‘Made TUFFer Down Under.’ That’s how Western Australian manufacturer Motium describes its rugged computer technology. The company makes in-vehicle computers, LCD screens and related tech to withstand extreme conditions. Its products operate in some of the world’s harshest environments, from deserts to frozen regions.
Motium’s TUFF panel PCs, monitors and more are installed in the cabins of vehicles across 6 continents. With a mining focus, this includes vehicles for resources giants Fortescue, Rio Tinto and Tata.
The technology gives a dashboard display of data. This helps operators to control vehicles and vehicle fleets safely and efficiently.
In 2023, Motium was an Australian Export Awards finalist in the Resources and Energy category. Austrade is proud to have supported Motium’s achievements with its Export Market Development Grant (EMDG).
Putting Motium products on show
The EMDG program provides matched funding to help businesses market their goods and services overseas. An early grant in 2011 helped Motium travel abroad for market research and promotion.
Later grants from 2017 have taken the company to global trade shows as an exhibitor. These include Bauma in Munich, MINExpo in Las Vegas, and IMME (International Mining and Equipment Exhibition) in Kolkata.
‘Without EMDG, we might have gone to those trade shows as attendees,’ says Andre Gadellaa, Motium’s Vice President for Business Development and Sales. ‘The grant allowed us to go as exhibitors. Exhibiting is expensive. However, with EMDG we’re sharing the investment.’
A platform for growth
Founded in 2002, Motium was selling rugged power supplies into the US by 2006. Today, it exports directly to the US, Canada, India, Hungary, Mongolia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa. Through resale, there are other end users of its products in Japan, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and elsewhere.
Its TUFF product family now runs from customisable cabling to an Industrial Internet of Things platform.
Recent years have seen a lot of success. In 2024, the company was expecting to have doubled its annual revenue since 2021. Its staff almost tripled to more than 80. It was an Australian Export Awards finalist in 2022 and has other trophies. These include WA winner for Embracing Innovation and Outstanding Growth at the 2024 Telstra Best of Business Awards.
EMDG funding has played a vital role in expanding the business, according to Gadellaa. ‘It has given us a platform for growth.’ he says. ‘From every trade show, we’ve come away with 50 to 100 solid leads.’
And the benefits go beyond this. During EMDG-funded trade-show visits, Motium has met new components suppliers and other tech partners.
Motium’s TUFF panel inside an excavator cabin.
Australian advanced manufacturing
While mining is its main market, Motium’s hardware goes into waste management, transport and construction. In Australia, the business has partnered with an emergency-services provider. Motium technology operates in solar farms and at sea. It even sits in a surveillance aircraft flying over Antarctica, the 7th continent.
Performance is vital in all these settings. Motium’s Australian-based end-to-end design and manufacture helps ensure the required quality. Advanced manufacturing staff in its Perth headquarters build the products from the ground up. Every step happens onshore, from sourcing components and adding software to assembly and compliance testing.
Promoting the Motium name
Customising products is another major feature of the Motium process. The company often tweaks its standard products to meet customers’ needs. It works with clients, end users and software partners to develop bespoke solutions.
It also sells its equipment to mining and construction equipment suppliers, like Komatsu and Wenco. These integrate Motium technology into the control systems for trucks, bulldozers, drilling rigs and more.
This means 98% of Motium products go out into the world badged under another brand’s name. However, as the company grows, it wants to keep its own name visible.
EMDG has also been useful in this regard. It has helped produce Motium-branded banners and marketing material for trade shows and elsewhere.
‘With our last grant, we were able to showcase ourselves with new branding,’ says Sarah Smith, Motium’s Marketing and Communications Manager. ‘We were able to promote our new TUFF+ Panel PC on all marketing collateral. We launched this at Bauma in 2022.’
Adds Gadellaa: ‘Without EMDG, we would be competing with other divisions of the business for the same funding. EMDG gives us, on the export side, the funding to do a really great job and go further.’
Targeting new markets, diversifying in old
Indonesia is one of the countries Motium is targeting for market expansion. Australia’s largest near neighbour has an active mining sector, which ‘strongly aligns with our product portfolio,’ says Gadellaa.
In India, the company is looking to develop a lower-priced product to gain a bigger footprint. A chance enquiry from an end user of a Motium product in Mongolia created a new partnership. Motium worked directly with the company to develop a new fit-for-purpose, full product. It’s providing service and support for this.
‘The other market that we’re working in now is North America, but in waste management, not mining. In Australia, we have strong market share in the control systems for waste management vehicles. North America is an untapped market for us in that sector,’ says Gadellaa.
‘We’re focusing on key markets, on continually innovating and getting the products out into the field.
‘All the EMDG that we’ve used previously has given us this wealth of insight into markets and rival products. We’ve been able to capture the information from all the trade shows we’ve been to. That will help us continue to grow in the future.’
Find out more about Austrade’s Export Market Development Grants.
Go further, faster with Austrade
Austrade’s Go Global Toolkit helps you learn the export basics, find the right markets and understand market requirements.