References are difficult to transfer from country to country.

It takes determination and drive to expand into new markets in the mining industry. LSM Pumps supplies many hose pumps to Australian mining projects, but according to Leo Sørensen, director and owner of LSM Pumps, having a reference for your product in one country does not automatically grant access to mining industries in other countries.

LSM Pumps produces hose pumps for various industries worldwide, and the company offers the two largest pumps in the world. Within the mining industry, the company supplies hose pumps to channel mud away from mines, making it possible to access the minerals.

“We have good experience with our pumps in Australia, where mining is a primary industry with significant influence on the country's economy. This means there are several well-established mining projects in the country, and we regularly receive orders for our pumps there,” says Leo Sørensen, director and owner of LSM Pumps.

References are difficult to transfer
If you want to supply the mining industry, you need to have a reference for your product, as you must be able to document that your product works in operation.

“Mining companies strongly require that your product has references from other mining companies or suppliers in the respective country. Therefore, it is necessary to build references in multiple countries, which is both expensive and time-consuming. For example, we are negotiating with a mining company in Chile that wants to test our products. It is costly to send a large pump for testing on another continent, so we are still discussing what to do,” says Leo Sørensen.

How LSM Pumps creates references
Some of the countries LSM Pumps is looking at are Canada, the USA, Chile, and Turkey. These countries have several well-established mining projects, which provide sales opportunities. According to Leo Sørensen, it is often easier to create references if you have a local partner with knowledge of and access to the mining industry.

“Mining is a tough industry. If you don’t have a good partner who can vouch for your product, it is difficult to get feedback from mining companies. Therefore, we actively seek dealers and potential partners in relevant mining countries by, for example, attending trade fairs in Canada together with the Danish Mining Technology Group,” explains Leo Sørensen.

“The first stone is hard to turn”
Although LSM Pumps is currently working hard to establish contacts and references in the mining industry, the company is very optimistic.

“We know our pumps work in Australia. Therefore, we are working hard to break into more markets, and I am confident that it will succeed over time,” concludes Leo Sørensen.

LSM Pumps has been a member of the Danish Mining Technology Group since April 2014.

Article written by Danish Export Association, Eksportforeningen