Ranger Lifting calls for industry buy-in

Ranger Lifting’s Managing Director Ashley Thacker is urging the lifting industry to back a brand-new event that will showcase just how far the sector has come.

The lifting sector supports a significant number of Australia’s key industries, including construction, mining and energy. In recognition of this, the Lifting Equipment Engineering Association (LEEA), the global body representing the industry, is organising its first trade show and conference in Australia later this year. 

LiftEx Gold Coast will combine a conference and exhibition, offering lifting industry professionals the opportunity to share best practice and showcase the latest safety equipment.

Ashley Thacker, who is on LEEA’s regional council for Australia, said: “LiftEx is well established in the UK as a place where a lot of business gets done. LEEA is bringing this successful format to Australia, and it’s now down to our industry to make the most of this opportunity.

“Technology moves at such a rapid pace that it’s not always easy to keep up with the latest safety innovations. Bringing them all under one roof is a great way to help accelerate their adoption.”

LiftEx Gold Coast is aimed at everyone from riggers and WHS officers to purchasing professionals. Along with cutting-edge technologies from leading industry suppliers, there will be a conference offering free training sessions and a platform for debate.

In the UK, LiftEx is a popular annual event. However, Ashley is warning his peers that if they don’t support LiftEx Gold Coast, this might be the one and only time it takes place.

“This is the first show and it’s on all of us to make it a success,” he said. “If this one doesn’t succeed, there will be no more events like it. It’s therefore in the industry’s interests to ensure there are plenty of exhibitors and visitors alike.”

Ashley is excited about the prospects for LiftEx Gold Coast and what it can bring, but it is going to require the collective support of the industry if it is going to be successful. In some cases, this means a change of mindset, to start thinking of what’s best for the industry rather than an individual company.

“On a day-to-day basis, lifting companies are of course competing with each other,” he said. “But we need to set aside that mentality for LiftEx Gold Coast and adopt a more collaborative approach. LEEA is a leading industry body but everyone on the council is part of a lifting business. 

“As individuals, when we sit as a council, we take our commercial hats off and we put our collaborative, industry hats on. We want the best for the overall industry and a successful LiftEx Gold Coast is a key strand in that strategy,”

The lifting sector is rapidly evolving, whether this is adopting new technology, improving training, or expanding to support new industries like wind power.

“Proactive industry participation in this event will help underline the great strides the industry has taken in recent years and help accelerate adoption of the latest safety equipment,” said Ashley.

“This is our showcase to the sectors we serve and support. Along with deals to be done, this is a great chance to network and to celebrate the lifting industry’s recent successes, such as improved training and accreditation.”

He firmly believes that making the most of end-user engagement is pivotal to the overall prosperity of the industry.

“The end-users are the demographic that really supports equipment advances,” he said. “We are a massive island continent in a remote part of the globe, we have a population that is approximately one quarter of the UK’s. This means suppliers and major manufacturers don't promote their products here unless they are in the oil and gas and mining and resources sectors, renewable energy sector and major infrastructure projects. As an industry, we need to do the same.”

Formerly LEEA’s regional director for Australia, Ashley is a well-known and passionate advocate for the lifting industry. He has supported drives to professionalise the sector including the Safe Use of Lifting Equipment – the first LEEA-accredited training course to be fully aligned with the Australian Standard. Ashley’s company, Ranger Lifting, was the first in Australia to join LEEA and the first to offer the new training course.

“At Ranger we’ve always taken the approach that what is good for the industry is good for us,” said Ashley. “We’re not afraid to take chances and that’s why Ranger was the first company to book exhibition space at LiftEx. 

“In a normal business environment, the last thing we’d do is encourage our competitors to get in front of the same customers as us. But LiftEx Gold Coast is one of those examples where we’re stronger together, so we’d welcome and encourage more of our peers to book space alongside us.

“We need the industry to get behind LiftEx Gold Coast and we want people from our industry to come to and experience the event. This is then only way we can establish LiftEx as a regular, must-attend event. A successful first event gives us the foundation to build and grow. In future years we can  move it around the country so everybody in our industry gets to benefit,” he said.

The LiftEx Conference and Exhibition – run by LEEA, will be held on the Gold Coast on the 12th to the 13th of September.