MHD sits down with Malcolm Druce, Managing Partner at BPS Global Australia, to discuss how 30 years of Asian manufacturing connections combined with local expertise is demystifying Chinese automation purchases and de-risking implementation for Australian businesses.
Supply chain operators are looking directly to Chinese manufacturers for innovative, cost-effective solutions. But this route requires expert knowledge in sourcing, installing, and maintaining equipment to Australian standards.
BPS Global Australia is stepping forward as a provider in this area. Malcolm Druce, Managing Partner at BPS Global Australia, says their connections to Asian manufacturing markets and local Australian expertise positions them to solve this challenge.
“We want to be able to demystify purchasing robotics and automation out of China,” says Malcolm. “We don’t want companies to miss out on the opportunity to buy really good quality, cost-effective equipment. But we also want to make sure that they go in with their eyes completely open, and there are no hidden surprises.”
The Hong Kong advantage
BPS Global Hong Kong has been operating for over 30 years, turning over more than $35 million annually and serving over 1,000 clients across engineering and construction, logistics technology, investment and real estate, and robotics solutions. This gives BPS Australia immediate access to Asian manufacturing markets.
“They are connected to just about every single manufacturing organisation in China of any significance,” Malcolm explains. This infrastructure provides BPS Australia with an edge: expertise on Chinese manufacturing capability, quality standards, and emerging technologies. The organisation can assess factories, understand equipment capabilities, and identify which manufacturers deliver on their promises.
“If necessary, we’ll bring people out of BPS Hong Kong who know the equipment to assist with installations,” Malcolm notes. “We can tap into our factory knowledge, understand market trends, and help clients get the best value from Chinese manufacturers.”
Addressing the need in Australia’s market
Australian businesses looking at innovative, cost-effective equipment at trade shows or through online research face hurdles when trying to bring that technology into local operations. Often there are language barriers, different compliance requirements, installation challenges and warranty concerns. Malcolm says these roadblocks have the potential to derail promising automation projects before they have the chance to hit the ground running.
Malcolm emphasises BPS will still maintain an ‘equipment agnostic’ approach, keeping a strong pulse in analytics and operational understanding. In staying neutral, BPS recommends the right equipment for each application rather than pushing specific brands or suppliers.
The full-service offering covers equipment selection, factory quality assessments, design and CAD drawings, Australian compliance management, installation, warranty support, and integration with warehouse management systems. BPS also has deep connections with local suppliers for complementary requirements like racking systems.
BPS can work in multiple capacities depending on client needs: as a consultant providing advice and facilitating connections, as a broker, or as a full-service integrator managing the entire process.
“Some businesses out there know automation really well, and we can support them to make their own decisions. Some don’t know automation very well, and we can offer more guidance in those cases,” Malcolm says.
Essentially, BPS supports businesses through two pathways: purchasing equipment through BPS as part of a full-service engagement, or buying direct from a Chinese manufacturer. In cases where the buyer chooses to purchase direct, BPS can act on the customer’s side – supporting negotiations, due diligence and freight coordination if required, while ensuring the buyer understands responsibilities such as warranty and importer-of-record requirements.
Understanding the local landscape
BPS has a deep understanding of Australian business requirements, including the compliance, safety, and physical specifications that can catch overseas manufacturers unaware.
BPS has a deep understanding of Australian business requirements, including compliance, safety, and the physical infrastructure needed to support automation.
Malcolm says the biggest mistakes that derail projects are often basic but costly – overlooking infrastructure requirements such as fire regulations, floor quality and site connectivity.
He also emphasises the importance of safety and compliance during installation. “You need to make sure that whatever you’re buying is manufactured to Australian standards, and that your installation contractors are properly covered with insurance, licences and permits,” he says.
For BPS, de-risking the purchase means ensuring warehouse infrastructure is fit for purpose, verifying factory quality and processes, and putting the right controls in place for installation – whether BPS delivers the installation directly or takes a project management role with customer-selected contractors.
This is what he describes as de-risking the purchase, ensuring businesses understand and meet all Australian requirements from day one.
Getting businesses automation-ready
Ensuring businesses are prepared for automation means assessing operational processes, IT capability, and physical infrastructure before any equipment arrives.
“When you automate, particularly with robotics, you have to change your operational processes,” Malcolm emphasises. “You can’t do what you’ve always done, throw in equipment and expect to be able to do that into the future. It won’t work and you will fail.”
Part of BPS’s initial assessment involves analysing whether a client’s warehouse management system or ERP could handle the messaging requirements of automated equipment. “You need to be able to send and receive the messages that the robotics and automation require in order to function,” Malcolm explains. “If you’ve got a very basic ERP or an accounting system with no operational capability, you’re going to struggle.”
The business also looks at extracting operational knowledge before automation implementation. “The worst cases are where knowledge sits in the heads of the operators and no one documents the process flows,” Malcolm says.
“Automation gets installed, you realise you missed part of the workflow and all of a sudden you’ve got to rework it or throw it all out and start again.”
The BPS approach
BPS’s strength comes from the combined operational experience of its Australian team, many of whom – Malcolm included – have worked their way up through manual and automated warehouses.
This, combined with strong data analytics and design capability, allows BPS to create solutions that work for operational staff, not just procurement teams or supply chain directors. In one of its most recent major projects, feedback highlighted BPS’s innovation, flexibility, quick understanding of operations, and ability to design solutions that support ground-level workers.
For BPS, success means changing how Australian businesses approach Chinese automation purchases – moving from hesitation to confidence.
“With all our experience, we are best placed to be the Australian face of Chinese equipment manufacturers,” Malcolm says.
With Chinese manufacturers producing innovative equipment at competitive prices and Australian demand growing, Malcolm sees BPS’s role as essential – not just facilitating sales, but ensuring successful implementations that deliver long-term value.
Malcolm references a colleague from the military’s wisdom. “Time spent in reconnaissance is time seldom wasted.” For BPS, this means thorough understanding of cross-cultural regulations, risk mitigation strategies, and business continuity processes built into every project from the start.
