DDH1

What DDH1 does

DDH1 Drilling is an Australian specialist drilling services contractor focused on deep directional and diamond core drilling for the mineral exploration and mining industry. Founded in 2006 by Murray Pollock and Matt Thurston, who pioneered the multiple intersection directional drilling technique, the company operates Australia's largest standardized surface diamond core fleet of 72 rigs across 46 operational sites, supported by approximately 700 employees. Core services include Diamond Coring to depths of up to 3,000m, Reverse Circulation drilling to approximately 500m for cost-effective exploration and grade control, and specialized Engineering Solutions for complex mine infrastructure (paste backfill, cable installation, groundwater pumping).

The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Perenti Global Limited (ASX: PNX), an ASX-listed mining services group operating across four continents. DDH1 has expanded through a deliberate roll-up strategy, acquiring Strike Drilling in 2018, Ranger Drilling in 2019, and Swick Mining Services in 2022 to extend its service offering across reverse circulation, shallow, and underground drilling. The company serves both tier-1 mining majors and junior exploration companies through direct B2B project-based contracts, with notable technical benchmarks including Australia's deepest mineral cored hole at 3,217m (Jundee, 2018) and the southern hemisphere's deepest single-pass cable drop hole at 1,446m.

Revenue is generated through contract drilling services billed on a project basis, with field personnel deployed to client mine and exploration sites across Australia (operations currently exclude Victoria and ACT). DDH1 holds ISO accreditation in safety and environment as part of the Perenti group and emphasizes 24/7 roster-based service delivery. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales with direct client relationships, and customer concentration is moderate given the deliberate segmentation across major miners and junior explorers, though project lumpy and tied to the Australian mining capex cycle.

Name

DDH1

Legal name

DDH1 Drilling

Website

https://ddh1drilling.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

DDH1 Drilling is Australia's largest surface diamond core drilling contractor, providing deep directional drilling, reverse circulation, and engineering solutions to tier-1 miners and junior explorers across 46 Australian sites using a 72-rig fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mineral Exploration Drilling Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Mining (213), Support Activities for Metal Mining (213114)

akta.pro primary industry

Directional Drilling & MWD/LWD Services (EUALABAB)

Keywords

• Diamond core drilling
• Directional drilling services
• Reverse circulation drilling
• Mineral exploration drilling
• Deep hole drilling

Headquarters

HQ city

Perth

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Contract Drilling Services: DDH1 generates revenue through providing contract drilling services to mining and exploration companies. Services include diamond coring, reverse circulation drilling, and specialized engineering solutions. The company operates on project-based contracts with clients ranging from small explorers to major tier-1 miners. DDH1 is part of Perenti, an ASX-listed mining services group.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

DDH1 is a leading deep directional drilling services company that provides specialized drilling solutions to the mining and mineral exploration industry. Operating a fleet of 72 rigs across 46 operational sites with 700 employees, the company delivers diamond coring, reverse circulation, and engineering drilling solutions to mining and exploration clients in Australia.

Product overview

DDH1 Drilling is Australia's premier provider of diamond coring mineral drilling services, offering a unified portfolio of drilling services and equipment. The core offering comprises Diamond Coring (deep directional drilling to 3,000m), Reverse Circulation (cost-effective exploration drilling to ~500m), and Engineering Solutions (complex mine infrastructure drilling). These services are delivered using the company's owned fleet of Surface Rigs (Sandvik DE880, DE840, Evolution FH3000, DE710, UDR 650) and Engineering Rigs (Foremost Explorer II, WEI 75S). DDH1 is supplemented by partner companies Ranger Drilling, Strike Drilling, and Swick Mining Services for specialist shallow and underground services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Diamond Coring
• Reverse Circulation Drilling
• Engineering Solutions

Quantifiable outcome

• Australia's deepest mineral cored hole at 3,217m drilled at Jundee in 2018
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Swick Mining ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Swick Mining Services joined the DDH1 Group in 2022. Swick provides specialist shallow drilling and underground services across the commodity chain, supporting DDH1's deep-hole capabilities.
• Ranger DrillingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ranger Drilling joined the DDH1 Group in 2019. Ranger Drilling provides specialist Reverse Circulation drilling services across the commodity chain, extending DDH1's service offering.
• Strike DrillingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Strike Drilling joined the DDH1 Group in 2018. Strike Drilling provides specialist Reverse Circulation drilling services across the commodity chain, complementing DDH1's deep-hole diamond coring capabilities.
• Strike DrillingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDDH1 works with partner companies including Strike Drilling for specialist Reverse Circulation drilling services across the commodity chain.
• Ranger DrillingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDDH1 works with partner companies including Ranger Drilling for specialist Reverse Circulation drilling services across the commodity chain.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Perenti Global Limited: ASX-listed mining services group and DDH1's parent company, providing contract mining, drilling services, mining services, and technology solutions across four continents. Functions as DDH1's holding entity and broader platform, with overlapping drilling exposure through Barminco, Ausdrill, and other brands.
• Macmahon Holdings: ASX-listed mining services company providing contract mining, drill and blast, and equipment hire to Australian mining clients. Comparable to DDH1 through its drill and blast services and Australian customer base, though broader in scope.
• Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions: Swedish mining equipment and tooling manufacturer, and a key supplier of rigs (DE880, DE840) used by DDH1. While not a direct services competitor, Sandvik's equipment portfolio and tooling offerings are tightly coupled with DDH1's operational capabilities and customer specifications.
• NRW Holdings: ASX-listed diversified mining services contractor offering drilling, civil construction, and mining services to Australian resources clients. Comparable to DDH1 in its Australian mining services focus and customer overlap, though broader in scope (not a drilling specialist).
• Epiroc: Swedish mining and infrastructure equipment manufacturer (spin-off from Atlas Copco), providing drilling rigs, rock excavation, and mining automation solutions. Comparable through its drilling equipment portfolio relevant to DDH1's fleet, though operating as a manufacturer/supplier rather than a drilling services contractor.

Emerging players

• Imdex Limited: ASX-listed mining technology company providing drilling fluids, downhole survey tools, and drilling analytics to mineral exploration and mining customers. Comparable to DDH1 through its role in the drilling value chain, though as a technology and consumables supplier rather than a contractor.

Direct peers

• Boart Longyear: Global drilling services and equipment provider specializing in mineral exploration and production drilling. Offers diamond core drilling, RC, and underground services to mining customers, with similar depth and directional capabilities to DDH1 and overlapping customer profiles across tier-1 and junior miners.
• Major Drilling Group International: Canadian-headquartered mineral drilling services contractor operating globally with similar diamond core drilling, reverse circulation, and directional drilling offerings for mining clients. Directly comparable to DDH1 in service mix, customer base (tier-1 and junior miners), and project-based contract model.
• Foraco International: Global drilling services company providing mineral exploration and geotechnical drilling to mining clients. Comparable to DDH1 in core service offering (diamond core drilling, RC, and directional drilling for mining), though with stronger presence in Africa and the Americas rather than Australia.

Regional players

• Capital Limited (formerly Capital Drilling): Mining drilling services contractor primarily focused on Africa and emerging markets, providing diamond core, RC, and blast hole drilling to mining clients. Comparable to DDH1 in service offering and customer base, but operates in different geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ddh1-drilling

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DDH1