“WHEN WE FIRST STARTED AND WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MAJOR SUPPLIERS THEY THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE AUSTRALIA WAS A NEW MARKET WITH GREAT POTENTIAL IT WOULD BE RELATIVELY EASY TO SUPPLY. BUT THAT WAS ONLY UNTIL WE TOLD THEM THAT IF THEY FLEW FROM SYDNEY TO PERTH THEY WOULD SPEND UP TO FIVE HOURS IN A PLANE...”


demand for its products and services, principally from the city’s thriving construction sector. Te Kensington site is strategically located a few miles northwest of the central business district. Industry veteran Ian Jongen has joined the company in the role of state manager to head-up the new operation. Steve reiterates Ashley’s earlier point about the geographical scale of Australia. He says, “When we first started and we had conversations with major suppliers they thought that because Australia was a new market with great potential it would be relatively easy to supply. But that was only until we told them that if they flew from Sydney to Perth they would spend up to five hours in a plane, and that Singapore is actually as close to Perth as Melbourne is.”


Ash cites two main reasons for the expansion into


Melbourne: “First, the market is growing and the government has heavily invested in infrastructure, which will have a major positive impact on industry; second, and most importantly, the right person became available to lead the project in Ian. Te people you have running and operating a business are far more important than the market.” Steve adds, “Te old saying goes if the right person comes along and you do not have a position, make one. And that is essentially what we did with the opportunity in Melbourne.” Growth, then, must be gradual. “I think the west coast may be a little while away,” says Ashley. “Not that it isn’t on our radar but it is a long way from home and logistically it would present such a challenge. It would be easier to expand into New Zealand! I think our focus will remain on the east coast of Australia for now but it’s worth reiterating that we are flexible enough to open wherever the right person becomes available.” It’s a difficult island to conquer, as previous experiences have proved—and Ash explains: “We opened in Wollongong, about one hour from Sydney, back in 2008 but made some poor business decisions and lost a lot of money. In hindsight, this was one of the most important lessons Steve and I have learnt in business and one that has propelled us to be the company we are today. You could say it was a very expensive education for us both.” Te Australian lifting equipment marketplace is also


ferociously competitive. Further, many of its suppliers don’t have the knowledge to back up their product offering, Ashley says. Te problem, Steve explains, is that lots of companies see lifting equipment as an add-on to


WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE MAY–JUNE 2018 29


other products and services, which is principally as a result of market leading suppliers offering it to them. If you sell nuts and bolts or tool bearings, why not stock slings and chain hoists? Tat was the attitude. Ask these companies what they know about load stresses on chains, however, and they won’t be able to respond.” To bask in the Sydney sunshine with the Tackers is to imagine great things. “Australians will give you a go,” Steve says. “We have a vast and diverse population, which is an opportunity to embrace.” Ashley concludes, “As long as Steve and I are here alive and kicking, service through knowledge will be Ranger’s main philosophy.” After all, “Without knowledge there is no service.” y


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