I am honoured to take up the mantle as the newly elected Chairman for the Victoria and Tasmanian branch of the Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA). This role represents a significant step forward in my journey with CICA, and I am both excited and humbled by the trust members have placed in me. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the steering committee for electing me as Chairman, and I am equally grateful to John Humphries for stepping up as Vice Chair. Your support and collaboration will undoubtedly drive us towards greater achievements.
I must also acknowledge Brent Young, the outgoing Victorian Chair, whose exceptional leadership has made my transition into this role remarkably smooth. Brent’s dedication and hard work have set a high standard, and I am committed to building upon the solid foundation he has laid.
Over my years as Vice Chair, I have had the pleasure of working alongside many dedicated professionals within the Victorian Steering Committee. Now, it feels like the right time to step up and take on the responsibilities of the Chairman role, and I am eager to contribute further to our shared goals.
Recent developments in Victoria
Victoria has seen some notable activities recently. We had a fantastic turnout at our regional meeting in Yarrawonga last month. The powerline safety presentation at Doncaster was fantastic, and a highlight of our collective effort to enhance safety standards across the industry.
We’ve had ongoing meetings with the Department of Transport in Victoria, resulting in improved road access for mobile cranes of up to nine axles. I would like to extend my gratitude to Damien Hense and Alice Edwards for their dedicated efforts in maintaining a positive working relationship with the Department. Their contributions have been instrumental in ensuring that we have the necessary access to perform our jobs effectively.
Industry in Victoria
Coming into the back half of the year we’re looking at a period of flux. There’s been a noticeable downturn in the volume of projects available, and I’ve seen a lot of resumes and calls looking for work. This slowdown could be attributed to several factors, including the completion of some major projects and the large number of cranes within the state. The added pressure of rising interest rates is not helping the situation.
Despite these challenges, there are promising developments on the horizon. Victoria is witnessing a significant push towards the renewable energy sector, with a surge in wind farm projects. This shift has introduced very large cranes from overseas into our market, and I have also noticed that several local companies have made bold investments in large lattice boom and hydraulic boom cranes, in both crawler and mobile configurations. I take my hat off to the locals taking the plunge and making those investments – it’s a bold business.
A quiet winner of industry right now seems to be mini crawlers. When I first started in this industry, there were only a handful of mini crawlers in the state, and options were limited. The landscape today is very different, driven by the need to address manual handling issues and reduce downtime due to workplace injuries. Employers are increasingly recognising the benefits of mini crawlers in minimising both the financial and operational burdens associated with manual handling. The demand for smaller, more versatile cranes capable of accessing tighter spaces and handling smaller builds is on the rise.
