From the outside, the link between the worlds of CrossFit and materials handling seems tenuous at best. But for Van Lo, success in either comes down to a few key strengths: resilience, discipline, and a refusal to quit.

After nearly 17 years in materials handling – and more than a decade coaching CrossFit – Van's career has been built off the back of these traits. 

From his materials handling origins with Crown Equipment, to building up his skills in sales, and now mapping out future ambitions as the new strategic business development manager for HELI Oceania, Van’s journey reflects a mindset forged under pressure.

He shares the lessons that have shaped him and the market insights he’ll take into this next chapter.

RC: Tell us about your entry into materials handling with Crown Equipment, where you worked for over a decade in various sales roles. What were some of your most formative experiences early on?

VL: My entry into materials handling came through Crown Equipment in 2009, and it completely changed the direction of my career. 

I had always wanted to work in sales, even though like many in Asian families, I grew up being encouraged to become a doctor, lawyer, or something more traditional. 

But my passion was sales, and when Crown called me for an interview, I saw it as my chance.

At the time Paul Mandeno, the Retail Sales Manager, took a chance on me. 

I had no prior forklift sales experience, but he saw something in my attitude, energy, and hunger to learn. 

That moment was the first truly formative experience of my career, realising that people don’t just hire your skills, they hire your character.

Working at Crown was both challenging and incredibly rewarding. 

We weren’t the cheapest product on the market, and competing on price was a daily battle. But that made the wins more meaningful. 

We had to sell on value, not discounts, something that shaped me into a stronger communicator, negotiator, and problem-solver.

Interestingly, one of the biggest turning points in my early career had nothing to do with losing a deal. 

It happened when I lost my driver’s licence for six months. 

In forklift sales, having a valid licence is a core requirement. I genuinely thought my career was over. 

But Michael Meurs, the retail sales manager at that time, fought to keep me on under one condition, I had to prove I could still perform.

And I did. I mapped out my weeks accordingly, organised meetings and demos around specific days, and relied on my mum as my “taxi driver” for six months. 

It sounds funny now, but at the time it taught me resilience, planning, humility, and responsibility, forcing me to grow up fast and reinforcing that sales is about perseverance, not convenience.

Those early years at Crown taught me the fundamentals of value-based selling, resilience, discipline, and maintaining strong relationships. 

But more importantly, they taught me that success in sales comes from who you are, not just what you know. 

That foundation set the stage for everything I’ve done since.

RC: During your time with Crown, you worked for a couple of years as a sales manager in Vietnam. What were some of the standout highlights, both personal and professional, from your time there?

VL: My time in Vietnam had a few standout highlights. 

Professionally, the biggest was doing a site survey at the Samsung factory in Hanoi; it was so enormous you genuinely couldn’t see where it ended. 

Installing forklifts into a Linfox warehouse was another memorable moment; the site was so spread out we needed a buggy just to travel between buildings.

And I’ll never forget a discovery meeting at the Lotte warehouse where I walked out completely soaked in sweat, Vietnam’s humidity is no joke.

On a personal level, living there made me realise how much I take for granted in Australia. 

Simple things, like driving to Officeworks to buy stationery, suddenly felt like luxuries. 

It gave me a deeper appreciation for home and a real respect for how resourceful people are in different environments.

RC: Congratulations on your recent appointment as strategic business development manager at HELI Oceania. As you’ve begun to settle into the role, what has been the biggest learning curve, and what excites you most about the job looking forward? 

VL: Thank you, stepping into the role with HELI has been both exciting and eye-opening. 

The biggest learning curve has been wrapping my head around the sheer scale and depth of the company’s product range and the many different models and solutions. With over 500 dealers globally, the size of their operation is something you appreciate once you’re inside the business.

Products, attachments, and even categories are often referred to differently, so making sure I’m asking for the right thing and interpreting specification sheets correctly has been a big focus. 

It’s been a great learning experience and has strengthened communication with our colleagues overseas.

Looking forward, I am most excited by what I believe is the potential of the brand in the Australian market. 

