When Terry Danda of Bunhu Mining relocated from Zimbabwe to Australia, he had to start from scratch with very little help on the equipment procurement front. Now, with the assistance of Yellowgate, his dedication and hard work is paying off in a big way.
As any business owner in the earthmoving and mining industries will tell you, getting equipment procurement right is a cornerstone for sustained success.
But for some, doing all the right things is not always enough. Some have to go the extra mile and work harder than the rest to get the results they need.
Terry is a perfect example. Since coming to Australia several years ago, he has had to do many things the hard way.
“I started my business here in Australia in 2017 as a sole trader, but I’ve worked in the industry since 2003,” he says.
“I’m a qualified boiler maker, but when I first moved to Australia, I couldn’t get any work doing that. So, I started doing little bits of everything – working as a bricky’s labourer, doing home renovations, gardening, fencing, and roofing.
“I raised money to start buying earthmoving gear. I was buying equipment from farms down south, refurbishing it and using it.”
Digging deep
Off the back of his hard work, Terry laid the foundations of Bunhu Mining, which now offers a wide range of services.
“We do mining, haulage, crushing, processing, civil works, a bit of construction, and we’re working on starting a full-blown marine side too,” he says.
“I started doing earthmoving and demolition first. From there, I bought trucks and got into civil works in Marble Bar, WA in 2020.
“I got a contract to do mining and haulage in Port Hedland, then expanded into processing and crushing, as well as major civil works.
“We’ve done some very rewarding jobs as a contractor for Main Roads WA projects, including for major civil company Fulton Hogan.”
Despite setbacks, the business has grown quickly – but much of that can be attributed to Terry’s wealth of experience.
“I used to run a business back in Zimbabwe, where I ran about 26 haulage trucks, carting coal, grain, and general goods,” he says. “I also have experience doing site works for acreage properties, as well as demolition and earthworks.”
In getting the Bunhu Mining business off the ground, Terry says his equipment procurement options were limited. As a result, everything was financed off his own back – raising money and funnelling it back into the business.
“Whatever money I was being paid was going back into Bunhu Mining, because as such a new business, my other options were limited,” Terry says.
“That changed in 2019 when I started getting a bit of funding. I was able to buy some small earthmoving gear to do some demolition work, but still needed to find another solution to help keep the business growing.”
This process of hard work kept Terry going, but it still felt a little like treading water.
Things turned a corner when Yellowgate entered the picture. With its versatile rent-to- buy options, backed by industry knowledge, Yellowgate turned out to be just the right solution for Terry’s business.
And in the past few years, the two businesses have worked together to acquire four pieces of equipment, with more on the horizon.
“Yellowgate is structured in a way that they are very flexible, and willing to go that extra mile,” Terry says.
He says this is owing to the Yellowgate team’s understanding of the industry, and a willingness to see the bigger picture. This means the kinds of work Bunhu Mining is undertaking, which Terry says is tied to some very stable resources markets, is factored into the equation.
“There’s a high demand for iron ore, as well as for lithium,” he says. “There’s a lot of jobs that need doing, and that could keep us busy for up to four years.
But nowadays it can be very difficult to find equipment solutions backed by common sense.
“For some, procuring equipment is just about numbers and spreadsheets. They haven’t been on the ground to see what’s really happening. But Yellowgate speaks the language of the earthmoving and mining industries, and is willing to provide an ear.
“And for any business owner who can take an opportunity like that and use it wisely, they can very quickly build something successful.”
About Yellowgate
Yellowgate Group is a versatile company offering equipment rentals across various sectors including construction, civil, mining, agriculture, transport, and manufacturing.
It is known for providing quick and easy rental solutions, catering to a wide range of industry needs.
Yellowgate’s “Rent Now, Buy Later” offering is designed to maximise flexibility for businesses of any size and shape.
The process is a matter of three simple steps:
- You specify the equipment you need, or Yellowgate can help source it
- Yellowgate purchases the equipment and rents it to you
- At the end of the rental term, you can Rent, Recontract, Purchase or Return the equipment.
To find out how you can leverage Yellowgate’s service on your nextproject, visit: www yellowgategroup.com.au