After a multifaceted career in materials handling that culminated in his reign as president and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Australia (TMHA), it’s clear that Steve Takacs feels he has a lot to be grateful for. And it’s not all corporate milestones and external achievements, although there have been many.

Here he talks with Forkliftaction about a career of opportunity, working his way up in the materials handling industry, the unique challenges of succeeding in the Australian market, and what it was like to be materials handling equipment manager for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

But perhaps he speaks most passionately about building a strong team, supporting technicians and emerging talent, and making a positive impact in the community.  

RC: You began your career as a fitter and mechanic, later moving into sales, account management, and rentals, before rising through TMHA from executive vice president and COO to president and CEO. What has working across such a wide range of roles taught you about the materials handling industry?

ST: When you’re part of an organisation, you’re part of a team, so I have always been available to support any department and job role. Having worked in sales, rentals, service and admin, gave me a deep understanding of the overall business. More importantly, it gave me an insight into the expectations of customers, linked back to the business infrastructure needed to support the industry.

I believe that my time as a service technician is where I gained most of my knowledge, business insight and a realistic perspective of operational functions. Technicians are the most customer-facing and most relied upon problem solvers in our industry. I’ve always known that a skilled service department is the key ingredient in any material handling success.      

RC: What has your time with TMHA revealed to you about being a leader? Were there any lessons that genuinely surprised you or reshaped your perceptions about strong leadership?

ST: Being a leader often means staying out of the way. You need to set the company direction and communicate it well, then let your staff apply their skill sets and deliver results. Strong leadership is about creating an organisation that people are proud to be a part of.

Being a strong market leader is good, but giving back to the community is great. Toyota Material Handling Australia staff can look back at the end of each year and take pride in the fact that the organisation they contribute to has also significantly supported community charity donations such as cancer cure and mental health initiatives, alongside financial grants to junior sports for boys and girls 16 years old and younger.

This creates both pride and motivation in employment.

RC: From your perspective, what sets the Australian materials handling market apart from other regions? Tell us about the unique challenges you’re seeing in this market right now?

ST:  Population spread with vast distances between capital cities and large regional towns, linked with equipment lead times, creates some challenges. To be successful in Australia a national branch footprint is needed. This comes with a large cost for infrastructure. No other country in the world has the remote population spread that we do.

During my 20 years with Toyota Material Handling Australia, we have grown from 10 to 21 branch locations. This has been a market-driven need to support customers that operate nationally.

Challenges right now for TMHA are linked to ongoing growing pains such as further development of additional regional branch locations and staffing, in particular sourcing technicians in regional areas.    

RC: Looking at the Australian market, what are the next big opportunities you see for the materials handling industry? Are there any emerging areas that you feel deserve more of our attention?

ST:  Being a vertically integrated, single-source company that can supply all warehousing and distribution needs including automation is key. Customers want a one-stop-shop for all their operational needs, and any company that focuses on continuing to expand product ranges linked to a national branch coverage will be well placed in the future.

RC: You played a key role in negotiating the supply of materials handling equipment for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and were seconded to its Organising Committee (SOCOG) as MHE Manager for the Olympics. This must have been a very challenging and rewarding time. What stands out most in your recollections of that period?

ST:  I was very proud to be involved with the Sydney 2000 Olympics, one reason being it was in the national interest, and Australia was on display to the world. At this time, I was employed by Crown Equipment, an organisation that I still have great respect for.

Winning the supply agreement and engaging with SOCOG delivered unique supply and service challenges. Many of these challenges were tied to both technician accreditation requirements and the security clearances needed for equipment deliveries and site access. There was high pressure to perform well, everything was time critical.

We were charged with the supply of equipment to bump in and bump out of various events, meeting TV broadcast times. We were behind the scenes taking great pains not to disrupt events while providing critical equipment and services. Crown Equipment did a great job, and I was blessed to be part of a successful supply operation.

RC: Over the course of your career, many people will have played a positive role. Were there any teammates, leaders, or mentors who had a particularly significant impact on you personally, or on the trajectory of your career? 

ST: I learnt from many and varied styles of people both at Crown and Toyota. The people that I learnt from most were not always in positions of management or senior people. It was anyone who displayed impactful qualities such as being approachable, caring and supportive, combined with empathy. The name on the front door of the building isn’t what’s important, it’s the good people within.

RC: After nearly 40 years in materials handling, and almost 20 with TMHA, what do you hope your lasting impact has been on the industry and for the people you’ve worked with?

ST:  I hope I have given opportunity, mentored many staff, hundreds of apprentices, helped the needy, set company cultures, provided stability, built lots of friendships, exited the business at a high, and set in place a succession plan with great people for continued growth.   

RC: Drawing on your broad experience across many years, what’s your elevator pitch to young people who may be wondering whether materials handling is a worthwhile career path?

ST: It is a resilient, stable, and essential industry that operates across all business segments, with Monday to Friday, family-friendly working hours. Regardless of technological advancements, material handling equipment will always be needed in society.  

RC: Steve, we wish you all the best for a happy retirement. Is there anything else you would like to share that we haven’t covered?

 ST: I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to both Crown Equipment and Toyota Material Handling for forty years of stable employment and opportunities that allowed me to enter this industry as a technician and exit as president and CEO.