“Australia and New Zealand share many cultural similarities but are very different markets.”
Australia and New Zealand may be famous for their vast landscapes and laid-back way of life, but for KSB, the region is above all full of opportunities. In this interview, Philippe Olivier, Managing Director of KSB Australia and New Zealand, discusses the importance of mining and the growing demand for water and wastewater solutions and explains why the two countries remain very different markets – despite their many cultural similarities.
Stream of Stories: Mr Olivier, few countries are as strongly associated with stunning landscapes and a relaxed lifestyle as Australia and New Zealand. You’ve worked there almost four years – how accurate is that image?
Philippe Olivier:The countries are definitely beautiful. There is a lot to see, beautiful coastlines and mostly good weather. The people are very friendly and welcoming to people of all nationalities. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to travel much because my responsibilities at KSB take up so much of my time. However, I have been lucky enough to explore some of Queensland’s highlights with my family, including the Great Barrier Reef and Hamilton Island.
During your career, you’ve worked in very different countries and cultures: France, China, Indonesia and now Australia. What have you learned from living and working in these diverse countries?
I think the most important thing is to listen and keep an open mind. Every time you move, you discover a completely new environment: new people, a new culture, a new way of living and new rules.
I don’t come in and try to impose ideas on others; I try to understand the situation, the place I live in and the local people. It has always been very important to me that, after several months, people see me as part of their community.
I’ve learned a lot and had experiences I could never have imagined. I’m still in contact with former colleagues and friends in China and Indonesia, which I believe means that I managed to become part of their lives, at least for a while.
It’s been an amazing experience, and I would definitely recommend it. KSB is a great company for opportunities like these.
Three Decades, Four Countries: Philippe Olivier
Philippe Olivier has been Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand since 2023. The Frenchman has worked for KSB for almost 30 years, starting his career in France. Since 2010, he has worked abroad, with assignments in China and Indonesia before moving to Australia. His international experience and openness to other cultures also shape his leadership style: for Olivier, that means listening, understanding and adapting to people and markets. On 1 March 2027, Philippe Olivier will return to France. There, he will take over as Head of the KSB plant in Lille and of Pumps Operations Western Europe. As he begins his next chapter, he will carry with him not only the experience gained throughout his career, but also the friendships, memories and connections built along the way. His genuine sense of community has left its mark here and will no doubt continue with him in France.
What are the most important things people need to understand about the Australian market?
The first thing to understand is that Australia is a mining-focused market. KSB mainly sells slurry pumps, such as the MDX series from KSB GIW, that move a highly abrasive mixture of crushed ore and water.
Components like the impeller or the casing are designed to wear out. The main priority for mining companies is to minimise downtime. If a pump stops working and production comes to a halt, it can cost them millions of dollars per day.
That means that once a slurry pump is installed, there is an ongoing need for service and spare parts. In mining, the business therefore extends far beyond the initial sale. This is why KSB SupremeServ is so important: if you sell pumps – especially slurry pumps – without a strong service organisation behind them, you are asking for trouble.
To grow the business, you need to be proactive in your sales approach and secure supply contracts for pumps. Then you can sell service and spare parts for the next 10, 20 or even 50 years.
Could you give us an idea of what a mining site looks like?
It’s a very impressive sight. Imagine an enormous hole in the ground, and a lot of trucks moving around everywhere, day and night. It never stops. These sites are extremely remote, really in the middle of nowhere. Getting there by car can mean driving 600 or 700 kilometres from the nearest town. That’s why there are airlines that specialise in transporting workers to the mines in small aircraft. When our service technicians go there, they stay on site because there is no other accommodation.
With the boom in electric vehicles, demand for lithium and other battery metals is very high. How does this trend affect mining in Australia?
Commodity prices are the main driver. With the current demand for electric vehicles, prices for metals like lithium, nickel and copper are rising. These metals are definitely booming right now, as is gold. So all the producers are pushing their equipment to the limit to maximise output. That’s why they’re always asking us, for example, whether a pump that normally needs maintenance after 30 weeks could perhaps run for 40 weeks before maintenance is required.
