Flocon Engineering’s history is surpassed only by its dedicated family-orientated ownership, which now spans three generations. Former employee Peter Knight takes Roads & Infrastructure inside the business’ early days.
Family has always been at the core of Flocon Engineering’s operations.
The road equipment manufacturer has three generations worth of ‘Knight’s’ to show for it.
Now retired, former Company Director Peter Knight began his tenure at Flocon Engineering more than four decades ago. As a young mechanic making his way through the industry, Knight serviced trucks that came through what was then known as Flow Controlled Transport.
Peter, under his father and mother Jim and June Knight who started Flocon, and along with his brother Steve, contributed to the initial growth of the company. Peter Knight’s contributions were particularly impactful for the company’s success in expanding to Brisbane.
Relatively inexperienced in the sector, Peter Knight made his way across to Queensland. What was initially supposed to be a 12-month trip slowly turned into a period of growth, with Knight establishing meaningful relationships across the industry.
Knight’s stint in Queensland would endure for another seven years, turning into a self-sustaining expansion site for the company.
“Now we’ve got several depots in different states that just do servicing and spare parts. Nearly all of it used to be done out of Melbourne,” he says.
Flocon has been building and supplying its diverse range of road maintenance equipment to the market since Jim Knight started the business in the early 1970s. It was a family affair since day one, with Peter and Steve following in his footsteps – working and eventually succeeding him as heads of the company.
The first unit was manufactured in 1975, with the first asphalting patching unit being delivered to Moorabbin City Council in 1982.
This was a key milestone for the business, which would soon eye further expansion interstate, as well as the international markets.
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A key step was establishing suitable infrastructure and skilled personnel to allow the business to design, develop and deliver its own products, through its own facilities.
“We used to work on 10 trucks at a time maximum. They’re now working on more than they ever have. There used to be ebbs and flows outside of busy periods, but now it’s constant,” he says.
“We do our works in-house now, instead of using sub-contractors.”
Knight says that while the technology and processes may have changed over time, the company and his family’s desire for quality has never dwindled.
“There’s a real passion in the family to support one another,” he says. “Sometimes you hear in other companies that the third generation usually says ‘bugger it’ [to joining the business]. The third generation has come in and they’re so passionate to grow the company ever further.”
This generation consists of Peter Knight’s children Ryan and Melissa, as well as his niece Simone and nephew Rory, the current Director of Flocon Engineering.
Peter Knight says a passion “for the tools” is consistent across all three generations.
“I was a young man from a mechanical background, [Dad] learnt on the tools early on and Rory has a diesel mechanic background,” he says.
“For me, the whole business is for the family.”
So is the commitment to Flocon Engineering’s customers.
“Someone once told me that you can’t make money from friends, but when you spend your life doing this, you get to have great relationships with customers,” he says. “I’m still friends with a few of my long-time customers. All it took was time and dedication.”
Knight jokes that modern technology has altered the ability to establish meaningful relationships with customers.
“It was that personal aspect being face to face, before email and before things like Microsoft Teams,” he says.
However, as he adds, the team at Flocon Engineering was raised on similar principles. This is reflected in the company’s customer relations, as well as the development of its equipment.
“We’ve always built products for what the customer wants and needs, not just what we want,” he says. “We still do that, and I think that comes from being a family-owned business; everyone is connected to every single product.”
“[The team] is very personable, eager, professional and passionate. They’ve been given the reins and they know what they’re doing. I trust them.”
“Rory’s very personable. He’s a great listener and he has the freedom to try new ventures.”
One such venture was the company’s development of its new forward-moving aggregate spreader. A machine that Knight says was years in the making.
Despite retiring a few years ago, Knight says he still remains in contact with the Flocon Engineering team on a consultation basis. Although he missed it at first, Knight says he knows that the company is in good hands.
This article was originally published in the September edition of our magazine. To read the magazine, click here.