About

Pacific Hoists - About us

Pacific Hoists is a privately owned Materials Handling Australian family business founded in 1976 by Dennis Herbert and Ray Danckert to market the Hitachi range of electric chain hoists. Today, the company enjoys an enviable market leading position in both the Australian and New Zealand lifting and materials handling markets.

From our founding roots Dennis, Ray and the team at Pacific Hoists built a company based on honesty, integrity and a commitment to quality. Today, we are recognised throughout Australasia for the services and commitment to our customers.

With our head office and main warehouse in Seven Hills, we also have warehouses and offices in Brisbane, Perth and Auckland; providing a national network to service our customers promptly and professionally.

Materials Handling Specialists Pacific Hoists markets world-leading brands such as HitachiJ.D. Neuhaus, Vital, Yale and Comeup, supported by an extensive range of Pacific Hoists’ own products. The company’s achievements are based on the commitment to supply quality equipment at a competitive price whilst striving to maintain and improve levels of service and customer satisfaction. Our commitment to operational and safety excellence is demonstrated by our accreditations which include ISO 9001, ISO 45001, NATA and LEEA.

All Pacific materials handling and lifting equipment is designed and manufactured to conform to Australian and International standards (where applicable). A comprehensive range of literature is readily available upon request or can be downloaded directly from this site.

The Pacific Hoists’ commitment remains, as always, to supply a quality range of products by supporting our distributor base throughout Australasia. We intend to continue our growth, to maintain the largest range and best quality products available, and to constantly seek new and improved products to provide the right solution for an ever-widening range of applications.

The History of Pacific Hoists

 

2020 – PACIFIC HOISTS PARTNERS WITH COLUMBUS MCKINNON

2020 – PACIFIC HOISTS BECOMES CARBON NEUTRAL

2019 – THE NEW JDN MINI IS INTRODUCED TO MARKET

2019 – PACIFIC HOISTS REBRANDS

2018 – NSCA INNOVATIVE AWARD

2016 – CHALLENGER LAUNCH

2016 – PACIFIC HOISTS 40th ANNIVERSARY

2014 – MASTER DISTRIBUTOR SIMPLEX

2012 – NSCA AWARD

2012 – LOGISTICS & MATERIALS HANDLING MERCURY AWARDS

2012 – AHPC JOINS FAMILY 

2011 – IAN CRAKE APPOINTED MANAGING DIRECTOR NZ

2011 SEPTEMBER – REBRANDING & NEW WEBSITE
A new brand, a new image and a new future. The high tech boom is upon us and social media is the word of the day. This new move by Pacific Hoists; introducing the latest technology, iPads, iPhones and a brand new website will help drive the success of our company well into the future. We will operate on all platforms and use all appropriate technologies and social media to provide the highest levels of service to our customers.

2011 JANUARY – AS4801 ACCREDITATION ACHIEVED
As part of Pacific Hoists’ commitment to maintain the highest level of Occupational Health and Safety, the company achieved AS 4801 accreditation and was acknowledged by the process of having the highest standard of operation. This accreditation also saw the launch of the company’s state of the art intranet system, providing the highest level of governance and operational systems.

2010 DECEMBER – LEEA FULL MEMBERSHIP ATTAINED
The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association is recognised worldwide as the leader in training and competency evaluation of industry trades people. Full membership of this association is dependent upon a company being able to satisfy an audit by LEEA officials which demonstrates the capability and competence of this company to operate to the LEEA standards laid down by the association. Pacific Hoists was only the third company in Australia to achieve full membership, an achievement of which we are all proud.

2010 OCTOBER – PERTH RE-LOCATION TO LARGER PREMISES IN WELSHPOOL
The strong growth in the Western Australia resources markets continued to allow Pacific Hoists to expand rapidly and in order to further increase our capabilities we moved to a new distribution, service and testing facility in Welshpool WA. This significant investment in expansion of services further demonstrates our commitment in providing first class customer service to our customers.

2009 SEPTEMBER – SERVICE CENTRE & WAREHOUSE OPENED IN MEADOWBROOK, QLD
Pacific Hoists expanded the service and testing capability with the opening of our new service centre in Meadowbrook Queensland. Fully equipped with testing facilities for both hoists and hydraulic lifting equipment, we can now test up to 100 tonne capacity cylinders.

2009 – APPOINTED EAGLEPRO DISTRIBUTORSHIP FOR AUSTRALIA AND NZ

2006 – RICHARD CRAKE APPOINTED CEO
Richard Crake joined Pacific Hoists after a career in Unilever industrial companies in UK, France and Australia. Stepping into the gap left by Michael passing, Richard continued to build on the foundations laid down by Dennis and Michael and is working on preparing the company for long term sustained growth, driven by providing market leading products and excellent customer service.

2004 NOVEMBER – MICHAEL HERBERT DIED

2002 MARCH – DENNIS HERBERT DIED

2001 FEBRUARY – MICHAEL HERBERT APPOINTED MANAGING DIRECTOR

2000 SEPTEMBER – PERTH OFFICE OPENED

1999 MAY/JUNE – HEAD OFFICE RELOCATED TO SEVEN HILLS
Now a fast growing and recognised supplier to the lifting industry Pacific Hoists moves to the new Head Office and Warehouse at 24 Foundry Road in Seven Hills. These new facilities allowed Pacific Hoists to expand further into the materials handling market and develop its service offering to include testing and maintenance of lifting equipment.

1995 SEPTEMBER – UPGRADED ACCREDITATION FROM AS 3902 to AS 9002
Further acknowledgement of the development of our Quality Systems.

1993 – TRAINING FACILITY OPENED FOR INSPECTION – TRAINING SESSION APPOINTMENT
Pacific Hoists adds training to its service portfolio and starts its first customer training sessions.

