By Jeff Bell
How does an unemployed graduate buy a business?
What has been the company’s growth trajectory?
How is the company navigating the challenges of globe delivery?
These were some of the questions put to Ryan Carpenter, MD and Owner of Drytech International Holdings, when he led a conversation for Band of Leaders Australia (BOLA) members and guests entitled Global Delivery at the group’s monthly meeting on Thursday 7 August at Casa Nostra in Osborne Park.
Ryan (left), David Blythe-Wood, Clayton Hitchcock.
Ryan began by outlining his life and leadership journeys from South Africa to WA and his innovative solutions for an impressive client list which includes BHP, Rio Tinto, Nemaska Lithium, Pilbara Resources, Iluka, Glencore and MP Materials.
BOLA is a peer membership group for business owners and chief executives. We seek to take our members beyond achievement to success—the essence of leadership. Inviting Guest Conversations is a key activity in our day-long group meeting.
Ryan said that in 2001, he had barely endured an unsuccessful 14-month job search following graduation in Johannesburg. Following a lead from a family member, he went to work with a vacuum drying food processing plant in the countryside. The job was with Drytech Holdings, which had been founded in 1981 by Harry Traub to support thermal dryer requirements in the South African mining, food and chemical industries.
Ryan was appointed as an applications engineer when Harry and his engineering staff were also developing flash drying for highly abrasive materials, such as the rare and valuable platinum ore.
After 5 years, Ryan learned that Harry wanted to retire from the company and a management buyout was mooted. The deal fell through however, with senior engineers, departing and, to demonstrate his commitment to the business, Ryan put up his entire $20,000 savings to become a shareholder. Under Harry’s guidance, their plan allowed for additional share purchases as certain targets were met.
Eventually, the flash drying method was adopted throughout the African platinum industry and it had also drawn the attention of the Windimurra Vanadium Project near Mt Magnet in Western Australia. This became a foothold in Australia for Drytech and the company went on to win the Impala platinum project in Zimbabwe. Soon after, Ryan became a 40% shareholder and then by 2009, 80%, with 20% retained by Harry, who had become an occasional adviser.
Following a project for Danish giant FLSmidth in Brazil in 2011, Drytech established a presence there that today employes 35 people, including the in-country leader and branch shareholder. Since then, the company has concentrated on international business, focusing its core capabilities on the mining sector. Drytech sought to become agile and innovative, undertaking project values typically of up to $5m.
Then, finally in 2022 Ryan bought the remaining shareholding.
Drytech has become thermal processing engineers, rather than just thermal drying, with the addition of chemical processes. Their core clients are mostly junior miners, although they have delivered on projects for the big players in Australia and are now undertaking a project for the Canadian uranium giant, Cameco Corporation.
Their development has been based on recruiting young graduate engineers who can learn and growth with the company. Drytech hires for character and personality fit to their culture, choosing the inquisitive and the good team players. They employ 60 people in Australia, South Africa, Mauritius and Brazil. Their projects are scattered around the world, traded in any currency. For jurisdictions without social welfare payments, the company pays retirement and other benefits.
Ryan and his family moved to Perth in December 2018 and Drytech is now creating a presence in Osborne Park, establishing a pilot plant and sales office in a new development on Collingwood Street.
BOLA members will next meet on Thursday 4 September, again at Casa Nostra. We will also be inviting guests and referrers to a Guest Conversation, led by ex-Test cricketer Mike Veletta, followed by a working lunch.
Throughout the remainder of the day, our agenda includes the processing of strategic opportunities raised within the group, wide ranging business issues, as well as leadership development tools and activities.
In the meantime, each BOLA Prime member will have a monthly coaching session with their BOLA Chair, Jeff.