Spotlight on Graham Horgan
Nearly three decades of experience for the Australian market
I am honoured to contribute to the opening article for the inaugural edition of the HUESKER Australia newsletter. I have recently relocated to Australia from the UK, bringing with me almost 28 years of experience, across a variety of roles within the HUESKER Group.
Before accepting the appointment to lead the team in Australia, I started with the parent company, HUESKER Synthetic GmbH in 1998, then HUESKER UK in 2004 when the company formed. I started as an Applications Engineer, then moved into Technical Management before taking over as Managing Director in the UK in 2012.
It is evident from the first few weeks that the team at HUESKER Australia is a small but dedicated group. They pride themselves on the highest level of service and providing installation support to clients in the roads and pavement sector and underground long wall mining. Both these dedicated teams are supported by our customer service team based in our main office at Coolum Beach, which helps co-ordinate our goods and services to be dispatched in a timely manner.
Safety and Expertise in Underground Mining
Underground mining is an inherently dangerous process. The construction of underground roadways beneath tens of metres of overburden creates a high-risk environment, requiring robust systems and procedures to ensure safe and efficient operations. Above all, these processes are designed to protect the workforce and ensure that miners return home safely at the end of each shift.
I was fortunate enough to be in the UK at the time that the system was first utilised in coal mines in Yorkshire and Warwickshire. At HUESKER Australia, we are fortunate to have former miners within the team who can work underground and advise crews on the safe and efficient installation of the HUESKER long wall face recovery system. This enables us to provide a bespoke solution for each individual longwall, minimising downtime and allowing prompt renewal of coal extraction—which is vital for the mine operators and the Australian economy as a whole.
There is an equally dedicated team involved within the pavement sector, advising on the use of Asphalt interlayers/treatments to extend pavement life. Often the condition of the state's roads becomes politicised around the time of an election, meanwhile local engineers have to try to maintain the road network with stretched or limited budgets.
Our team advises on the most efficient road reinforcement interlayers to maximise the service life of the road, without the need for costly and time-consuming interventions. The global outreach of the local team means they are able to keep abreast of the best practice and innovations, ensuring that they and their clients stay at the forefront of this technology.
Rising inflation and escalating costs for fuel, bitumen, and nearly all construction materials are directly affecting the viability of projects and placing additional strain on road maintenance budgets. Maintaining operational efficiencies is crucial in a period of significant global change, geopolitical tensions, and shifting supply chains. My goal is to enable HUESKER Australia to remain resilient, adapt to disruption, and sustain performance in an increasingly complex operating environment.
A Personal Note on the Welcome
Thank you for the warm welcome that I've already received from both colleagues and some former expats who have welcomed me with open arms but also described me as "Greener than the Gabba in Spring"!
I look forward to meeting, listening and talking to many of you in the weeks and months ahead, and hopefully losing some of that greenness.
