Internet buying lures local

A contract to provide world-wide communications consultancy to a new business owned by fourteen of the world’s biggest miners could be a “company-making” deal for Perth firm Mars Group, according to partner Steve Harvey.

Mars Group beat a number of US-based companies to provide communications consultancy for the yet-to-be-named company which is establishing an Internet-buying business.

The founding shareholders of the group, which include Rio Tinto and BHP, plan to set up a means for most of the US$200billion worth of mining equipment and consumable purchases worldwide each year to be bought via the Internet.

Mars Group and its production arm, Planet Communications, won the contract about two weeks ago.

“It is moving very fast,” Mr Harvey said.

Just three days after winning the contract one of Mr Harvey’s two partners, Andrew Murray, flew to Los Angeles where he is coordinating communications for the group in the northern hemisphere. Mr Harvey is responsible for the southern hemisphere.

“We provide communications consultancy across the whole

spectrum – from media liaison to stakeholder communications for companies and governments,’’ Mr Harvey said.

“Perth’s isolation no longer needs to be a limitation. There is the capacity to use new technologies to overcome barriers.

“We are in an ideal position to service US, African and Asian countries,” he said.