70’s
1976 – In the beginning Ray Danckert and Dennis Herbert who had been employed at Herbert Morris
(Crane Manufacture in Sydney) embarked on a journey opening their own business, a partnership was formed, a company manifested with the recruitment of staff – 5 in all. The importing of high quality lifting equipment began, they started with four main lines being Hitachi Electric Hoists, Vital Chain & Lever Blocks, JDN Air hoists, Wire rope Hoist, focusing mainly on the lifting market and concentrated on selling to the distributor market such as J Blackwoods & Son.

Dennis at the Hitachi Factory	Ray standing in front of The Ermington Office	Dennis, Ray & Glen At the Hitachi convention

80’s
With the expanding of big hair in the 80’s so to did Pacific Hoists from 4 main product lines to include Materials Handling Equipment, such as the Y- Man, Lifter Tables and the Pacific Winches Division. The 80’s also saw Pacific Hoists use a strong marketing campaign to not only promote products, in the form of flyers, tradeshows, exhibitions and the start of the Pacific Hoists Product Brochure, but in implementing training for distributors and end users about safety and product maintenance in the work place. Dennis Herbert was involved with the implementation of Australian Standard AS1418.1 Cranes (including Hoists and Winches) also known as the Crane Code, and was the chairman for the AS1418.1 committee where he attended international meetings. In the mid 80’s Pacific Hoists expanded over the Tasman Sea to New Zealand.

1st Pacific Winches logo	Displaying the trailer at blackwoods	Pacific Hoists New Zealand
Pacific Hoists Safety Booklet	A young Warren modelling the use of the Y-Man	Our lst trailer

90’s
As Pacific Hoists was growing in staff and stock, a change of venue was in order from Ermington to Seven Hills in NSW, what started off as a 2 man operation was now becoming a national organisation, with sales representation in each state and the prospect of opening more distribution warehouses.

JDN Exhibition Stand	Early 90’s Adverts	Graham Displaying Trailer number 2

2000’s
A new millennium and a new outlook, the overhaul included the succession of Dennis Herbert to his son Michael. Michael began his reign as the company’s CEO in 2002, 1st on the agenda was the opening of our Pacific Hoists Office/Warehouse in WA, then the acquisition of Safepour-Cradle Dispensing System and the co ownership of revolutionary portable lifting equipment business.

In 2005 a veil of grief passed over the Pacific Hoists family with the untimely death of Michael. After a transitional period Richard Crake was appointed as Pacific Hoists CEO, a close friend of Michael Herbert. Richard is committed to continuing the family values instilled in Pacific Hoists over the past 30 years and brings with him a wealth of business experience and a strategic strength to carry the business into the future.

Pacific Hoists WA Vital Chain & Lever Handicap