At Melbourne Lifting, 4.30pm isn’t “tools down.” If a customer calls late with an urgent job, the answer is still yes. “That’s not knock-off time for us,” say company owners Mick and Clair. “If someone rings at five in the morning, we’re ready to go.”
That responsiveness sits on top of a long family history. The company traces back to B&I Supplies, the business started by Mick’s parents, Brian and Irene. After almost three decades building a loyal customer base, Mick and Clair bought the business in 2017 and re-cast it as Melbourne Lifting – a name that actually says what the company does. “We wanted the name to reflect the work,” Mick said. “People shouldn’t have to guess what we specialise in. For all your lifting needs, large or small, we can help you.”
A shift to a larger site in 2019 marked a turning point. “The old premises were physically and logistically too small,” Clair said. “We were literally unloading the factory for an hour each morning just to create space to work – then loading it all back in at night.” The move brought street-front visibility and immediate expansion. “We filled the new place straight away.”
The extra room wasn’t just about comfort. It unlocked new capability. “Wire rope was the big one,” Mick said. “At the old place, we couldn’t fit the racks or a press. Here, we can lay out work properly and see the job in front of us. A showroom means walk-ins can see and handle our products before buying. “
Wire Rope: Made-to-order, in-house
Wire rope slings aren’t one-size-fits-all – they vary by material, construction, diameter, length and application. As demand rose, outsourcing became a bottleneck.
“Lead times weren’t where we wanted them,” Clair said. “So, we invested in a 600-tonne wire rope press and brought manufacturing in-house.”
Today, Melbourne Lifting builds wire-rope slings to order, re-swage end fittings, repair where possible, and test and tag on site. “The in-house press lets us control quality, shorten turnaround and respond to unusual requirements without sending customers elsewhere,” Clair said. “We also keep pre-made Franna ropes on the shelf at sharp prices so fleets can grab and go.”
RSB expertise
Most modern crane hoist ropes come with a Resin Spelter Button (RSB) end. If that button is damaged, owners are often told to buy a whole new rope – an unnecessary expense and a guaranteed dose of downtime. “We’ve trained our technicians to repair, replace and refit an end-socket on site,” Clair said. “It’s a big cost saver and, more importantly, it gets cranes back to work quickly and safely.”
That on-site mindset extends beyond wire rope. A mobile test bed allows clutch, chain and component testing at a customer’s yard, eliminating the old routine of carting equipment back to the workshop and waiting for re-install.
“You can test on site and put it straight back to work,” Mick said. “No downtime, no double handling – that’s why we bought it.”
What they do – and how they do it
Melbourne Lifting’s core remains lifting equipment supply, service, repairs, testing and inspections – with the wire-rope line now sitting alongside on-site crane-rope inspections, mobile testing and RSB work.
“People can walk into the showroom, see what we stock and talk directly to us about the job they’re trying to solve,” Clair said.
Service is deliberately personal. “A lot of firms follow the same standards – that’s a given,” Mick said. “What’s different is how fast you move and how much pressure you put on yourself to get a customer back online.”
That philosophy extends to account size. “Everyone gets the same service,” Mick said. “Whether you run 15 cranes or just one, the respect goes both ways.” The team avoids public client lists in a competitive market, but the approach is consistent: fast response.
Safety and standards
Melbourne Lifting’s safety framework is guided by LEEA (Lifting Equipment Engineers Association). “LEEA has been excellent for us,” Clair said. “They’re specific to our industry and we get direct help and advice when we need it. Our technicians are qualified, but so much of this trade is experience and constant on-the-job training.”
The six-person engine room
Scale is only useful if the team can move with it. “We’re six people,” Clair said. “We are like a family. Emma and I run the admin – Emma handles reporting and bookings – Mick manages the floor, and three technicians rotate across testing, deliveries, pick-ups, on-site inspections and service calls. We mix the work so no one gets stuck in a rut. The bench is steady: Harley has been with the business for well over a decade dating back to the B&I days, while Emma is also long-tenured; Casper started as a one-day-a-week junior and grew into the role. Jarrah came on board as we needed more hands as our business grew.”
Why the growth has stuck
The company hasn’t chased headlines or megaprojects. It prefers to keep the ability to service the loyal – long-time customers. Its kit is there – often via crane-hire customers – but the focus is squarely on keeping fleets productive. “We’re hands-on and reachable,” Clair said. “You can ring and speak directly to one of us. That’s how we want it and we’re not changing that. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Two decisions made the recent growth possible and sustainable:
Space that works: the 2019 move brought layout, visibility and a showroom, replacing daily stock shuffles with organised work cells.
Capability in-house: the wire-rope line turned a recurring bottleneck into a competitive edge; the mobile test bed stripped out downtime and double handling.
MakiNG it easier for the customer
Ask Mick what really differentiates Melbourne Lifting and he won’t reach for marketing language. He’ll point to turnaround. “We don’t claim to be ‘better’ than anyone who follows the rules. We just make it happen quicker, and we stand behind the work and quality. We put pressure on ourselves to take the pressure off our customers.”
Clair frames it simply: “If we can reduce downtime and cut costs for a customer – we’ve done our job. That’s what keeps people coming back.”