Adam Duncan from Adaptalift speaks about the material handling company’s acquisitions, technical training programs, and more.
Adaptalift Group is extending its reach, expanding services, and ensuring that safety and customer needs remain paramount.
With new premises and acquisitions across Australia, the company is continuing to grow its customer base.
The company’s General Manager – Sales, Adam Duncan, spoke to MHD about his insights into the motivations behind these changes, the company’s dedication to training, and how recent investments are reshaping Adaptalift’s value proposition.
Supporting growth
With Adaptalift’s sustained growth, it was only a matter of time before space became a constraint in several of its
key locations.
“The decision to build a new branch in Brisbane and relocate to new premises in Sydney addresses this challenge,” says Adam.
“We were running out of space at both current premises in both states, so space was a big restriction on us there. Obviously, it has safety implications
as well.”
These new properties are more than just functional spaces; they are designed to enhance Adaptalift’s capacity to serve its customers and meet increasing demand across the eastern seaboard.
“These property acquisitions are purely related to supporting our growth. We’ve been growing year on year, and we’ve outgrown our facilities in those markets,” adds Adam.
Enhancing regional reach
Adaptalift has also expanded its footprint by acquiring two companies, Forkwest in South-West Western Australia and Riverina Lift Trucks (RLT) in regional New South Wales.
Adam highlights that these acquisitions provide a boost in geographical coverage and product diversification.
“To continue growing our business and add more value to our customers, we wanted to expand our geographic reach. We see that as a key part of our growth plan,” he says.
The acquired businesses also enhance Adaptalift’s product range, particularly with telehandlers, broadening its offerings beyond traditional materials handling equipment.
RLT was a dealer for Manitou and Forkwest for Merlo, both established brands in the telehandler market.
“It was something we offered in our rental fleet, but we didn’t have any existing ability to sell telehandlers. From a product diversification standpoint, this acquisition is a real asset,” explains Adam.
Diversified product range to meet market needs
With these recent acquisitions, Adaptalift now offers an expanded range of complementary products. Adam points out that while material handling and telehandlers share similarities, each has unique attributes that appeal to different industry requirements.
“These products increase our overall value proposition by having a more diversified product range, which we can offer to our customers,” says Adam.
Products like Trackmobile and Zephir mobile railcar movers have also allowed Adaptalift to add niche solutions to its portfolio, meeting demand from customers looking for versatile solutions in the rail sector.
“It’s not more of the same – it’s actually a different product, but very complementary to our existing business. This allows us to add even more value to our customer relationships,” adds Adam.
Investing in employee development
In keeping with its commitment to delivering great customer service, Adaptalift values staff training.
The company’s recent sales conferences provided an opportunity to bring team members together to share knowledge, reinforce company values, and strengthen skills.
“It was as much about connecting as it was about learning. We create an agenda that’s a mix of product training and professional sales training to help improve our people and make them more effective,”
says Adam.
Adaptalift conducts OEM training not only for sales teams but also for technicians. This ensures that field technicians are well-equipped to diagnose and fix equipment issues, which enhances service reliability and customer satisfaction.
“The more familiar our technicians are with the equipment, the more quickly they can address issues, improve first-time fix rates, and support our customers effectively,” explains Adam.
A newly appointed technical training manager further underscores the company’s commitment to consistent and advanced training.
“It’s our commitment to making sure that our technicians understand the machinery they’re working on and that they’re always fully up to date,” adds Adam.
Introducing specialists to enhance product knowledge
As Adaptalift’s product range grows, so does the need for specialised knowledge. To meet this demand, the company has introduced product specialists, with dedicated experts for key brands like Combilift and Kärcher.
“With our breadth and depth of product, it’s hard for a single salesperson to be an expert across all areas, so we provide specialists who understand the products, markets, and customers in detail,” says Adam.
These specialists work closely with OEMs to ensure Adaptalift is up to date with product development and market needs.
“Our approach is more professional, and we’re able to add more value to the customer by providing detailed, targeted expertise. We’ll continue to specialise to ensure we’re offering the customer the best possible service,” says Adam.
Elevating customer engagement
To enhance customer engagement, Adaptalift launched Adaptalift Connect, a mobile app and customer service portal. This platform allows customers to track rented equipment, review service history, monitor costs, and manage service requests.
“It’s akin to an online banking platform where customers have easy access to all the information, they need about their equipment in one place,” says Adam.
Safety is also a priority at Adaptalift, with the introduction of the AiVA pedestrian detection system, which enhances safety by detecting and alerting operators to pedestrians in the vicinity.
“Technology in our equipment is evolving to make it safer and more efficient. Features like pedestrian detection and speed limiting are vital, and many of our customers are now specifically looking for these safety features,” adds Adam.
Supporting market demand
Adaptalift’s expanding team size, product diversity, and geographic range have been instrumental in helping the company better serve a variety of customers, from blue-chip corporations to small businesses.
“We service the entire market, and we’re constantly evolving to meet those needs. To keep pace, we’re constantly recruiting and deploying resources,” says Adam.
Adam attributes Adaptalift’s success to a hiring strategy that aligns with market demands.
“Recruitment has become a core competency of our business,” he says, noting that population growth directly impacts demand for Adaptalift’s products, creating a need for steady expansion of resources and workforce.
Ongoing investments in OEM training
Adaptalift’s commitment to excellence extends to OEM and technician training. The company works with OEMs to deliver both theoretical and practical training for technicians, allowing them to stay proficient with the latest technologies.
“We make a substantial investment in bringing our technicians off the road for this training, and it’s worthwhile as it ensures they’re fully updated with the products they’re servicing,” says Adam.
Adapting to market trends
Adaptalift stays informed on industry trends through OEM partnerships and regular market research, which allows it to respond swiftly to shifting customer needs.
“To be relevant and to succeed, we need to be across market trends and offer products and solutions that meet those needs,” explains Adam. ν
For a comprehensive fleet review or assistance with expanding your fleet, reach out to the expert team at Adaptalift Group by calling 13 22 54.
For more information on Adaptalift, click here.