Kenter International Logistics founder Emily Jackman helped to promote diversity through her sponsorship of a Women in Industry award category.
Kenter International Logistics founder Emily Jackman has, since the company’s inception in 2010, built the freight forwarding and heavy equipment transportation specialist into a global logistics company.
Leading a company in a traditionally male-dominated industry, Emily often uses her position to encourage diversity and empower women to seek growth in heavy machinery-based roles.
Most recently, this has come in the form of sponsoring a category in Prime Creative Media’s Women in Industry Awards, which celebrated the achievements of outstanding women working across a variety of industries.
Earthmoving Equipment Magazine caught up with Emily to find out more about her journey founding Kenter, and why it is important to acknowledge female leadership and achievements.
Navigating the field
After studying marine studies at polytechnic, Emily’s first entrance into the world of logistics was at New Zealand’s Port of Tauranga, where she worked as a process implementation change manager.
From this starting point, she moved around global shipping companies and ports, before ending up as a freight forwarder of heavy machinery. This is where Emily found her niche and she decided to start up her own business – Kenter International Logistics.
“I didn’t really know what I was going to do when I first started Kenter,” she said.
“A customer rang me one day and asked if I could ship them something. I decided to give it a crack, and that was how it all began.”
It was a challenging undertaking and, initially, Emily says she found it difficult to navigate the challenges thrown at her and make a name for herself in the industry.
However, by digging deep and showing resilience, she gradually carved a space for her specialist role, reaching out to male allies who helped mentor her.
“I wouldn’t be in this position to support other women in the heavy industry, and sponsor an award, if it hadn’t had been for some highly qualified and respected males at the top of their field,” she said.
“They gave me the opportunity to openly discuss the challenges as they presented, and learn from their experiences over decades in both aspects of business management along with freight operations, generously and honestly. I remain grateful always, and continue to work with them today.”
Setting the example
As a mother of two sons and a daughter, Emily wants to set the example of how men and women can thrive within the heavy machinery industry.
She acknowledges that different people can need different working conditions, so Kenter provides support to employees in whatever shape or form they need.
“Women in the heavy industry often face a lack of support, and the ability to talk about what they’re experiencing, to get better at whatever it is that they’re doing,” Emily said.
“Women need to support each other and create a safe space where we can actually talk about what we’re experiencing in the heavy industry – this will lead to more women in leadership-based roles.”
One initiative that is helping to achieve this is Prime Creative Media’s Women in Industry Awards – which recognise outstanding women from across a range of industrial sectors that are traditionally male-dominated.
In 2024, Kenter sponsored the Excellence in Transport award – recognising an individual who has gone above and beyond to improve and positively impact the Australian transport industry. Emily was proud to be back on board in 2025, sponsoring the same award.
“I really like the Women in Industry Awards because they encourage women to be stoked about their own achievement, without them thinking it’s arrogance or ego,” she said.
The awards night provided the opportunity for Emily to speak with various women within her industry, all bringing different perspectives. Due to this, she believes the Women in Industry Awards are powerful.
“It’s great to see women supporting each other and this can lead to more individuals gaining the confidence to work in the heavy industry and work their way up into leadership roles,” Emily said.
Through initiatives like this, she believes more women are gaining this confidence.
When asked if she has seen a shift in more women participating in the heavy industry, Emily responded emphatically with one word – absolutely. She adds that the more women that take on opportunities and give it a crack, the more they can find out if they enjoy it.
Naturally, this will help boost the number of women in the industry and create a more diverse work environment.
“I’m highly grateful for the position I’m in, it’s taken a lot of hard work to get to here,” Emily said.
“If we can create a safe space and a support network of women in heavy industry, that would be my utopia, because there are opportunities available.”
The Excellence in Transport award was won by Kirryn Crossman from SMEC. Kirryn was recognised for leading complex, multidisciplinary infrastructure projects with a strong focus on technical excellence, collaboration, and sustainability. Just as important is the impact she makes beyond project delivery, mentoring colleagues, supporting inclusive team cultures, and helping to foster the