If there’s one common refrain from all of the world’s best business minds, it’s about the value that can be generated by investing in people.
Everyone from Nobel laureate economist James Heckman to guru author Simon Sinek agrees that growing staff as individuals and as a collective force will ultimately drive organisational success.
Across the mining industry in Papua New Guinea (PNG), that maxim applies not just to staff salaries and remuneration; it’s also about the tools and equipment that help people perform their roles and deliver outstanding results.
PCD Global is helping miners and industrial employers to get the best from their staff members through an extensive range of personal protective equipment (PPE), including workwear, health and safety supplies, and automotive and marine parts. In the first step of its internationalisation program, the company has set up a local office and entity in PNG, with logistics hubs set up for Port Moresby and Lae.
PCD Global managing director Ty Jarvis said the company has been long established in Australia and the US.
“We’re proud to be well known for our high-quality products and ability to fulfil big orders, quickly,” he told PNG Mining.
“We’re looking forward to also offering that advantage to mining operations in PNG through a local entity with direct access to our Australian stock.”
High quality, direct to buyer
PCD PNG, led locally by Taunamo R Idau-Tau, will focus on key PPE product lines in the immediate term. That range includes sturdy footwear, gloves and other hand protection, and general workwear suitable for harsh conditions and hazardous work sites.
“Our workwear is all designed and manufactured to handle extreme conditions and go the distance,” Jarvis said. “It is produced to the highest standards, using quality materials and precision workmanship.”
Along with a wide range of products with which to work, PCD PNG offers local clients direct access to its warehouses in Australia. This means a minimised turnaround time between order and delivery, even for bulk orders of workwear.
That speed of delivery could be shortened even further, with the company investigating ways to bring more of its supply chain on shore to PNG.
“Long term, the vision is to set up a local manufacturing and logistics base here [in PNG] in order to further enhance the supply chain security,” Jarvis said.
Beyond bringing established product lines into the country, PCD PNG is also committed to developing workwear that reflects the nation’s cultural and environmental heritage. The company is working with local designers to create Indigenous-inspired patterns and designs that celebrate PNG’s rich traditions while maintaining the durability and safety standards required for mining operations.
“We want our workwear to be something that PNG workers can feel proud to wear; clothing that connects them to their culture while keeping them safe,” Jarvis said.
This approach extends to adapting products for PNG’s tropical climate and challenging terrain, ensuring that all workwear is suitable for the country’s specific environmental demands.
In it for the long term
PCD PNG’s approach reflects a broader philosophy about doing business in the Pacific nation. Rather than simply treating the country as another export market, it is positioning itself as a long-term partner in PNG’s economic development.
“The cheap and easy way would be to just import everything from our existing facilities and call it a day,” Jarvis said.
“But that’s not what we’re about. “We want to give back to the communities where we operate and be a genuine part of PNG’s growth story.”
This approach involves making significant upfront investments in local infrastructure, training programs, and community partnerships.
“We’re not just here to sell products,” Jarvis said. “We’re here to build something meaningful that will benefit PNG workers and communities for decades to come.”
For PCD PNG, investing in people means more than providing quality workwear and safety equipment.
Through local manufacturing, cultural integration and long-term community partnerships, the company aims to highlight how true investment in people can create value that extends far beyond the workplace, building stronger industries and stronger communities together.
