Forged in the Downturn

The Rise of Richglen

In the high-stakes arena of mining, where fortunes often rise and fall with the tides of the industry, Matt Borg's decision to build a business during the downturn was nothing short of courageous. Instead of waiting for the boom, he chose to forge ahead when others were scaling back, betting on his vision and work ethic to carve out a place for Richglen Maintenance Services Pty Ltd.

10 years ago, at a time when the mining industry was in a severe downturn, many mining maintenance companies were downsizing. Matt saw an opportunity. While others were scaling back, he made a bold decision to gain a foothold in the industry.

At 41 years old, with many years of experience in the mines behind him, Matt decided to strike out on his own. Before making the leap, he sought advice from a trusted mentor—someone who had seen the ups and downs of the industry and could provide a grounded perspective.

“If I was going to get back into the industry, I thought I’d do it on my own, by providing what the industry needed in a cost-effective way,” Matt said.

With nothing more than a ute and some tools, he began the daunting task of building his business from the ground up.

“I went out to the mines, talked to old clients, and before I started the business, I planted the seed,” Matt explained.

It was late 2013, and the industry was reeling from the downturn. Money was tight, and companies were looking for cost-effective solutions without the massive overheads of larger corporate outfits. Matt’s pitch was simple but effective: a small, financially viable team that could deliver maintenance and shutdown services at a reduced cost.

“Those clients were enthusiastic for the new business model,” Matt says.

“It gave me confidence to press forward and start the business.”

His first break came with a job as a planner at Peak Downs, followed by work at Saraji and Oaky Creek, where he built the company to six employees.

About ten months after starting, Richglen landed its first major contract at Curragh Mine. This was a pivotal moment for the business.

“I employed a couple of key technical experts who later became Richglen shareholders, Damien Friederichs and Guy Roberts,” Matt recalls.

“We picked up that maintenance contract, and that was our first significant stepping stone for the business.”

Around two months later, Michael Rossi joined the business. “Michael came on board as our fourth shareholder and further complemented the business’s technical strength and large-scale project planning capabilities. This began to round off the four points of the company’s structure—Mechanical, Structural, Project Management, and Business Acumen,” Matt explains.

The real turning point came with a significant project at Rolleston Mine. Richglen was tasked with the challenge of lowering and raising the boom of a dragline at Rolleston Mine. The team executed this complex operation in an impressive five-day turnaround, a timeframe that would often be scheduled for a 10-day outage. This achievement not only saved the client money by reducing production stoppages but also solidified Richglen’s reputation as a company that could deliver quality work, efficiently and safely.

As the business grew, so did Matt’s commitment to his team. He believed that the success of Richglen was intrinsically tied to the success of its people. From the beginning, Matt valued his employees as the most important asset of the company.

“You can spend a lot of money on tooling, vehicles, and other equipment, however, you can’t buy people off the shelf,” Matt says.

Matt’s philosophy is simple: “If you don’t give people what they want personally to achieve their goals, you’ll lose them to somewhere else eventually.”

At the core of Matt's entrepreneurial spirit is a deep-seated commitment to family values, which has been a driving force behind Richglen’s success. Matt’s wife, Katrina, and their three children—Jye, a plumber with his own business; Ethan, an electrician at Dalrymple Bay; and Brielle, who runs her own hair salon—are all reflections of the family-first ethos that Matt upholds.

“Work is there to supplement a successful life, not the other way around.”

This belief is evident in the way he runs the business, always ensuring that employees have the flexibility to achieve their personal goals and spend quality time with their loved ones.

This focus on people is also evident in Richglen’s approach to training and development. The company has established a strong relationship with universities, bringing in graduate mechanical and electrical engineers for six-month placements. This program has been running for around six years, and many of the graduates have gone on to become key members of the Richglen team. It’s a testament to Matt’s belief in nurturing talent and building a sustainable business that will continue to thrive long after he steps back from the day-to-day operations.

“We bring two to three engineering students in each year,” Matt explains.

“They begin their placement as Trades Assistants and progress into project controls engineering. We maintain contact with them after they return to uni, so when they graduate, hopefully, they come back to us.”

This year, Richglen is celebrating its 10th anniversary, a milestone that marks not just a decade in business but a decade of overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities. The company has grown from a one-man operation into a major player in the Bowen Basin, with a reputation for delivering safe, efficient, and cost-effective mechanical and electrical services to the resource industry.

The recent completion of a custom-built premises at Dozer Drive in Paget is a testament to how far the company has come. This new facility, which includes an office and logistics space, is just the first stage of a larger plan. Another purpose-built workshop is staged for the future, further expanding Richglen’s capabilities and reinforcing its commitment to the industry.

“Stage one is complete,” Matt shares.

“Stage two will be a future workshop on the same block of land.”

Looking back on the past decade, Matt remains humble and grounded. He never forgets where he started, borrowing his father’s ute and relying on the support of his family to get the business off the ground. It’s this connection to his roots that has shaped Richglen’s culture and values.

As Richglen embarks on its second decade, the company is poised for continued success through strategic diversification by expanding and enhancing its service portfolio and securing its future against industry fluctuations.

And for Matt, that legacy is built on the principles that have guided him from the beginning: hard work, resilience, and the unwavering belief that anything is possible when you back yourself and the people around you.

“If you employ good people and give them opportunity, you can’t fail,” Matt says.

“One of my roles as a business owner is to provide pathways for people to improve and grow for their own success. The business needs to be sustainable, and I won’t be here forever, so who will carry on the legacy after we’re gone?

“Those people we are developing now, they are the future of Richglen.”

Richglen specialises in mechanical, electrical, and structural repairs for the resource industry. Its expertise includes maintaining and overhauling draglines, shovels, conveyors, and CHPPs, as well as handling general maintenance and shutdown activities. The business also offers consultative support through specialised planning and supervisory personnel, ensuring high-quality project execution and asset management.

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