Belt Wise managing director Beau Wise explains to ABHR why the company set up a PNG division.
From gold and copper to agricultural commodities, Papua New Guinea (PNG) relies heavily on conveyors, loaders, specialised vehicles, and materials handling systems to keep product moving from pit to port.
Yet while the need for bulk handling infrastructure is undeniable, the market has long lacked something just as critical: local, on-the-ground expertise.
For many operators, equipment supply and technical support has traditionally come from offshore, often from Australia, the United States, or China. That gap in direct expertise was a key driver behind Belt Wise’s decision to establish a dedicated PNG division.
Belt Wise managing director Beau Weiss said the move was both professional and deeply personal.
“My family, going back two generations, have been working in the mining sector in PNG, and my father was raised there,” Weiss said. “So, we have a personal attachment to the mining sector there and to the local communities. Professionally, I’ve always been involved with the PNG market, so because of those reasons, it became imperative for us to specifically branch out there.”
While many bulk handling companies seek competitive advantage through new technologies or proprietary systems, Weiss said Belt Wise identified a more fundamental opportunity: being present.
“From a conveyor perspective, there has historically been limited conveyor-specialist presence permanently based in PNG,” he said. “All of them work from afar. The major mines get their supply and expertise from companies based in Australia, America or China, but direct, on-site involvement is pretty much non existent.”
That absence, Weiss said, is not due to a lack of opportunity, but rather the challenges of operating in PNG. Geographic isolation, difficult terrain, security concerns, and complex social dynamics have made many companies reluctant to invest directly in the country. As a result, support is often reactive, remote, and delayed.
By establishing a physical presence in Port Moresby, Belt Wise has positioned itself as one of the only conveyor-focused materials handling company with boots on the ground in PNG.
“We’re the only company directly set up there offering that level of expertise,” Weiss said. “It’s a major point of difference for us. We identified an opportunity to strengthen on-the-ground conveyor expertise within the PNG market.”
Local presence, local people
Central to Belt Wise’s PNG strategy is its emphasis on local engagement and employment. Rather than operating as a fly-in, fly-out extension of its Australian business, the company has embedded itself within the local workforce and community.
“Our branch manager and business development manager are PNG born, bred, and raised,” Weiss said. “They’re heavily involved with the community, and they know the ins and outs of operating there. No one else in this sector, especially those working from afar, is utilising nationals to that extent.”
This local leadership model allows Belt Wise to navigate cultural, social and political complexities that can otherwise derail projects in PNG. Weiss noted that operating successfully in the country requires a different mindset to traditional Western markets.
“You have to be hypersensitive to the local communities, their wants and their needs, and what’s culturally respectable,” he said. “It’s just as important to engage with the community as it is the customer. Over there, villages and landowners are just as important as the mine operators themselves.”
To reinforce that commitment, Belt Wise allocates a percentage of its PNG sales back into communities surrounding mine sites. The company is also investing heavily in skills development, particularly in conveyor belt splicing and conveyor management, areas where local training opportunities have historically been limited.
“We’re providing an upskilling program around belt splicing and conveyor optimisation,” Weiss said. “We’re running a conveyor optimisation course at the Hilton PNG, which will give splicers, engineers, and maintenance teams access to training they simply don’t get otherwise.”
Beyond productivity gains, Weiss said the training focus is about safety and self-sufficiency.
“In Australia, you’ve got access to experts everywhere, especially in places like Perth,” he said. “Access to specialist conveyor expertise has traditionally required offshore support. Proper training improves safety and gives sites the ability to be more self-sufficient, which is critical given how remote many operations are.”
Operating at ground zero
One of the biggest advantages of Belt Wise’s PNG presence is its ability to respond in real time. Time zone differences, travel constraints, and logistics challenges often mean offshore support can take days or weeks to reach site.
“We’re at ground zero,” Weiss said. “That’s unheard of in PNG. Because we’re there, we can react immediately and operate far more effectively than companies trying to manage issues from another country.”
However, setting up locally has not been without its challenges. Weiss pointed to a complex operating environment requiring cultural understanding and careful engagement.
“It’s a complex environment,” he said. “You must navigate politics and tribal dynamics, and you need to take your time to engage correctly. Cultural respect and giving back to the community isn’t optional, it’s imperative.”
Despite those challenges, Weiss said the response from the market has exceeded expectations. Since establishing the division, Belt Wise has seen strong engagement not only from mine operators, but also from engineers and maintenance professionals eager for support.
“The PNG market is far more willing to engage than people realise,” he said. “There’s a perception that it’s difficult or closed off, but the reality is they want help. They want to optimise their operations and operate the way everyone else does. They just haven’t had access to that level of involvement before.”
Looking ahead
Although the PNG division has only been formally established for a matter of months, Belt Wise is already planning its next phase of growth. Given PNG’s challenging geography, Weiss expects future expansion to be site-centric rather than city-based.
“Rather than operating from a central branch like you would in Australia, it often makes more sense to integrate directly within a mine site,” he said. “That means having stock, engineering capability and people permanently based there.”
Such an approach, Weiss said, reduces risk, improves response times and avoids the logistical challenges of transporting equipment through logistically complex and geographically challenging terrain.”
As Belt Wise continues to build its footprint, the company’s ambition is clear: to become the go-to conveyor and materials handling specialist in PNG, while helping lift capability across the broader industry.
“We’re looking forward to furthering ourselves and the market over there,” Weiss said. “If we can bring the innovation, expertise and training that exists elsewhere into PNG, and do it in a way that benefits both industry and community, then that’s a win for everyone.”