Perth-based mining technology and services company, Essa Australia Limited, recently announced sales of $1.15 million worth of product and equipment to Russia and Kazakhstan.

This ASX-listed company provides a comprehensive range of sampling, sample preparation, metallurgical testing and pilot plant equipment.  Clients around the world include major international mining and engineering companies and analytical mineral laboratories.

Essa CEO Darryl Stevens said that Russia and Kazakhstan are exciting and rewarding markets for Australian companies. 

“I first visited this part of the world in the mid-nineties and the changes since then, particularly the infrastructure in Kazakhstan, have been enormous.” 

He said that the mining industry in Russia has moved ahead very quickly in the last couple of years. 

“Many international companies have recently established joint ventures and I could see it was time for Essa Australia to get much more actively involved in the Russian market.

We now have had an excellent distributor in Ekaterinburg and I wanted to support our agency on the ground, so I started visiting the country frequently.” 

In the last twelve months, he has made seven visits to Russia from his home base in Australia. “And our involvement has really paid off.”

Austrade’s office in Moscow, headed by Dan Tebbutt, assisted Essa in selling into the Russian and Kazakhstan markets.

“They were a big help to us,” Mr. Stevens said.

“Austrade was able to answer many queries I had about business developments in Russia, and they gave us assistance and advice about marketing — who to see and who to talk to — as well as a number of important introductions, particularly in Moscow.”

Mr. Stevens said that Austrade also helped Essa Australia in countless small, but important ways. “For example, the correct presentation of our business cards.”

Mr. Stevens said he found working in Russia easier than he had expected: “Even when I had to deal through interpreters, which was often the case.”

Essa’s equipment and products are sold and serviced internationally by a number of distributors in Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran and Indonesia and the company has established subsidiaries in Africa, Europe and Latin America. 

Essa Australia employs more than a hundred skilled technical, commercial and engineering professionals.  The company’s manufacturing facilities, robot cell test area, engineering workshop and after sales service division are located at Bassendean, near the Perth international airport.