Pacific Islands International’s 25-year support for infrastructure development across the Pacific

Pacific Islands International (PII) has delivered everything from construction materials to dry goods to the islands of the Pacific over more than 25 years.

The business began in 1998 with 3 staff in the family garage in Townsville. The company’s main asset was co-founder Mick Finn’s 20-plus years of experience supplying materials to the region.

PII now employs 30 staff based in Australia, China and Malaysia. Its long history and deep relationships across the region are still the core of the company’s success, says PII’s Managing Director Ashley Finn.

‘I can go to any island in the Pacific, and our customers all knew my dad. Their family has been working with my family, in some cases for nearly 50 years.’

Deep experience getting supplies to remote islands

Historically, PII’s principal business involved supplying construction materials to local retailers and builders. Now a growing proportion comes from large infrastructure projects. These can include energy and water supply, ports and bridge construction.

With the amount of work now happening in the Pacific, Finn has noticed more contractors with less experience of local conditions.

They may not appreciate the challenges of getting supplies to a remote island, he says. That’s where PII’s experience and long-standing relationships can help fill the gaps.

‘When we’re talking to contractors, we really try to think about everything,’ says Finn. ‘If there’s a bolt missing on the boat to Kiribati, you can end up paying some pretty expensive air freight to get a replacement.’

Supporting infrastructure investment

Many projects in the region are now climate resilience projects, funded by governments and global financial entities.

‘There’s a much greater awareness that infrastructure now has to be built with the next 50–100 years in mind,’ notes Finn.

Construction materials must also meet international quality and testing standards to satisfy financiers or insurers. That can involve navigating different brands and standards requirements for the different regions of the Pacific. Australian and New Zealand, United States or European standards may apply, depending on geographical location and historical relationships.

‘One of our strengths is that we work with companies and manufacturers that have done all the testing to meet those standards. It’s easier for clients to come to us than have to search out and check suppliers for compliance,’ says Finn.

PII has been shipping goods and materials to the Pacific Islands for 25 years.

Getting the communications clear

Managing supply and logistics is rarely the most challenging part of the role. Communication across cultures and distances can be much more of an issue. Customers may not always be willing to raise concerns if they are unhappy, for example.

Even as technology improves, building trust still requires face-to-face relationships, says Finn. The PII team travels long distances to remote islands to meet in-person. Then if there is an issue with an order, getting on the phone is still usually better than email to sort out issues quickly.

Austrade connections to people and insights

Austrade teams in country have provided great connections for PII, says Finn, ‘bringing us into their network and talking about us and what we do – that can really build value for us.’

They are also very responsive to requests for introductions. ‘It’s easy to get in touch with Austrade to find the right person to speak with,’ says Finn. ‘Having that resource to connect us with anyone in market at any time just opens doors for us.’

Austrade also offers a rich source of market insights, he adds.

‘There’s a lot happening in the region and we can’t usually get the information we need from a website or press release. When we know what’s coming up and who’s involved, we can be prepared to respond to opportunities.’

A constant pain-point for industry in the region is visibility of opportunities. Austrade has led an initiative to consolidate an infrastructure pipeline for the Pacific, which significantly improves access to opportunities for companies like PII.

Transporting aid to the Pacific

PII plans to keep delivering essential materials to the Pacific for some time to come. Finn is also keen to extend the range of support.

PII’s connections across the region present great opportunities to help develop the next generation of skilled professionals, he says. For example, as a board member of LiteHaus International, Finn has been helping refurbish second-hand digital devices and set up computer labs across the Asia-Pacific region. PII also sponsors the PNG Institute of Architects and its work with young architects.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, PII used its extensive networks to ship resources including personal protective equipment into Papua New Guinea as part of Australian aid assistance to the region.

‘We’d love to do more of that sort of work, says Finn. ‘For us it’s what we do every day, but it showed us a whole new avenue for our ability to make things happen.’