The brand already has an established global reputation, engineering capability, and manufacturing strength, so now it’s about building the right team, the right partnerships, and strengthening our presence locally. 

There’s a lot of work ahead, but I can genuinely see the potential to make waves in the Australian materials handling industry. The opportunity to help shape this momentum is what motivates me.

RC: You have described the Oceania market as tough, competitive, crowded, noisy, and constantly evolving. To your mind, what are the key challenges and opportunities within this market?

VL: The Oceania market is highly mature and extremely competitive. 

Customers know exactly what they want, and with so many new brands entering Australia, it’s becoming harder to stand out. 

But the shift toward rental over ownership presents a major opportunity. 

The key is ensuring our equipment is tough enough for demanding rental environments and that we support our authorised dealer network properly. 

If we get that right, there’s huge potential to grow and make a real impact.

RC: We are seeing a continued push towards more sustainable materials handling operations. In your opinion, what are some of the customer challenges within this transition that are under-recognised or under-discussed?

VL: One of the biggest under-recognised challenges in the transition to sustainable materials handling is the mindset shift. 

Many customers still believe battery-powered machines can’t match diesel or LPG performance, even though technology has advanced to a point where electric forklifts can now meet, and in some cases exceed, traditional expectations. 

The real challenges are often more practical: insurance requirements for lithium battery equipment, ensuring sites have enough electrical capacity, and the broader issue of infrastructure strain, similar to what we see with EV cars and fast-charging availability.

Despite this, we’re now seeing customers become more open to battery-powered solutions in applications where they previously wouldn't have considered them, which shows the shift is happening.

RC: The market is rapidly evolving. How do you see your customer’s expectations changing in areas such as electrification, automation, and total cost of ownership (TCO)?

VL: Customer expectations are shifting quickly, especially around electrification and total cost of ownership. 

TCO has always mattered, but historically the cost of lithium equipment made a fully electric fleet hard to justify. 

With the rise of competitive Chinese products, the pricing has changed dramatically, and now electrification is something many businesses are actively considering because the TCO benefits are finally compelling.

In terms of automation, the Australian market is mature but has not adopted automation as quickly as other regions. 

Customers are interested, but they’re still cautious and want solutions that are proven, simple to integrate, and supported locally. 

As technology becomes more accessible and more businesses feel the pressure to improve safety and efficiency, I expect expectations around automation to evolve rapidly.

RC: HELI Oceania recently announced that it has become an official partner of the Western Sydney Wanderers FC, a professional football (soccer) club. What excites you about the partnership, why do you think this kind of community outreach important?

VL: What excites me most about the partnership is how naturally the two brands align, beyond the fact that we both wear red, black, and white. 

Football is a truly global sport, and we are a global brand. Both of us operate in highly competitive environments where commitment, consistency, and culture determine success.

Partnering with a club that embodies these traits reflects the type of organisation we strive to be.

Community outreach is also incredibly important. 

The Wanderers have a strong presence in Western Sydney, and supporting a club that plays such a big role in its community allows HELI to genuinely give back, not just market itself. 

It shows we’re committed to being part of the landscape, not just selling into it.

We’re excited to build a strong, long-term partnership that connects us with people, supports local sport, and reflects our values as a company.

RC: You have been a CrossFit coach for 11 years. What drives your love of the sport? What skills has it given you personally that have served you well in materials handling?

VL: I’ve always been competitive by nature, and CrossFit feeds that drive. 

What I love most about the sport is the constant push to test your limits physically and mentally. 

In a tough WOD (workout-of-the-day), you’re pushing past the pain barrier, squeezing out those last few reps before the time cap, and proving to yourself that you can do more than you thought. 

That mindset carries directly into my work in materials handling.

In sales, a “no” isn’t the end — it’s usually an invitation to ask, “what else?” Or “how can we make this work?”. The resilience, discipline, and refusal to quit that CrossFit builds have been invaluable in my career.

And just like in CrossFit, where athletes continuously push performance boundaries, our industry is driven by the push from constant demand and rising expectations. 

For me, both worlds align through the same core principles: mental toughness, persistence, and the belief that progress comes from extending beyond the comfort zone.