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Wholly Australian owned and operated business PlantMiner, has risen above the downturn of the mining and construction sectors to become an instant success story in the hire plant and equipment industry.
Launched just 12 weeks ago, PlantMiner.com.au has attracted more than 1,500 registered searchers, with a staggering 45,000 pieces of plant and equipment available for hire.
PlantMiner.com.au is the first search portal to offer a comprehensive range of plant and equipment for hire and has seen the big players in the mining, resources, and construction sectors making the most of the website, including ProBuild Civil, Civmec Construction Engineering, John Holland, Downer Group, Abigroup, Leighton Holdings, and Hutchinson Builders, to name a few.
Dean Hooker from ProBuild Civil, said that short-term contracts are proving more cost effective, and PlantMiner.com.au has tapped into a market trend that will appeal across a number of struggling sectors.
“Given the current economic climate, PlantMiner.com.au has provided us with a more efficient way of searching, comparing, and securing plant and equipment for hire in a hurry,” Mr Hooker said.
“In the past, it has taken us several days researching on Google, the Yellow Pages, the White Pages, and on the phone to find local suppliers – but with this service it only takes minutes.
“There are suppliers on the database that we had never heard of and would never have been able to find if it wasn’t for PlantMiner.com.au.
Michael Trusler, CEO
“It’s a great connection between the demand vs. the supply, and it’s something that we will definitely be utilising from here on in.”
The ‘quote request’ function on the website, enables users to specify their exact hire requirements, including hire duration, specific features, attachments and even request a machine operator.
Since its addition to the website six weeks ago, almost $25 million worth of plant and equipment hire enquiries have been made direct with to more than 750 plant and equipment hire companies listed with the site.
The success of the website will soon be supported by a PlantMiner.com.au smart-phone app with CEO, Michael Trusler, recognising that key decision-makers need mobile access to the database.
“In creating PlantMiner.com.au, I wanted to cut down on the complexity of finding precisely the right piece of equipment needed for hire,” Mr Trusler said.
‘‘Enquiries and quote requests are sent directly to the supplier in real-time via email and SMS, which means searchers can receive an immediate response from a range of suppliers, from all locations.
‘‘Searchers, from construction managers through to mum and dads, are now able to log on to our website, and our smart-phone app soon, and find everything they need for the job at hand in a hurry.
“Searchers can also find out more about the plant and equipment hire companies with the click of a button – the PlantMiner.com.au portal lists all of the relevant contact details of its suppliers, including phone numbers and physical locations.”
Michael’s own frustrations finding the right mining plant and equipment for hire, prompted him to develop his own solution and he has plans to expand the brand across complementary sectors.
