Earthmoving Equipment Magazine met up with owners Stephen & Teresa Holt of Hydraulic Steels Australia.
The operation was started in 2012 by Managing Director Stephen Holt, supported by his wife and Finance Director, Teresa.
The business had a specific focus on providing precision steels to the hydraulic repair and manufacturing sector. Stephen’s aim was to fill a gap in the market: “When I started in 2012 it was because I saw that the traditional suppliers of precision manufacturing steels were large and cumbersome,” says Stephen.
“They were simply not geared towards the multitude of engineering workshops supplying hydraulic repair and manufacturing services to the hydraulics industry.”
These repair businesses operate under high pressures – speed is everything. Repairs are needed as quickly as possible. This is where Hydraulic Steels Australia has the edge over larger businesses – because they only handle hydraulic steels, they are able to do this faster than their competitors. Stephen says, “We’ve not only invested heavily in stock, but also in equipment and systems.
We operate seven laser guided band saws and these are dedicated to hydraulic steels.” It’s this commitment that leads to their superior cutting service. This state of the art equipment provides a fast, efficient and reliable service that reduces unnecessary repair workshop machine down time – ultimately saving immediate and long term costs. If they receive an order before 1pm, the product is typically shipped before the close of the day’s business.
The company has grown recently to include three warehouses and operatesfrom Brisbane and Melbourne. He says the warehouses are always well stocked with a broad range of steels: chrome bars (including induction hardened), cylinder tubes and CDS line tubes in various grades. These suit the vast majority of OEM machines and equipment:
“Our hydraulic steels have been used in a wide range of sectors including: Construction, Earthmoving, Mining and Agriculture. We’re able to do this because we’ve forged partnerships with steel manufacturers from around the world in order to ensure that we carry the largest size range of hydraulic steels in various grades in Australia.”
So has this growth affected the family based culture of the company? Not at all!
“We know that when our customers need something done – it needs to be done right. People lie at the heart of any successful business, so our recruitment process is very particular. We concentrate on recruiting staff with a track record in the industry the average number of years of experience for each member of staff is over 20 years.
We want staff that are passionate about delivering on our customers’
expectations.” Stephen’s care for his customers also extends towards his staff.
The company recently implemented a rigorous WHS system, which helps ensure that
everything runs smoothly: “It’s incredibly important that our service is
centred around timely, direct communication — this involves our people
understanding exactly what our customers need. We pride ourselves on taking
care of our customers and delivering on their need.”