Miner BHP Seeks to Strengthen Technology Muscle
01 November 2018 - 08:41AM
Dow Jones News
By Rhiannon Hoyle
SINGAPORE--BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP.AU) is planning another hiring
spree for its technology division, as it races to roll out
automated equipment, advanced sensors and artificial intelligence
that the company predicts will make its operations more reliable
and efficient.
The commodity giant, whose operations span Australia to Chile
and the Gulf of Mexico, last year added roughly 1,000 new jobs in
its technology unit and executives are planning another "big
program" of hiring within months, said Chief Technology Officer
Diane Jurgens.
The exact number of extra roles is yet to be decided, Ms.
Jurgens said in an interview, but she is eager for the "second
wave" to begin within BHP's current financial year, which runs
until June 30, 2019.
Mining companies have been scrambling to bolster their
technology expertise as part of an ongoing focus on productivity
gains and cost cuts, which has in recent years sparked widespread
layoffs in the industry. Companies including BHP, which now has
roughly 27,000 full-time employees, have been rolling out
everything from automated trucks to 3D-mapping drones as they seek
to dig deeper, more cheaply and get commodities to market
quicker.
Ms. Jurgens said technology projects "usually rank really high"
in the value they add to the company. "Because we see a big enough
demand, we absolutely do need" to continue to add staff in that
area, she said.
-Write to Rhiannon Hoyle at rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 31, 2018 17:26 ET (21:26 GMT)
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