Ryan Grech shares his story of joining the quarrying industry and what he hopes to achieve through his career.
Quarrying has always been part of Ryan Grech’s life in some shape or form, even when he was young.
At university, he started doing short contracts in aggregates testing and a stint at a precast concrete operation. Before that, he remembers models of mobile jaw crushers and screens around his family home.
“For as long as I can remember, dad always had models of mobile jaw crushers or screens floating around. It was always something I took an interest in,” Grech told Quarry.
“I was always happy to hear the stories of the various sites that he had been to around the world in his roles. In terms of the engineering aspect of things, it was always something that he showed me, and it is certainly something that has helped me at the start of my career.”
When it came time to choose a career, working in the quarrying industry was front of mind, it was just a matter of where he would get his start.
Grech started with the Heidelberg Materials Australia (formerly Hanson Australia) Graduate Program before becoming a quarry supervisor at the company’s Ferny Grove site.
Even though Grech is charting his own course through the quarry industry, quarrying is still a popular conversation topic when he sees his dad, Frank, who is Kayasand’s national sales manager.
“Most of the time we catch up there is at least one portion of the conversation that is dedicated to quarrying and work in some capacity,” Grech said.
“Working in operations at the moment, I have a slightly different perspective than he does, as he’s more on the supplier side. It is interesting to see the balance of the two sides.”
Heidelberg Materials Australia’s Graduate Program saw Grech complete rotations across different aspects of the business. He started the program in the metro quarry program in Brisbane before moving into the transport side of the business, focusing on maintenance and allocation.
Grech remembered working at one of the metro quarries in Queensland, where he first handled a cone crusher. He and the fitter stripped down and rebuilt the top shell assembly down to its nuts and bolts.
The graduate program took him to Central Queensland, where he worked in concrete and aggregates, assisting concrete plant managers, learning to batch concrete and relieved plant managers during their leave periods. But by far, the most formative experience was when he was stationed at a quarry in Biloela.
At the small quarry operation, Grech worked in a supervisor’s role, which he describes as fundamental to his career.
“After my time in the transport and operations side of the business, I knew I wanted to pursue the quarry side of the business. I flagged that early with the Queensland leaders in Heidelberg Materials, and they were more than happy to facilitate it,” he said.
“After working at Biloela, I certainly knew I wanted to go and become a quarry supervisor and start my career in operations.
“They altered my program to have more of a quarry focus, which ultimately helped me land my role now as a quarry supervisor at Ferny Grove.”
“There is definitely room for tailoring the program. I’d certainly recommend the graduate program as an entry into the industry because it is what you make.
“Especially with my science degree, I was able to pull on that knowledge and experience to go down that pathway. It is not all about operations or equipment and transport; there is the technical side with concrete and aggregates testing.
“I think the graduate program is the perfect way to sample every aspect of the business and see where you fit.
“It is very welcoming. I’ve been lucky in the graduate program to have access to some senior people in the industry and been able to tap into their knowledge and experience.”
The young quarry supervisor hopes to one day get certified to become a quarry manager and deepen his understanding of the operations side of the business. He has already started his diploma to become a quarry manager and is excited for his future in the industry.
“The sky is the limit at the end of the day. Once I know the operations side of the business, I’ll go wherever it takes me,” he said.
While Grech has grown up in and around the quarrying industry from a young age, it has never really crossed his mind to take up another occupation or a desk job.
In his eyes, nothing could match the dynamism of the quarrying industry,
“No two days are the same. In my current role, I’ve got a crew of ten people to manage as operators, a crushing plant to manage, and I also supervise pit development and the contractors for drill and blast,” he said.
“There are so many different aspects of my role that you couldn’t possibly get bored of it. There are endless opportunities to be hands-on and to make something happen. I enjoy being involved in everything I can.
“It is fantastic, to be honest.”
While Grech is still early in his career as a quarry supervisor at Heidelberg Materials Australia, he wouldn’t change his pathway into the industry.
“That is one of the highlights of it all. I’ve been trusted with so much responsibility, and I’ve got all the support I need if I do want it, and there’s always more to learn,” he said.
Grech credited the Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA) with playing a key role in his formative years in the quarrying industry. As an IQA member, Grech has attended educational and networking events and interacted with colleagues and peers from across the quarrying industry. He has also played an active role within the community including within the Young Members Network as a coordinator and as a committee member in Central Queensland.
Last year, Grech was part of the small group that went over to the United Kingdom as part of the IQA Study Tour. The group of 11 quarry professionals visited several UK quarries, including a couple of super quarries, and were also able to take in Hillhead 2024 in Buxton.
“It is incredible what the IQA are able to facilitate and the amount of knowledge and relationships I gained on the UK tour, those friendships and experiences will stay with me forever,” he said.
“It was an awesome experience, and I still draw on the knowledge I gained on that trip daily.”
Grech said he had nothing but praise for the experience he had as an IQA member.
“It is a very small, tight-knit community, and I think everyone benefits from everyone’s experience; no one is hiding anything. It is all out there for everyone to improve and pull the industry forward,” he said. “I am yet to find anyone who has turned me away when I’ve asked a question. They’ve all been willing to lend a hand and help me progress.” •
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