newcomer make waves in the Australian resources industry.

Mining isn’t just confined to the mine.

After all, mined product needs to travel from pit to port, and what better way to ensure that product travels in style than by rail?

In an effort to help mines get product to port seamlessly, Martinus has made railways its business.

The company’s vertically integrated model allows it to develop, build, own, operate and maintain railways, ensuring its clients get long-term solutions and support.

It’s all part of Martinus’ commitment to providing solutions-driven services.

“The Australian rail industry is positioned perfectly for modernisation,” Martinus national business development manager Lee Morrissey told Australian Mining.

“It’s the right time for a player like Martinus to come in with brand-new rolling stock that offers the next calibre of reliability.”

Martinus general manager – haulage Nathan Spicer told Australian Mining that the company has invested substantially in new locomotives to deliver more tonnes to port.

“Technology is a big focus for us at the moment,” Spicer said. “Eventually, we will be investing in battery locomotives.

“For now, we have no legacy issues to contend with, being a new business, so we are able to bring in diesel engines of a higher standard.”

This position is resonating well with Martinus customers, who are on the lookout for reliable new assets.

“Customer centricity is one of the pillars that we’ve based our solutions on,” Morrissey said.

“One of the things we’re demonstrating to customers straight up is that everything we do with them is a partnership. We sit with the customer from the start and look at solutions, and what’s going to benefit their business.

“If we set up the business this way, it means the ongoing support can be based on a genuine partnership.”

With 50 or more years of combined industry knowledge, Morrissey, Spicer and the wider Martinus team are in prime position to drive the company forward.

“I came on board back in October 2023 to head up and run the haulage part of the business,” Spicer said.

“Martinus was setting up a hauling business to start selling from scratch and I was keen to get involved.”

Morrissey’s journey followed a similar trajectory.

“I have spent years in the customer and business development spaces, and when I was approached for a job with Martinus it was too good of an opportunity to pass up,” he said.

“I saw this as the next chapter in my career and I jumped at it.”

This experience and drive to make haulage easier for the customer has translated to some positive results.

Both Morrissey and Spicer said the feedback the team has received from the market has been refreshing, giving the company confidence about its timing.

“We’re confident we understand the market, and the market is confident we understand it, too,” Morrissey said.

For the past six months, Martinus has been working with rollingstock manufacturers to design, develop and construct new assets which will add value to the Australian market.

Delivery of these modern assets can take upwards of 24 months to get stock built, and Martinus doesn’t want its customers to wait.

“We work with the customer to understand what the best consist (a group of rail vehicles that make up a train) is for them, rather than just trying to make something work,” Spicer said. “We get them involved in the supply chain.

“We ask questions to understand the motive behind their choices and design the rolling stock around that.”

It’s a time-intensive process, but one the Martinus team is happy to undertake.

“We are already recognised as trusted rail experts, and as we expand into new areas, we remain committed to being exceptional partners in every endeavour,” Morrissey said.

“Adding genuine value right from the get-go is important – we don’t just approach customers; we approach people who we believe we can help from a railway perspective.”

Currently based in Queensland, Martinus is looking to expand its reach across Australia in the coming years.

“When we’re speaking to customers, their needs are what we focus on, not their location,” Spicer said. “We’re a small team now, but we’re growing, and we’re offering something different to the market.

“But primarily, we’re customer-focused. That’s what’s going to take us far.”

This feature appeared in the October 2024 issue of Australian Mining.