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CHATTING WITH ...
Current, past and future leaders in the equipment rental industry
Published on September 28, 2020
Paul Toop
Paul Toop is part of the quality assurance and implementation team at Visual Dispatch. With over 10 years experience in the Australian and New Zealand Crane rental industry, Paul has worked as a Rigger, Operator, Site Supervisor and Dispatch Manager. His interest in the operations and scheduling side of the business led him to eventually join Visual Dispatch.
Image: Paul Toop from Visual Dispatch
How and when did you get into the equipment rental industry?
I got into the Crane Rental Industry in 2007, funnily enough through my roommate who was the company pilot for Universal Cranes at the time. My first big project was on the ground as a dogman on the Gateway Bridge upgrade in Brisbane.
What type of roles and responsibilities have you taken on over your career?
I started my career on the ground and have been a rigger and crane operator on various projects in Australia and New Zealand. I spent 3 years in New Zealand with most of the time being involved erecting and dismantling Tower Cranes and Crawler Cranes. I got to see most of New Zealand with stints in Fiji and PNG albeit mostly out of the window of a crane or truck, but it was still a great experience. My wife and I moved back to Australia around 2010 after the first Earthquake hit in Christchurch and were greeted with the 2011 floods. I went on to become the Yard Supervisor back at Universal Cranes and then into the dispatch office looking after the Brisbane Taxi fleet. This is where I became acquainted with the scheduling software Visual Dispatch. In this time I helped implement an updated version of Visual Dispatch which gave me the broader picture of how all the pieces of the business connect. In 2018 the opportunity arose for me to join the Visual Dispatch team and over the last two years I have been part of the QA and implementation team.
Who played a big influence in your career, and would you consider being a mentor for someone in the next generation?
Over the years there have been many Crane Operators, Riggers and Supervisors that have all imparted some wisdom to me. My time in New Zealand is where 2 individuals had the biggest impact on me. Peter Shaw and Tony Tamekehu took me under their collective wing and showed me everything they knew about Tower Cranes and Material Hoists. The patience and willingness to share their knowledge is something that I am forever grateful for. I still have great memories of putting up a Tower Crane in Queenstown in the snow. At this stage of my career I think I’m looking for a mentor rather than being one, but I hope that one day I can pass on all my accumulated knowledge to the next generation.
How has the equipment rental industry changed over the years?
In the Crane Rental Industry, I have seen the shift from paper-based systems to almost entirely electronic. I can remember printing job tickets and placing them in pigeonholes before the shift whereas now it is almost all communicated electronically through emails and apps. The other major change is the amount of compliance and reporting required by Tier 1 contractors and Government to win contracts. The reporting of fuel usage, fatigue, and inductions etc. is now commonplace.
What one piece of advice do you think would have helped you early in your career?
I think when you reflect like that there are so many things you would tell your younger self. The problem is that if you took that advice you would not be where you are today and may not have learnt all the things you now know.
How do you define success and what was a defining moment or event in your career?
For me success is all about not giving up, adapting to overcome the hurdles will always get you there. Also, success can come easier if you enjoy the work. I have been lucky as my journey from cranes to the software industry has always involved jobs that I am passionate about. For defining moments, moving back to Australia from New Zealand after the first Canterbury earthquake was a big one both personally and career wise. My wife and I managed to escape before the devastation of the second quake and it put me on the track to be professionally where I am today.
How can people connect with you?
Via LinkedIn is the best, I am always happy to connect with new people in or out of the industry.