We have an amazing bunch of people here at Viking, with each person bringing their own skills and experience together to form one hell of a team. 

Over the next few months we will introduce you to our crew. 

This week it’s our National Sales Manager’s turn.
Meet Craig Watson.

Craig started with Viking in 2017, and if you ask him why he got the job he will probably tell you “they didn’t have a Maori on the team yet”. We are pretty sure he’s joking because the real reason is he was more than qualified for the gig. 

After starting out as a teenager on the tools in the construction industry in the late 90’s, Craig found himself in a Sales and Operations role in the electrical industry. Onwards from there, he worked for a generator sales and rental company, learning the business back to front and helping to set up 8 national branches. 

After a successful stint and looking for a challenge, Craig took on a job with Onsite Rental Group as their (take a breath..) National Major Projects and Key Account Manager. This position gave Craig access and experience at some major Australian energy projects like Wheatstone and Pluto. 

In 2017, Craig approached by Viking’s directors to join them and help grow the business, and it was an easy decision – with a solid product line and a focus on technical support, Craig couldn’t wait to build his team and tell the Viking story to the masses.

Since he started, Craig has helped Viking grow to include 5 branches and over 30 employees. His focus has been on creating systems, listening to the customer and learning from the team around him. 

Craig is proud of his eager and positive crew, all with their own skill set but everyone brings a “can-do, will-do” attitude to work each day.

Building Viking’s Snowy Cooma Branch and the subsequent Snowy 16mw sale is something that Craig will list as a leadership milestone last year, but he says none of it would be possible without the huge team he has backing him.

Craig and the Viking team are looking forward to an exciting year ahead, with a new Pilbara branch opening and continuing with The Snowy – Australia’s largest green energy project. Collaborations with great companies like Volvo-Penta are helping us deliver clean and modern machines to some of the countries biggest projects, along with the local businesses we work and grow with every day.

You can find Craig in our Brisbane office, or across the country helping the team set up new projects. On the weekend, find him coaching his sons footy team or getting a sneaky wave on the Gold Coast. 

We have an amazing bunch of people here at Viking, with each person bringing their own skills and experience together to form one hell of a team. 

Over the next few months we will introduce you to our crew. 

This week it’s our Managing Directors turn.

Meet Luke Rennie

Luke is one of the 3 founders of Viking, starting out in 2013 with the aim to settle in one place after years abroad and build a company to be proud of. He considers himself a practical and systematic person, hardwired to get things done and solve problems on the fly.
With a military background plus a further 10 years of dangerous security work across the Middle East, Luke is no stranger to high pressure work environments.

Most days at our Queensland head office you’ll find him darting between office cubicles and the warehouse, taking calls, emailing and texting, sometimes all at once. This is the intense work zone that he thrives on, and it’s this military approach that has helped Viking Industrial grow to become the kind of business that people can rely on to get things done.

“Viking’s success since inception is something to be excited about” Luke explains, “especially creating opportunities for our team to work in an empowering and positive environment where personal goals can contribute to larger company wide wins”.

What he loves most about Viking is the individuals that make up the team, “We’re blessed to have some incredible individuals that add tremendous value to the team as a whole, which is the only way for us to operate in my opinion.”

For additional information on the topic, please refer to reliable sources such as the Australian Health Guidelines and the World Health Organization (WHO). We have also found an awesome map which breaks down this pandemic worldwide https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

Please stay safe and be careful!

When choosing a generator its very much like choosing a car there are just as many choices, all with different strengths and weaknesses. When speaking with your generator specialist they will be able to identify the most suitable generators for your application. By making a choice early this will allow for time to acquire the correct option. By not planning ahead you will often times be sold a generator that is available as opposed to one that is correct for the job.

2. COST

Cost definitely has a place when purchasing a generator. Not all cost come with the price tag. Some Generators will cost you thousands of dollars more in servicing and maintenance, some will cost you in fuel consumption. Generally, the more expensive generators will cost you more on the price tag but save you in fuel maintenance and operate long after the cheaper sets have died and been used as spare parts. You can and should always ask your supplier for a cost of life analysis and spec sheet so that the engine origin and brand can be verified. Always ask for an explanation to why you are being sold a particular brand and the advantages for that choice.

3. SIZE

Making sure you correctly size the Generator for the application.

Correctly sizing the generator is one of the most important things you can get right when purchasing or renting a generator. The wrong choice can cost you money in fuel, extra servicing cost and take years of the life of the machine. Generators are designed to run at their optimum at 75% load. You can use the Viking power calculator to calculate the most suitable generator for your needs.

In summary when you speak to a generator specialist you should be asked the following question

• What is the intended application of the generator?
• What sort of hours will the generator be running?
• Who is paying for fuel?
• What will the generator be powering (what size generator)?
• When do you need the generator?

When dealing with a specialist they will be able to match a generator to your needs.  If enough lead time is given your specialist or technician will be should be able to independently source the best option for your needs which will in fact end up being the cheapest over the life of the generator. Regardless you should also be given a detailed reason as to why the machine offered is right for you.

Imagine 20 years ago two young blokes thinking big and looking to strike it rich. Well as always life gets in the way but it’s still an adventure. I went overseas and used the skills I learnt in the army to build a bankroll, while Craig started a family, and developed the skills to excel at business.

Of course, time flies and while Craig was refining his skills at Wasp Diesel, where he met Anthony Jensen, bonding over a strong work ethic, a practical approach to business, and a well-deserved steak and a beer at the end of the week. I was racing around the world saving to start a business. It was during this period that Anthony and Craig learnt not only the hard-practical skills but also what they wanted to focus on with business, strong lasting relationships with customers.

By the time I returned from the overseas I was hungry to learn, and with Craig’s guidance, I immersed myself in a three-year deep dive into all things mining, construction, power and generators. It was during this time that I learnt that the generator business is about so much more than a box that provides power. I learnt that with the right knowledge you can save customer hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in fuel and ensure they are never without power.

In 2015 Craig and I became partners, and I was able to work side by side with Anthony focusing on Viking, and bringing some passion and a focus on the customer into the industry. Since then we’ve won contracts such as the Gold Coast Light Rail and the Nexus Toowoomba Bypass, expanded out west and put on two more staff in Perth. Our team is working, and working well, and as we move forward we’re maintaining our focus on the customer first, always. Because you need power onsite because you’re moving forward too.

And why did we choose Viking as the name? With Anthony’s Scandinavian heritage he wouldn’t give us a choice!