What Safetech does

Safetech Pty Ltd is an Australian designer and manufacturer of industrial materials handling equipment, dock products, and lifting solutions headquartered in Moe, Victoria. Founded in 1984 by Lindsay Wakefield, David Wakefield, and Bruce Cox, the company built its initial business around the PALIFT pallet leveller and has since expanded into a portfolio spanning dock levellers, dock hoists, dock seals and shelters, vehicle restraints, vehicle lifts, freight hoists, scissor lifts, overhead cranes, pallet handling equipment, mobile elevated work platforms, car stacker parking systems, and turntables. Notable proprietary technologies include the patented LoHoist pitless design, the Pin-Gear turntable drive system, the LoLift 40mm ultra-low-profile scissor lift, and the Australian-only Tieman dock leveller range. The company also distributes complementary international brands including MHE (automated parking and building maintenance systems, via parent Jebsen & Jessen), Gorbel (cranes and intelligent lifting devices), Tieman (dock levellers), and Serco (loading dock equipment). Safetech serves enterprise customers across mining (Fortescue), retail grocery (Coles, Kmart), automotive OEM (BMW, Lexus), data centers (AirTrunk), food processing (Sydney Fish Market, Hussy & Co), self-storage (Storage X), entertainment (Her Majesty's Theatre), and banking (Westin), with installed equipment at iconic Australian sites including the MCG, Parliament House, and the Shrine of Remembrance. The business operates a sales-led, custom-quoting go-to-market model through a national 1800 number, website inquiry forms, and on-site engineering consultations, supported by a national 24/7 service technician network for maintenance and spare parts.

Following 40 years of founder ownership, Safetech was acquired by Jebsen & Jessen Group, a diversified Southeast Asian industrial conglomerate, in 2024, transitioning leadership from the original partners to the new corporate parent while preserving Australian manufacturing operations and the existing engineering team. Revenue is generated through one-time equipment sales of custom-designed products plus recurring service and spares revenue from the installed base. With 170+ employees and a cumulative 100,000+ products sold worldwide since founding, the company holds the Australian Telstra Business of the Year award (2006) and Victorian Manufacturer of the Year (2019), positioning it as the leading Australian-owned specialist in dock and lifting infrastructure for industrial, commercial, and residential applications.

Name

Safetech

Legal name

Safetech Pty Ltd

Website

https://safetech.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Safetech is an Australian designer and manufacturer of industrial materials handling equipment, dock products, and lifting solutions serving enterprise customers across mining, retail, logistics, automotive, data centers, and self-storage industries from its Moe, Victoria headquarters. Now owned by Jebsen & Jessen Group following 2024 acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Materials Handling Equipment

NAICS

Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Cranes, Hoists & Overhead Material Handling (Industrial) (IMAHABAE)

Keywords

• Dock equipment manufacturing
• Vehicle lift systems
• Materials handling equipment
• Freight hoists and cranes
• Pallet handling solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Moe

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: One-time sale of materials handling equipment including dock products, vehicle lifts, scissor lifts, freight hoists, cranes, and pallet handling solutions. Products are custom-designed and manufactured to customer specifications.
2. Service & Spares: Ongoing service maintenance, spare parts supply, and technical support for installed equipment through national service network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Safetech designs, manufactures, and services industrial materials handling and dock equipment from its Moe, Victoria facility, including dock levellers, dock hoists, dock seals and shelters, vehicle restraints, vehicle lifts, freight hoists, scissor lifts, overhead cranes, pallet handling equipment, mobile elevated work platforms, turntables, and door solutions. Products are custom-engineered to customer specifications for industries including mining, warehousing, logistics, retail, self-storage, automotive, and architecture/construction, with a national 24/7 service technician network providing installation and ongoing support. The company also distributes third-party brands such as Gorbel cranes, Serco dock accessories, and MHE automated parking systems into the Australian market.