1993 JUNE – ACCEPTED BY STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA AS A QUALITY ENDORSED COMPANY
NUMBER QC 2079
Pacific Hoists continued its focus on developing the most advance quality systems in the Australian Lifting and Materials Handling a philosophy that continues today.

1991 – QUALITY ASSURANCE POLICY AS3902 & ISO 9001
Pacific Hoists achieve recognition for its quality systems and operations when it achieved ISO 9001 and AS3902 accreditations. These accreditations became the corner stone of our operations and have helped build our Quality systems to become the leading edge in the industry that they are today. We have continuously held this standard since accreditation.

1988 MARCH – APPOINTED NATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR FOR ALL VITAL PRODUCTS FOR AUSTRALASIA
Hitachi awarded Dennis Herbert with the “Outstanding Sales Award”.

After showing Vital what Pacific Hoists could achieve in the Australasian market, the company was appointed a National Distributor for all Hitachi products. In that same year Denis Herbert was acknowledged by the Executive of Hitachi and awarded the “Outstanding Sales Award” for the hoists division. This was one of the highest awards given to a distributor by Hitachi at the time. A very proud moment for the Herbert family and the staff of Pacific Hoists alike.

1987 SEPTEMBER – MICHAEL HERBERT JOINED AS ACCOUNTANT
Michael Herbert, Dennis’ youngest son, joined Pacific Hoists as the company accountant. The business was now becoming a truly family business.

1987 MAY – NEW ZEALAND BRANCH OPENED
Glen Hall was appointed General Manager of our new Auckland New Zealand branch and continued to work within the NZ team until 2012 when Glen retired.

1984 MARCH – PACIFIC HOISTS WAS APPOINTED THE DISTRIBUTOR FOR AKAPP ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
AKAPP are recognised as one of the market leaders in the conductor bar industry and are renowned for their quality and innovation. Manufactured in the Netherlands, AKAPP systems are recognised throughout the world by the Cranes and Lifting industries.

1981 JUNE – THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST VITAL LEVER BLOCK
Focused on the leading international brands Dennis negotiated to distribute the Vital range of Chain and Lever Blocks to replace Honka. This was the foundation for our long standing relationship with Vital Japan. A partnership which has grown Vital to be the leading Range of manual lifting equipment in Australia. A market position still envied today by our competitors.

1980 DECEMBER – APPOINTED AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR FOR METREEL LTD
Pacific hoists expanded into the provision of electrical feed systems and was appointed National Distributor for Metreel Ltd from the UK

1979 APRIL – WARREN DOWLING JOINED PACIFIC HOISTS AS APPRENTICE
Warren fresh from school was appointed as Pacific Hoists first apprentice and worked his way through the business. Warren worked for the company for 39 years.

1978 JULY – PACIFIC HOISTS WAS APPOINTED NATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR OF VERLINDE & J.D.N. PRODUCTS
This was another milestone in the expansion of our product ranges, particularly with J.D. Neuhaus. After loyal service to JDN for over thirty years we are now proudly in the enviable position of being one of the leading distributors in the world.

1978 SEPTEMBER – LES IVERS JOINED PACIFIC HOISTS
Les Ivers joined Pacific Hoists as a Fitter & Turner; working on assembly and dispatch of hoists. Les who is now Spare Parts Manager, has been with the company for 34 years.

1977 OCTOBER – FIRST HITACHI WIRE ROPE HOISTS ARE DELIVERED TO AUSTRALIA
Further expansions of the Pacific Hoists product range now included the Hitachi range of wire rope hoists, specifically designed for the crane industry. This opened new markets in manufacturing and combined with our design and build capabilities, allowed Pacific Hoists to further specialise in the Australia’s lifting market.

1977 MAY – HITACHI RANGE OF PRODUCTS WAS EXPANDED
Our range of products was expanded to include Hitachi Crane components Push and Geared Trollys and Tayland Hoists. This expansion of our capabilities allowed Dennis to provide a much wider range of products to the markets and allowed him to expand his custom building operations. The company had now expanded to four staff:

Dennis Herbert
Ray Danckert
Marj McKay
Les Grant
Les Ivers

1977 SEPTEMBER 21 – EXCLUSIVE HITACHI DISTRIBUTOR AGREEMENT SIGNED
After demonstrating our dedication to growing Hitachi and providing first class support for Hitachi Hoists in Australia, Pacific Hoists was recognised and appointed as the first exclusive distributor for Hitachi Hoists in Australia. This was the first exclusive agreement for Pacific Hoists which further emphasized our position in the hoist market

1977 FEBRUARY – FIRST DEDICATED WAREHOUSE & SERVICE BUILDING WAS OPENED IN ERMINGTON
In order to be able to service the lifting market Pacific Hoists opened its first warehouse in Australia, dedicated to this purpose. Set up by Dennis Herbert, this was to define the future of Pacific Hoists services to the markets it served. From here Dennis was to not only distribute the hoists but also to design and build a wide range of lifting equipment, including cranes, jibs and specialised lifting structures.

1976 NOVEMBER 17 – COMPANY CONSTITUTION: PACIFIC HOISTS PTY LTD WAS FORMED
Following the agreement with Hitachi, Pacific Hoists Pty Ltd was formed from Relda Pty Ltd., Investments to clearly create a company which specialised in the development of the Lifting Equipment and Hoist market in Australia.

1976 APRIL 15 – DENNIS HERBERT SIGNED AGREEMENT WITH HITACHI
After the presentation of the business plan and negotiations with Hitachi Japan the first distribution for the company was signed between Dennis Herbert and Hitachi. This historic moment was the foundation stone for the building of what is today one of the leading Hoist, Lifting Equipment and Materials Handling companies in Australasia