THE INTERVIEW | JUSTIN BROWN


accountability and customer intimacy that built this industry in the first place. Organisations that treat knowledge as a strategic asset rather than institutional memory will create the most enduring competitive advantage. “I expect the industry to continue growing


Unirope technician manufacturing a high-performance Twin-Path Roundsling. “The expertise we bring to each application


often has a greater impact than the product itself, so I have always believed that technical excellence is a business strategy, not simply an engineering objective. Customers are not looking for someone to sell them a wire rope or a sling. They are looking for confidence that the solution is the right one.”


A supplier that consistently delivers better


technical decisions engenders trust, which fuels the long-term relationships that ultimately create sustainable financial performance. That approach to business also echoes Brown’s approach to people.


“Knowledge is one of the few assets that become more valuable when it is shared. Investing in training, mentorship and professional development is not an expense, but an investment in the organisation’s future capability. Every time an employee develops stronger technical judgment, the company becomes more valuable.” Indeed, Brown believes that defining performance should involve more than financial metrics, which measure the results of decisions made in the past. Leading indicators are the strength of technical capability, the quality of people, the quality of customer relationships and the ability to transfer knowledge from one generation to the next. “If those continue to improve, the financial


results will generally follow,” he says. The company’s clearly defined core values –


technical excellence, integrity and stewardship – fit perfectly with Brown’s approach to business and also define his views on the industry’s future.


40 Fall 2026 | ochmagazine.com


Built on firm foundations For Brown, the industry has been shaped by entrepreneurs and owner-operators who developed deep expertise through experience. They understood their products, their customers and their applications because they spent years solving problems. Commercial judgment and technical judgment were inseparable, and that culture created an industry where knowledge was earned rather than assumed, experience mattered, curiosity was valued and people were expected to understand not only what worked, but why. “What concerns me is that much of this knowledge is now at risk,” he remarks. “Many of the people who built the industry have retired over the past decade. We face more than a succession challenge. We are facing a knowledge transfer challenge. Companies often retain procedures, specifications and product data, but they lose the judgment that allows experienced people to interpret and apply that information. “If I could change one thing, it would be how our industry thinks about knowledge. Too often, it is treated as something individuals possess rather than an asset organisations intentionally develop, measure and preserve. In my view, technical knowledge, professional judgment and the ability to transfer experience from one generation to the next deserve the same strategic attention as capital investment, operational efficiency or financial performance.” For Brown, the strongest companies will not choose between traditional craftsmanship and modern management, but will combine the discipline, systems and scalability of sophisticated organisations with the technical depth,


steadily because lifting and rigging are fundamental to the physical economy,” he says. “Nearly everything that is built, manufactured, transported, mined or maintained depends on lifting in some form. Whether the economy is expanding through new construction or shifting its focus towards maintaining existing infrastructure, our industry will play an essential role.” Brown is very bullish about the future, believing that products will continue to evolve and tools will become more sophisticated, while the fundamental need for them will remain unchanged. As long as there is a need to build, move and maintain heavy assets, the world will need trusted technical partners. The greatest challenge facing the industry is, he believes, the increasing pressure to compete on the attributes that are easiest to compare, particularly price. Competition itself is healthy, but many of the characteristics that matter most are harder for customers to evaluate before making a purchase – material quality, manufacturing discipline, proof testing, traceability, engineering support and technical documentation. “When economic conditions become


more challenging, the pressure to reduce costs increases for everyone. The danger is not lower prices themselves but allowing lower standards to become an acceptable way of achieving those prices. At the same time, many of the people who developed expertise over decades are retiring, and with them goes a tremendous amount of practical knowledge. Technical judgment cannot simply be downloaded from a manual.” If he were to give one key piece of advice


to someone starting out in the industry today, it would be to become a student of the industry, not just of their own job.


“Whether you work in sales, operations, finance, customer service or engineering, take the time to understand the products, the applications and the problems your customers are trying to solve,” he says. “Technical knowledge gives context to every decision you make and allows you to contribute in ways that extend far beyond your job description.” “Find experienced people and learn from them while you can,” he adds. “Ask them not only what they do, but why they do it. Most of the best lessons in this industry are not found in manuals or product catalogues. They are found in the experiences of people who have spent decades solving difficult problems. Above all, protect your curiosity.” That advice carries a lot of weight. The people who influenced Brown the most still believed they had something new to learn, even after decades in the industry. And keeping his curiosity intact has led him to the top.


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