Product overview

Safetech is an Australian designer and manufacturer of industrial materials handling equipment and dock products, operating as a single-brand portfolio of physical equipment rather than a software platform. The product portfolio centers on dock products (dock levellers, hoists, seals, shelters, vehicle restraints) and lifting solutions (vehicle lifts, freight hoists, scissor lifts, overhead cranes, pallet handling equipment) serving industries including retail, manufacturing, warehousing, self-storage, food & beverage, mining, and construction. Products are designed and manufactured in Australia at their Moe, Victoria facility with custom design capabilities for bespoke solutions. The company also distributes MHE (Jebsen & Jessen Group) products as an Australian partner for automated parking and building maintenance systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dock Levellers Hydraulic and mechanical dock levellers that bridge the gap between warehouse floors and truck beds, enabling safe loading and unloading across standard, vertical, mini, and container variants. Designed for distribution centres, warehouses, and logistics facilities.
• Dock Hoists Heavy-duty scissor lift platforms for loading docks that handle large variations in vehicle heights, available in 1 to 8 pallet configurations for different throughput requirements. Used at distribution centres and logistics facilities.
• LoHoist Patented Pitless Dock Hoist Patented pitless dock loading hoist with low-profile design allowing ground loading without requiring a pit, available in 1-6 pallet configurations with integrated bollards and drop-in installation. Engineered for facilities where pit installation is impractical or cost-prohibitive.
• LoLift Low-Profile Scissor Lift Ultra-low profile (40mm) scissor lift providing no-pit lift table solution for pallet truck and trolley access, designed and manufactured in Australia. Used in warehouses and distribution centres where pit installation is not feasible.
• Dock Seals and Shelters Weather protection systems for loading docks including Eco-Shelter inflatable seals, Snap Back and Ultra Dock Shelters, Blackout climate control shelters, and compression seals for climate-controlled and refrigerated facilities.
• Vehicle Restraints and Wheel Chocks Safety equipment preventing trailer creep and premature departure including in-ground automated chocks, surface-mounted restraints, PitBull vehicle restraints, VersaChock wireless systems, and manual Ezy Chocks for loading dock safety compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ products and solutions sold worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• MHE (Materials Handling Equipment) Products & ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSafetech is MHE's Australian partner, offering their wide range of advanced equipment tailored to the Australian market. MHE specializes in building maintenance systems, automated guided vehicle parking systems, and automated parking tower systems. Safetech acts as the exclusive Australian channel for MHE products.
• GorbelmajorTechnology or IntegrationGorbel is a US-based manufacturer of crane and ergonomic lifting equipment. Safetech distributes Gorbel products in Australia including workstation bridge cranes, monorails, tether track systems, G-Force intelligent lifting devices, electric chain hoists, and end effectors.
• SercomajorTechnology or IntegrationSerco is an international brand providing loading dock equipment. Safetech distributes Serco products including the Blackout dock shelter (BDS-S model), VersaChock wireless trailer restraint, and compression seals. Products feature proprietary Serco technologies like DryDock moisture sealing and LightBlock systems.
• TiemanmajorTechnology or IntegrationTieman Technologies provides dock leveller designs that Safetech manufactures and distributes as the Australian-made Tieman Dock Leveller. This is described as the most widely used dock leveller in Australia, incorporating Tieman's design with Safetech's local manufacturing and support.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gorbel: US-based manufacturer of overhead cranes, jib cranes, workstation bridge cranes, and ergonomic lifting devices. Notably, Safetech already distributes Gorbel products in Australia, making Gorbel both a partner and a direct peer in overhead lifting equipment globally.
• Rotary Lift: Manufacturer of vehicle lifts for automotive service, dealerships, and heavy-duty commercial applications. Comparable to Safetech's showroom vehicle lifts (BMW, Lexus) and heavy commercial truck lift portfolio.
• Stertil-Koni: Specialist manufacturer of heavy-duty vehicle lifts including mobile column lifts, platform lifts, and in-ground lifting systems. Closely comparable to Safetech's vehicle lift and heavy commercial hoist product lines serving mining, transit, and commercial fleet customers.
• Bishamon Industries: Manufacturer of scissor lift tables, pallet positioners, pallet rotators, and material handling equipment. Directly comparable to Safetech's scissor lift and pallet handling product lines serving warehousing, manufacturing, and distribution customers.
• Rite-Hite: US-headquartered global manufacturer of loading dock equipment (dock levelers, vehicle restraints, dock seals, industrial doors) and material handling solutions. Directly comparable to Safetech across dock levellers, vehicle restraints, seals, and integrated dock management systems sold to warehousing and distribution customers.
• Blue Giant Equipment Corporation: Manufacturer of loading dock equipment including hydraulic dock levelers, vehicle restraints, dock seals, and integrated dock controls. Closely matches Safetech's dock-products portfolio and target customer base of distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, and logistics operators.
• Poweramp: North American manufacturer of hydraulic and mechanical dock levelers, vehicle restraints, dock seals, and integrated dock safety systems. Directly comparable in product scope and customer profile to Safetech's dock environment portfolio.
• Hormann: German family-owned industrial group producing loading dock equipment (dock levelers, seals, shelters), industrial doors, and warehouse logistics solutions. Highly comparable product overlap with Safetech and competes across the same European/Australian enterprise sales channels.
• Copperloy (Eaton): Manufacturer of yard ramps, loading docks, and material handling equipment. Comparable to Safetech's container and yard ramps, scissor lifts, and dock product lines serving logistics and warehousing end markets.

Broad incumbents

• ASSA ABLOY (Loading Dock Solutions): Global access solutions conglomerate with a dedicated loading dock and logistics solutions division (including brands formerly known as Albany, Kelley, and Serco — note Safetech already distributes Serco products). Competes with Safetech in dock equipment while leveraging vastly larger scale and global enterprise reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCw4Ey9A29M-K-mCUhqbrxQw/featured

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Safetech