Like so many owners of crane hire businesses, TopGun Cranes owner Barry Ramm, is a modest, no-nonsense man. He is very hands on with his business, and wants the very best for the people he employs. Barry loves nothing better than getting behind the controls of his cranes and putting them through their paces.
“Outside of work, people know I’m in cranes, but I don’t tell them I’m a crane owner, I like to keep things simple” says Barry.
“When I was a youngster, I saw a crane set up in a weird and wonderful way, and I remember thinking ‘That’s very interesting,’ said Barry.
He swapped directions in his career moving from landscaping to become an auto electrician, and worked for a company called Hunter Valley Cranes, which, at that time did similar work to Johnston’s Transport, specializing in moving machinery and rigging. Barry was driving trucks and learning to Rig Loads.
“I got my semi-trailer license a couple of years prior and I made out I knew what I was doing, although I had no experience, and the owner took me for a drive around the block”.
“I drove the truck like I would a car using the clutch to change gears. When we got back to the yard, the owner said “Mate, there’s not many people that use the clutch, and I’m always telling them that’s the best way to drive, but they don’t listen”. That’s where I got my start in the crane industry,” Barry said.
Barry went on to work at Stephensons Cranes where he met Phill Martin, Operations Manager, and others. This was his introduction to running a fleet of mobile cranes. Barry started the TopGun Cranes brand with a business partner Trevor Sweeney.
“Trevor was our business partner in the beginning. We had some highs and lows, and as time went on, it was clear that Trevor was going to head in a different direction”. “Five years ago, we bought Trevor’s stake in the business”.
“We have restructured the business over time. We were a tower crane company with some mobile cranes, as we pursued the tower crane market for a while. But our philosophy has been to concentrate on one thing, and do it well. So we got out of tower cranes and progressed with our mobile crane business to meet the requirements of our customers”.
“We operate a diversified fleet and our range and capacities let us compete with much bigger yards. We provide a personalized service for our customers and I like to catch up with clients when I go to a site. I still occasionally operate cranes to understand what’s actually happening, and happy to get out on the tools whenever I can. I wouldn’t expect our teams to do anything that I wouldn’t do or haven’t already done safely,” said Barry.
The business continues to evolve, and professional development is a key focus for TopGun Cranes.
“Peter Willmott recently started with us as a Draftsman and Heavy Lift Specialist. Pete’s been in the industry a long time and his experience and skill set is something we’ve been wanting to bring in-house for some time. He joins Graham “Butch” Cooper planning solutions for every challenge.
“We are also keen to see people progress in the business, and Nathan McNeill is a good example of this. Nathan has stepped up through the ranks having started out as a Dogman, progressed to Crane Operator and now to an Allocations Role,” said Barry.
“We really appreciate what everyone puts into the business,” he added. “I take great pride in saying I employ a team of 40 plus individuals, that’s my biggest reward. Life and working with cranes is a hard balance, the odd hours and being away from home can take a toll on families. I really appreciate what our teams do for the business.”
TopGun Cranes recently took delivery of new cranes including a Grove GMK 3060L-1, the first Grove in the fleet and a Terex Franna AT40.
Renewing and refreshing the fleet is not a straight forward process for any crane business and it is no different for TopGun Cranes. Fluctuating exchange rates, the strength of the Euro and extended wait times on delivery are issues being dealt with, industry wide.
“We are really happy with the latest additions. It is a good feeling knowing we are buying new cranes and that they feature all the latest safety developments. As we move forward as an industry, we believe it’s the newer cranes featuring the latest technology, which will lead to less risk and this is the direction in which we all need to be headed,” said Barry.
“There are a number of new purchases in the pipeline, big and small, and these offer challengers we look forward to,” he continued. “We are a growing business and expanding the capabilities of the fleet has its pros and cons. Our biggest hurdle at the moment is our facility and yard space in Glendenning.”
“Renewing the fleet and buying new equipment is one thing, but accommodating it is proving to be an even bigger challenge. It’s a problem facing all businesses in major cities, especially Sydney, which has one of the highest land values in the country. If we want more space, we are going to be pushed further away from the geographic center of Sydney which increases road travel, working hours, fatigue levels, to name a few but we will manage,” said Barry.
We are seeing positive results from our apprenticeship program. Attracting youngsters to the business is a key element of TopGun Cranes’ growth strategy.
“We recently started two new apprentices. After the success of our first apprentice John Markantonatos has worked really well and was my dogman on a recent project. I’m still learning the different disciplines they are being taught, one being customer relations, which can only benefit the individuals, our business and customers,” said Barry.
“We believe our teams are ‘Next Level,’ when it comes to their approach to work. We pair the youngsters with our experienced guys who have been in the industry a long time, and they are good enough to share their knowledge and experiences.
Like all crane hire businesses, the backroom staff are critical to the business.
“We wouldn’t operate if it wasn’t for our backroom staff. My wife Emma Ramm is on top of the financial side of the business. I appreciate what Emma does and wouldn’t be here without her support. Our Office Manager, Katelyn Duffy works tirelessly keeping the books balanced, there is a lot involved,” Barry said.
“There are always stresses as a business owner, and retaining good staff is really important.
For the businesses that have retired, it’s unfortunate because a lot of them had been around for a long time. The industry has witnessed change, but change provides opportunity and that is certainly the case for us. It definitely opens new avenues and provides us with more opportunities to keep moving forward. “TopGun Cranes is here for the long haul!” said Barry.
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