When the price of a metal rises, mines where production has been put on hold may reopen. In most cases, production didn’t stop because there was nothing left to extract, but because it became unprofitable. If the price goes up, the mine may become profitable again and, once financing is secured, everything moves very quickly. They might suddenly need a quotation within a week.
KSB’s modernised test facility in Bundamba supports the growing demands of the water market. Automated testing, real-time monitoring and remote access all contribute to increased capacity and faster customer response.
Mining is a very competitive market in Australia. How do you differentiate KSB from other players?
One advantage we have over our competitors is our comprehensive product range, much of which is used in mining. A mine is almost like a small town and may have its own power plant, as well as water and wastewater treatment facilities. So we can offer not only slurry pumps, but a complete package including all the required pumps and valves.
When it comes to slurry pumps specifically, well-established competitors with strong Australian roots and local production sites are already in place. Therefore, we visit the mining operators and their contractors regularly. We organise special meetings, called “Lunch and Learn” sessions, to explain the latest technologies in our slurry-pump range that can shorten maintenance time.
It really helps that KSB is a global company with success stories from around the world. Mining is like a small family with only a handful of global players. For example, we have the same customers in Chile, Argentina, the US and Canada. When we visit a customer, we can tell them that we supplied a similar pump to a mine in Canada and increased its service life by 50 per cent. These success stories matter because they give customers confidence in working with KSB.
Wastewater is also an important and growing market for KSB. You’ve just expanded your site in Bundamba. What is driving this growth in the wastewater sector?
Australia has a massive need for water and wastewater infrastructure. The population is still growing by around 1.5 per cent per year, mainly through immigration, and a lot of that growth is happening around cities like Brisbane and Sydney. So these areas need additional water infrastructure.
At the same time, water scarcity is a real issue in Australia, so wastewater reuse is becoming increasingly important, especially in places like Brisbane.
That is one reason we invested in Bundamba and increased our production and service space from 8,000 to 12,000 square metres. This expansion gives us more capacity, helps us respond faster to customers and allows us to stock more products and spare parts locally.
KSB's reputation for excellent service is a big part of this opportunity. We hear from customers who are unhappy with the service they receive from their current suppliers. Some tell us quite directly: “If you can supply the pumps at a comparable price and provide better service, we are ready to switch.” That is where KSB SupremeServ really makes a difference.
"We want to be a leader in the water and mining markets in five years."
Philippe Olivier
From your perspective, how different are Australia and New Zealand from each other – both culturally and in terms of their markets?
Culturally, they’re very similar. For example, when you arrive in Auckland from Australia, you don’t really feel as though you’re in another country.
But they’re definitely different markets. Mining is not a major part of the New Zealand market. KSB New Zealand mainly supports the water sector, serving customers that supply water to communities. There are many water-related projects, and KSB New Zealand supplies them with our standard pumps.
The broader industrial market in New Zealand is different too. Thanks to its temperate climate and plentiful rainfall, New Zealand is ideal for livestock farming. In fact, it is the largest exporter of dairy products globally. The dairy and food sectors are huge, creating strong demand for hygienic pumps.
Looking ahead, where do you see KSB in your region in five years?
In five years, KSB AU aims to be a market leader in supplying pumps to the water and mining markets. In wastewater, a 20 to 30 per cent market share would be a great achievement – and one or two additional service locations would allow us to support our customers more locally through SupremeServ. In the mining market, we want to increase our installed base of slurry pumps. However, this will no longer happen under my leadership. I will be returning to France in March next year to take over responsibility for the KSB plant in Lille and for Pumps Operations Western Europe.
What will you miss most when you're back in Europe?
Without a doubt, what I will miss most is Australia itself and its people. I'm sure my family and I will return in the future, both for holidays and to explore more of the remarkable landscapes this country has to offer.
