Miners don’t just require hard-working, reliable bulk handling tools to operate at scale, they also need to know with certainty that their machines are fit for purpose and that they have staff who are trained and ready to use them.
Lincom knows this only too well. It’s why company chief executive officer Stephen Watterson makes it clear that customers are never on their own. Rather, Lincom acts as a knowledge partner for every transaction, leveraging its experience to offer expert advice long after a sale is completed.
This same customer focus has led to Lincom offering free and low-cost training to its clients and their staff.
“The after-sales support we give is second to none,” he told PNG Mining. “This sees us provide technical support over the phone; it’s support from the sales representatives, and it’s on-the-ground support whenever that’s needed.”
Watterson represents the second generation of leadership of a company founded by his father Roy in 1995. Lincom supplies the mining, quarry, forestry, waste, and recycling industries with screening, crushing, and bulk handling equipment, and has operations throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Pacific Islands.
Watterson said the company’s mission is to solve material processing needs through a focus on production safety and efficiency, maximising clients’ return on investment.
“We are dedicated to providing continued customer support long after the equipment has been delivered, installed, and commissioned,” he said. “We are on-hand for all of the equipment lifecycle, from spare parts and service through to machine rebuilds.”
Lincom has adopted this service philosophy since its inception 30 years ago, and these principles have inspired the company’s new training facility.
Launched in mid-2024 and based at the company’s Brisbane headquarters, the Lincom Training Institute offers exclusive learning opportunities for staff of Lincom clients.
Watterson calls the institute a “game-changer”, particularly for the company’s PNG-based clients. It offers hands-on training tailor-made for the specific equipment in use or requested by the client.
Students learn via an exact replica of the target machine’s dashboard, through the same configuration as they use on their site. They get the full control-room experience in a managed environment designed to get them up to speed both quickly and safely.
The courses, from one to three days in length, offer full certification to successful participants. This provides a great incentive for staff to be involved, as the transferrable certification stays with them throughout their career.
Clients, meanwhile, also have a great deal to gain, with the training itself and on-site catering coming at no cost.
Clients do organise transport and accommodation for their participating staff, but there’s nothing further to invest in getting staff job-ready and able to safely operate a machine from day one.
“We focus on hands-on practical training, utilising interactive learning methods and equipment mock-ups for a comprehensive learning experience,” Watterson said.
“Whether a client is looking to upskill their team, familiarise them with new equipment, or optimise the performance of an asset, the Training Institute is perfectly placed to help them achieve that goal.”
Great value for PNG operations
The Training Institute has run more than 30 courses since launching in May last year, benefitting clients from all over Australia. The first PNG-based client is set to take advantage with a tailored training program in the third quarter of 2025.
And while the travel costs for this endeavour will sit with the client, they are more than compensated by the premium training outcomes.
“This kind of training set-up is extremely rare in Australia, PNG, and globally,” Watterson said.
“The outlay for clients is tiny compared to the expertise that can be injected into the workforce, and the peace of mind that can bring to a remote mining project.”
It’s not just the Training Institute coaches who are experts across Lincom’s portfolio of equipment and solutions, but Watterson said all of the company’s sales team have previous experience working with the machines they supply.
“Most of our sales representatives are trade-qualified ex-fitters,” he said. “They’re regularly visiting our clients in PNG and are able to respond to any issues they have quickly and with that real-world expertise.”
It all adds up to a celebrated reputation for Lincom, which is known for its experienced team of real-world problem solvers providing unparalleled service and support. And that reputation in turn, is being recognised on the regional and even global stages.
Powerscreen, one of the original equipment manufacturers that Watterson’s company supports, named Lincom its Global Dealer of the Year in 2024. Lincom was also named Global Leader in Marketing; Global Leader in Training Engagement; and Regional Dealer of the Year for Asia and Australia.
Watterson said the four awards represented more than trophies on a shelf.
“When you get these awards from a company like Powerscreen, that has as many dealers as they have, that acknowledgement goes a long way,” he said.
“These awards are a true testament to the passion and resilience of our entire team. They represent our commitment to pushing boundaries, delivering exceptional value, and creating a lasting impact in our industry.”
Industry acknowledgement also plays a role in keeping Watterson and his team focused on what’s ahead.
“Talk is cheap, but customers want to see us always going to the next level. They want to see the value-add,” Watterson said. “So we’re back at it in 2025, loving the hard work and the challenge of keeping our clients’ operations moving forward.”
This feature was published in the August-September issue of the PNG Mining Magazine.